MBKI is continuing our long–standing partnership with the special education department of the Kiryat Arba/Hebron municipality. Our mission is to remove as many obstacles as we can from the path of educators by exploring creative and innovative ways that will help them reach and teach their kindergarten students. Many people do not know that special education throughout Israel did not stop during the three nationwide COVID lockdowns. However, the economic impact on families, increasing anxiety and overall shift in how life is lived has nonetheless affected children with special needs. Shira T, one of our partner educators, recently wrote MBKI co-founder Dov Gelman the following:
“Dov, I want to share with you what happened in my kindergarten this year. 
***
Already at the beginning of the year I saw that the group of children is very complex and each child has separate and different difficulties from the other children.
It was hard to reach them. Each in his own world. One with communication difficulties, another with selective mutism and another with significant anxieties..and more. I was looking for a way to get to their heart, to their brain. I was looking for a way to open their senses.
And I got it! Music !!
As soon as I started teaching them everything through music – I suddenly saw eye contact, body reactions,
The children started to express themselves – and it was very exciting !!!
We set up a small corner in the garden with lots of music
And I also built a music corner out of wood so that the music will also be in the yard and only inside the garden. (I will send you pictures)”
We want to create Magical Music Spaces in Shira’s kindergarten and use her space as a model for special needs kindergartens around the country.
Help us help Shira unlock the children with music. Thank you so much for your consideration.