‘Bet Hiba Zion’, a unique housing project that is the first of its type in Israel for adults on the autism spectrum, recently opened in Ramat Gan. A total of 19 residents between the ages of 30 – 45, now live in the multi-story apartment building. Each resident has their own fully equipped flat and each goes to work during the day while also benefitting from personalized daily programs supervised by counselors.
The building was officially launched at a festive and especially moving ceremony, in the presence of the mayor of Ramat Gan, senior representatives of Israel’s Ministry of Labor and Social Services, the National Insurance Institute, Bet Hibat Zion and SHEKEL – Inclusion for People with Disabilities.
The building itself features private apartments together with shared communal spaces, including a dining area, lounge, music room and library, that are intended to encourage social activities and promote a sense of community. The building is thus able to offer high quality of life with private living spaces for each resident, while providing ideal conditions for personal development, which act to encourage residents to overcome their social difficulties and participate in enriching common activities.
This special enterprise was born out of the deep concern of a group of parents for the future needs of their adult children. They united to form the ‘Bet Hibat Zion’ organization, purchasing land in Ramat Gan to be used for building their children permanent homes. They approached Ramat Gan city council for assistance, which they received, and later connected with the Ministry of Welfare and the National Insurance Institute. SHEKEL, Israel’s leading organization for inclusion of people with disabilities, was chosen to operate the project. Over the past 40 years, SHEKEL has worked to integrate tens of thousands of children and adults into diverse areas of the general community, through housing, employment, education, culture, therapeutic services and accessibility.
Mayor of Ramat Gan, Yisrael Zinger: “Every person, no matter who they are, has the right to live an adequate fitting life. Bet Hiba Zion offers its residents quality private living, together with communal spaces that allow them to assimilate within the community. I want to thank the activist parents who were the dreamers, initiators and executors of this special project, as well as all the those who banded together to bring the needs of the residents to fruition. I am proud to stand here as the mayor of Ramat Gan, a city which has advanced within its boundaries a unique enterprise, the first of its kind. I am full of hope that other cities will duplicate this model and commit themselves to advancing populaces with special needs.”
SHEKEL CEO, Clara Feldman: “This is an innovative groundbreaking model for housing in the community, which has been undertaken in full partnership with the residents and their parents. We hope to duplicate the model for other buildings.”
Mother of resident, Yisraela Hirshberg: “People with disabilities are entitled to live lives of dignity, privacy, safety, permanence and stability like everyone else, with the type of homes that everyone would want for themselves and their families. That’s what we had in mind when we thought of a home for life.”
