The "Yad Ezra" Puppet Studio project is designed to adapt young people with disabilities, develop their creative talents, and also to socialize elderly beneficiaries of Hesed.
Project Description:
The project has been running since 2013. Within the project, young people with disabilities participate in staging puppet shows, which are then performed for elderly Hesed beneficiaries, participants of the "Day Center," and community children. Throughout the preparation of each performance, the young people develop their speech skills, work on gesture performance, and address communication deficits.
Project Goals:
- Adaptation of young people with disabilities.
- Transmission of Jewish values through the performance of plays.
- Socialization of elderly community members.
- Strengthening connections between different generations.
- Improvement of the quality of life for people with disabilities and elderly community members.
Volunteer Roles:
- Preparation of all necessary materials for the performances.
- Writing and preparing scripts.
- Speech therapy support for actors.
- Working with actors—young people with disabilities.
- Comprehensive assistance to project participants.
- Publicizing new performances.
- Assistance in making decorations.
Project Results:
- 15 volunteers involved in the project.
- Staging of plays based on Jewish tales, such as “The Little Jug,” “Pancakes,” and “The Ruby.”
- Regular performance of plays.
- Improvement of social interaction skills among young people with disabilities.
- Socialization of elderly beneficiaries.
- Enhancement of the quality of life for elderly beneficiaries and people with disabilities.