Participants in ADIโs Tikkun Olam program ended the school year with a sit-down interview with Israeli Minister of Education, Yifat Shasha-Biton. Halleli Ben Hananya, a student at the Bnei Dror school in Lev HaSharon, and Nadav Ilon, a student at Ort Minkof in Jerusalem, asked Shasha-Biton a number of pointed questions, eager to hear her views on disability awareness and integration and inclusion of children with disabilities in the Israeli school system.
Speaking about special needs, the Minister of Education replied that, โeveryone is special. Everyone has special needs. Every child must receive the tools they need to advance.โ
โTikkun Olam,โ continued Shasha-Biton, โbegins with awareness. Integration of people with disabilities into the school system will proffer the awareness that will be the catalyst for change. Children with and without disabilities benefit from joint interaction.โ
ADIโs Tikkun Olam program, โis a fantastic program. It raises awareness and contributes to our goal of raising awareness in children so they accept those different than themselves. They get to know the other. Sometimes just getting to know the other lessens prejudice and minimizes stereotyping.โ
Concluding the interview, Minster of Education Yifat Shasha-Biton complimented the two young interviewers, emphasizing the important role they play in todayโs educational system, โTikkun Olam can really begin with you. The truest and most significant power lies in your hands. I am happy that we have students like you who take part in this fantastic initiative.โ
See a synopsis of the full interview here.
