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Shluchim with Special Needs Children Receive Help

by Tamar Runyan – Chabad.org

An organization founded in 2009 to provide financial support and specialized programming for Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries raising children with special needs inaugurated its West Coast chapter with an event at the Cheder Menachem day school in Los Angeles.

The event earlier this month, planned by S. Monica Chabad House directors Rabbi Shlomo and Aliza Menkes and Chabad of Sherman Oaks assistant director Rabbi Mendel Lipskier, brought together 15 couples for an address by Dr. Daniel Shabani of the Shabani Instritute Center for Behavior Analysis and Language Development. Following the talk, Shabani and another therapist spoke individually with the emissaries about the concerns of each unique family.

The Yaldei Shluchei HaRebbe event also served as a forum for participants to share their feelings, questions, and suggestions with their colleagues in similar situations. Yaldei, which covers medical costs, provides counseling and service coordination to nearly 150 families, has sponsored numerous weekend parent retreats in Florida, New England, and California.

“As helpful as those events are, nothing compares to having local support close to home,” commented Rabbi Sholly Weiser, Yaldei’s executive coordinator, explaining that the new West Coast chapter will host monthly meetings and possibly serve as a model for similar expansion in other states. “As for now, California emissaries have a new and important local address to turn to for assistance.”

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6 Comments

  • Shluchim Supporter

    I think that this is great. I realize shluchim with special needs children have unique concerns etc..However, wouldn’t it make more sense to channel resources and earmark them specifically for shluchim through the Friendship Circle? I know that here in L.A. the Friendship Circle employs therapists and has many resources. I am wondering if it makes sense to duplicate efforts with a separate organization.

  • to # 1

    good idea.

    but that will defeat the moto of “Yeder Coker Hut Ah Locker

  • Danny Rotenberg

    although this is certainly a great thing which is being done in los angeles,and it is about time,however ,besides the shuluchim there are many families with special needs who need support along with their family.
    Also the idea of special needs children cover a wide spectrum,and although idon’t get me wrong that i have high praise for begining to recognize the problem,this is not an answer to the parent and certainly not the child. Children with special needs must have their own facilities and people which can cater to their needs every day in their own setting of a school.othwerwise it does them a diservice and achieves nothing.The truth is that only New York or Israel can cater to their needs,and supply the funds to manage their situations.To deny them there rightful chinuch in a proper place with prper experts isa nothing more than lip service.

  • in the know

    to # 3.
    first of all motto is spelled with 2 “t”s/
    secondly, if you know the dynamics of FC you will realize that yaldei and FC are 2 totally different operating orgs.
    thirdly. even if FC does all these wonderful things, to have something catered just for shluchim (not open for all as in the FC case) is something special for many reasons i dot want to go into now.
    4th. whoever is doing this yaldei stuff is definitely not doing it to get self satisfaction.

  • Der Dukers relative

    Keep up the great work Sholly! We are so inspired by you.