Second Annual Asperger's Syndrome Trip in Israel

Shorashim completed its second Taglit-Birthright Israel trip for 18 to 26 year olds with Asperger’s Syndrome last month. The trip was an incredible success thanks to the participants, the Israelis who joined the group, and of course, the staff.

Such a trip requires a tremendous amount of screening, and for the third year, Rose Sharon, a special education teacher in the Chicago Public Schools and Director of Camp Tikva’s Vocation Program, spoke to every participant, their parents, and at least one medical professional to ensure that they were fit for a 10 day program. She also hired a stellar staff which included Tikva camp counselors Syd Berkman and Kashmir Kustanowitz. Although participants on the Aspergers trip experience everything that a typical Taglit-Birthright Israel trip has to offer, there are also special considerations to make the trip accommodating. The planning of the trip took place in Israel by the tour educator Dror Kidron.

In addition, every Shorashim trip has Israelis. Lior Baruch interviewed every Israeli to ensure that they were happy to spend 10 days with an alternative trip. The participants had such a great time that Mark Fleischer created a Facebook group so that they could all keep in touch. Many of the participants joined Facebook for the first time to keep contact with friends that they had made on the trip.

“The trip was great,” participant Will Safran wrote on the group’s wall.

Pamela Saeks, parent of participant Karly Saeks, wrote a letter of appreciation to the Birthright Israel Foundation.
“Words cannot begin to express our sincere gratitude for the opportunity that Birthright Israel recently afforded Karly to not only experience Israel for the first time, but just as importantly, to be like everyone else!” Ms. Saeks wrote. “ For years we searched for an organized trip to Israel that had the additional supports necessary to enable Karly to participate. Sadly there were none. And understandably, none of the trips available for ‘typical’ teens were willing to alter the pace, or make the accommodations required for her to go. That said, I’m sure you can imagine our shock when we learned that Taglit Birthright Israel was offering a trip for young people with Asperger’s Syndrome… it was truly a ‘pinch me I must be dreaming’ moment!”

Karly loved the trip, her mother reported.

“Suffice it to say Karly had the experience of a lifetime!” Ms. Saeks wrote. “Now she can say she put a note in the Wall, just like everyone else… she climbed Massada, just like everyone else… she swam in the Dead Sea and shopped on Ben Yehuda Street and explored the Old City and experienced Shabbat in the Homeland of her people… just like everyone else. And it’s all thanks to Birthright Israel and we could not be more grateful.”

Shorashim offers the Asperger’s trip in cooperation with KOACH through the support of Rabbi Elyse Winick, Associate Director. Aspergers is a pervasive developmental disorder considered to be on the Autism spectrum. According to webmd.com, “Children with Asperger's syndrome typically function better than do those with autism. In addition, children with Asperger's syndrome generally have normal intelligence and near-normal language development, although they may develop problems communicating as they get older.”

After last year’s trip, Shorashim decided to try to make this program a mainstay of its winter Taglit-Birthright Israel offering despite the considerable additional costs and administrative work involved.

“After speaking with the participants and parents we were moved by how much the participants loved their Israel experience, and the side benefit of connecting with other young adults ‘like them,’” said Director of Taglit-Birthright Israel programs for Shorashim Sharna Marcus. “We had to offer it again and I hope that we can provide this opportunity for this wonderful population in the future.”

You can see day by day details of the trip on the group's blog.