Israel -
The Israeli government awarded a Certificate of Appreciation to Keilim Shluvim, Bar-Ilan’s extraordinary program that uses music to foster communication between music students and autistic kids, at-risk teens, and other marginalized populations.
Ruth Reinich and Avi Gilboa show off the award certificate
Left to Right: Avi Mottola- Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Sigal Peretz Yahalomi – CEO of AKIM, Itzik Shmuli- Minister of Welfare, Gideon Shalom- Ministry Senior Vice President and Head of the Disability Administration, Avi Gilboa- Head of BIU Music Department, and Dotan Segal – Director of Supported Employment and Leisure Programs at AKIM and co-founder of Keilim Shluvim
In December 2020, the Israeli government awarded a Certificate of Appreciation to Keilim Shluvim, Bar-Ilan’s extraordinary program that uses music to foster communication between music students and autistic kids, at-risk teens, and other marginalized populations.
Co-founded, directed and managed by Ruth Reinich, a master’s student under the supervision of Head of the Music Department Avi Gilboa, Keilim Shluvim is run in conjunction with AKIM Israel, the national organization for people with intellectual disabilities and their families.
Gilboa said he was delighted by his program’s win and grateful that at the award ceremony, two of Keilim Shluvim’s participants were asked to perform three songs on stage, including HaTikvah.
Left to Right: Avi Gilboa, Sigal Peretz Yahalomi, Dotan Segal, Doron- Keilim Shluvim student, Itzik Shmuli, Roi- Keilim Shluvim student, Ruth Reinich- cofounder and director of Keilim Shluvim
Gilboa added that it was an honor to receive this certificate directly from the Minister of Welfare, Itzik Shmuli, and gratifying to have Keilim Shluvim’s hard work acknowledged. Gilboa, Reinich and their staff are proud of the impact they and their work are having on the populations benefitting from the melodious, healing power of music.
