Shalva was founded in May of 1990 by Kalman and Malki Samuels. Their own experience with the challenge of raising a special needs child, coupled with a strong desire to help families in similar situations, was the inspiration behind the creation of Shalva. Believing that the care of special needs children should not be left to the family alone, Malki and Kalman endeavored to create a therapeutic environment in which special needs children could thrive and grow.
Shalva is built upon a foundation of love, hope, faith and respect for all human beings. These guiding principles are evident in every Shalva program. The Hebrew letters shin, lamed, vav, heh comprising the name "Shalva" stand for shichrur l'mishpacha v'layeled hamugbal: "liberating the family and the special needs child." In Hebrew, the word shalva means "peace of mind."
Shalva provides services to more than 500 participants with special needs, including infants, children, adolescents and young adults via a plethora of tailored programs and round-the-clock therapies, seven days a week. Shalva accompanies the child and his/her family from birth to adulthood. Individual programs are so designed that each participant reaches his/her full potential. By placing an emphasis on social interaction, the special needs child can better integrate into the community.
The Family: Front and Center
All Shalva's programs are designed to treat the child while simultaneously strengthening the family. In fact, parental participation is a cornerstone of the entire early intervention concept behind the Me & My Mommy program. From counseling to sibling discussion groups to crisis intervention, families are kept apprised of their children's progress and their adjustment every step of the way. On par with the practical skills that parents gain during their Shalva years are the precious hours of respite that allow each family to reenergize as they enjoy normal family life hours without the guilt so often associated with dividing time between their special needs and non-challenged children.
Professional Staff
Shalva is staffed by professionals who are experts in their fields. They achieve breakthrough results in an atmosphere of warmth and love.
Research & Development
The Learning & Development Institute, led by Prof. Malka Margalit of Tel Aviv University, works to advance understanding of the special needs population in Israel and beyond. The institute hopes to extend this knowledge to field professionals, as well as to the lay population.
Preparatory Courses
Early on in its history, Shalva professionals became aware of a pressing need for recognized criteria in qualifying people who want to provide lay care for the special needs population. Addressing that need, a curriculum was designed for two courses that have been received enthusiastically.
Shalva's Qualification Training Program equips students with enough basic knowledge to work with special needs children in day care centers, schools or at home. One program is designed for caregivers of special needs infants & toddlers and the other is for caregivers of special needs children & adolescents.
Utilizing the vast amount of practical experience and knowledge that Shalva has accumulated over the past 18 years, the 30-hour courses aim to ensure future availability of quality personnel where needed and, ultimately, strengthen the entire support system. Together with Shalva's professional staff, students are provided with vital tools and are trained to provide maximum assistance to their charges.
The academic consultant is Tel Aviv University's Prof. Malka Margalit, who serves as the Chair of Shalva's International Academic Board. Course graduates will be listed in a computer database to be used for job placement purposes throughout Israel.
Wall-to-Wall Gratitude
In appreciation of Shalva's superb contribution to Israeli society, it has received numerous accolades. These include the President of Israel Prize for Excellence; the Mayor of Jerusalem's Award for Exceptional Service; Jerusalem's Award of Distinction; the Shalem Foundation Award; the Israel Association of Social Workers Award; the Knesset Prize for Outstanding Humanitarian Service; the Jerusalem Foundation Prize for Leadership and Public Excellence; the Aminadav National Service Award; and the Jerusalem Award of Distinction in the field of National Service.