Education
Within Meshi’s holistic circle of care, education teams promote each child’s learning abilities, cognitive development, and social integration—ensuring their age- and culture-appropriate childhood experience.
Meshi’s education teams aim to ensure every child has both the means and the opportunities to experience a joyful, age-appropriate childhood and an empowering student life.
The curriculum, supervised by Israel’s Ministry of Education, covers all core subjects, while a great emphasis is placed on meaningful social and educational experiences—aligned with mainstream education and peer age groups.
Aiming to cultivate a strong sense of competence, grounded in success, the teams lead a holistic, innovative pedagogical approach—encouraging initiative and active engagement. They utilize advanced assistive and educational technologies, prioritize accessibility across all environments, and develop interdisciplinary responses to unique challenges.
Actively expanding social inclusion opportunities, they also design dedicated programs to facilitate full or partial integration into mainstream education, as well as unique enrichment and vocational pathways.
Education at Meshi aims to help every child to reach their full potential while building a strong sense of belonging and self-confidence, by:
- Acquiring knowledge, skills, and personalized learning strategies
- Creating diverse opportunities for participation, self-expression—and success
- Ensuring full accessibility—physical, academic, social, and curricular
- Offering unique enrichment programs and special events
- Maintaining a vibrant school culture and social atmosphere
Structure & Practice
Each Meshi center has a dedicated educational team, specialized in special education. The team is led by the Center Director—who also shapes the educational approach and oversees interdisciplinary collaborations—and supported professionally by Pedagogical Instructors. To ensure close, personalized support for every child, the teaching teams include homeroom teachers and subject specialists, supported by a broad team of learning facilitators with dedicated training.
The teams utilize the Meshi Approach through tiered programs—designed and implemented at the system, class, and individual levels. This creating a rich, flexible learning environment, with fully personalized teaching methods, creative accessibility tools and learning aids, and diverse opportunities for active, experience-based learning—sparked by curiosity and exploration.
Heads of Education
Elisheva Rotenberg
Director, Early Development Center
Shulamit Farbstein
Principal, Jerusalem School
Ruthi Maslati
Principal, Bnei Brak School
Yehudit Braun
Professional Director, Binat Danielle Yeshivah
Technology-Enhanced Education
At Meshi, advanced technologies are fully integrated into educational practice—enabling deeply personalized and engaging learning, with content and teaching methods tailored to each child’s cognitive and motor profile.
Students and educators regularly engage with cutting-edge tools such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), interactive projectors, and custom 3D materials.
Supported by the assistive technology team, educators thoughtfully incorporate these innovations to enhance accessibility, foster problem-solving and strategy skills, and build competencies for leisure and meaningful occupations. Whether through digital learning environments or technology-driven tracks—such as robotics, programming, Arcana music, and digital design—they create rich, multisensory experiences driven by curiosity, exploration, and enjoyment.
Innovation at Meshi
״מרחבי היוזמה״ - הובלה ואקטיביות בלמידה
תוכנית ייחודית שפותחה ומיושמת ע״י הצוות הרב-תחומי של מש״י במטרה לעודד יוזמה ואקטיביות בקרב התלמידים. התוכנית זיכתה את מש״י בתקציב חדשנות לקמפוס העתידי – עבור תכנון אדריכלי ייחודי ללמידה דרך חקירת הסביבה, תוך הנגשה מלאה למעבר חופשי בין מרחבי הלימוד והמרחבים הציבוריים.
התוכנית כוללת הצבת פינות פעילות משתנות במרחבי ביה״ס, הזמינות לתלמידים בזמנם החופשי ונגישות להם בתיווך מינימלי ואף ללא תיווך כלל. ״מרחבי היוזמה״ כוללים פעילויות אישיות וחברתיות שנבנו על ידי מומחי מש״י לחינוך, ריפוי בעיסוק, תקשורת, פיזיותרפיה ועוד; בכדי לאפשר חקר עצמאי ולעודד עיסוק משמעותי, למידה חווייתית ושימוש בטכנולוגיות תנועה ופנאי – בהן התלמיד מוביל ויוזם אקטיבי. המרחבים תורמים לקידום מטרות רבות בתוכניות החינוך, הטיפול והשיקום של הילדים, כשהן מייצרות מוטיבציות חזקות הנשענות על העדפות אישיות וסקרנות טבעית. בכלל זה, תרגול כישורים מוטוריים, אינטראקציות חברתיות ספונטניות, התניידות, חקירה מרחבית, חשיבה עצמאית, למידה מתוך התנסות ועוד.
“Step by Step” – Preschool Inclusion Program
Developed by Meshi’s education teams, Step by Step is a structured transitional program, designed to support preschoolers through a gradual, guided integration process into mainstream education—culminating in full inclusion.
While still enrolled in a Meshi preschool, children begin attending part-time sessions at the receiving mainstream school, with individualized support in building key learning, emotional, and social skills. This comprehensive, year-long preparation process equips children, families, and educators with the tools needed for successful adaptation and meaningful inclusion. It includes tailored interventions, parental guidance, adaptive equipment, and structured preparation for the staff and students at the receiving school— fostering understanding and acceptance of the child’s specific challenges.
Step by Step has consistently led to successful inclusion outcomes and complements other Meshi-developed initiatives—such as the partial-integration school program and the Graduates Program.
Arcana - Fully Accessible Music Program
Meshi’s music track introduces children to the innovative Arcana Strum—an instrument designed for full accessibility: cognitively, through adaptive buttons and notation sheets; and physically, through switches, joysticks, and grips enabling play with hands, feet, or even head movements.
Providing a fully accessible pathway into active music-making, the program is led by a multidisciplinary team including a music teacher, communication facilitator, occupational therapist, and emotional counselor—supported by the Assistive Technology team. Together they harness the Arcana to expand autonomy, creative expression, and meaningful group participation. Children choose their own songs, play solo or in ensembles, and sometimes perform for audiences, gaining powerful opportunities for growth.
These experiences strengthen confidence, competence, and belonging—values further promoted at Meshi through a range of unique tracks, including robotics and STEM, the Forest Group, and Paralympic sports.
“Connected Circles” – Partial Integration Program
Rooted in the belief that every child deserves a sense of belonging—and that social inclusion benefits all—Connected Circles is a Meshi-developed partial integration program for students whose rehabilitation needs prevent full inclusion in mainstream schools.
The program brings together students from Meshi and a mainstream school for bi-weekly sessions that foster mutual empowerment through genuine connection, dialogue and engaging shared activities. A comprehensive framework and guided discussions ensure that all students are well-prepared and thoughtfully supported throughout the process.
In this unique journey, both groups navigate through new and sometimes challenging social contexts—practicing inclusion and equality through authentic experiences within a diverse yet cohesive peer community.
Connected Circles complements additional uniquely developed inclusion initiatives at Meshi, including Step by Step and the Bridging Classrooms pilot.
