Ayelet Papier — Shalva

Originally from Teaneck, New Jersey, Bat Sherut Bodedah 2017–18

Where did you do Sherut Leumi?

The Shalva Center in Jerusalem

Can you explain a little bit about the organization?

Shalva is a center that provides help/therapy for individuals with disabilities (and their families) from infancy to adulthood.

What was your role in the organization?

I was a teachers assistant (“Sayat”) in the ganim. I had 9 kids in my class with special needs (mainly downs syndrome). They were all around age 3–4.

Why did you choose that job?

I had volunteered at Shalva weekly while I was in seminary and really loved working with the kids and seeing the work that Shalva did for them.

What did the application process look like?

Lots of sayarot! The Hebrew at first was difficult for me and It wasn’t the easiest process but my seminary and “Here Next Year” helped me through it.

What did a typical daily schedule look like for you?

My work day was from 8 AM till around 4:45. It was a very busy and hands-on job, with almost no free time, even for a lunch break! The morning time often consisted of a lot of therapy work such as learning groups, circle times, and different physical chugim for the kids. Even in breakfast/ lunchtime we really focused on adding in a therapy aspect for the kids. In the afternoon I moved to an inclusion gan where I had 23 kids in my class and one of them had downs syndrome. The schedule there was very different than my morning gan.

What was your favorite part of the job?

Forming a bond with my kids, I really feel as if I have a good connection with my kids and their families. Working with the same kids for 12+ months really made me feel as though they were my own children and that I really formed a relationship with each of them. It was so special for me to see them grow and improve in different day to day actions.

Tell us a story of a time you feel that you really made a difference?

I recently went back to visit Shalva after not being there for two months. Seeing how much my kids were speaking and had grown was so emotional for me! I immediately texted some of my kids’ parents and they responded to me saying how much the work we had done the previous year had helped them. It was really amazing to see my kids remembering the English I taught them! Throughout the year, I would watch my kids really struggle through therapy groups and watching them learn the methods and grasp it was such a special feeling for me.

What was your greatest challenge in the job?

The language barrier was something I really struggled with together with my co-worker. I had never really spoken Hebrew and never worked in Hebrew! At first speaking Hebrew for 10 hours straight was really difficult for me, and even at the end of the year there was still so much I didn’t understand. But after 12 months I can say I learned so so much Hebrew and am glad that I stuck through it.