Jonas Foundation

A second chance

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    • Music therapy for children with autism, Haïfa
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Music therapy for children with autism, Haïfa

haifa_2haifa_1Ulrich Sigwart on his visit to Haifa

Singing as a means of communication!

130 children are coming daily to the Milman Centre. Every child will benefit from music therapy; it releases pain, aggression, or in the opposite, joy and humour.
But for some, music is the only means of communication: “Opening a window from the autistic child’s world to us and from us to his heart” (Gideon Ra’anan, Milman Centre).
Milman Centre, “Netzer”, Haifa (Dir. Dorit Ben Yosef)

Report of Gideon Ra’anan

In Milman Center (in Haifa and in the city of Carmiel in the Galilee at the north part of Israel) we treat around 130 children all together. We try to get into situation in which every child will benefit from music therapy. Up to now we have only 8 specialist how can give music therapy, and the children who usually come for therapy stay with us for several years (since the first diagnosis, which is around  the age of 2 years or two and a half, and until they go to first class in school at the age of 7). In case the child cannot get the music therapy (due to lack in staff) in a certain year, than they will get it in the next coming year. Most of the children get the music therapy once a week, but sometimes when we see that it is essential for them (like in cases when they cannot speak but only through singing as a mean of communication), than we make every effort to widen the number of therapies. All therapies are conducted together with the parent, child and the therapist. As a rule, all the children, and every day, enjoy music and singing at the beginning and at the end of each therapy day, which is a shared meeting for all the children and parents and staff members every day.

Most of the children come to the Milman Center twice a week, each time for 5 therapy sessions (in the morning or in the afternoon, in other days of the week they go to the kindergarten, which can be special or regular ones).

Toddlers who go to our special therapeutic kindergarten go there 6 days a week from the morning until late afternoon.(we have two of them in Haifa, 7 children in each one, and seven therapists in each one, it is a one-on-one therapy). Another group of children get from us the therapy at their kindergartens where they go (not ours).

The effect of the music therapy on the child is different from one to another. For some it is the  main and even the only mean of communication; In cases of children who do not speak at all but sing, or children who can show emotions, we try to divert those emotions through music and singing.   In these cases the broadening of his/her musical horizon means broadening the language options for the child and opening a window from the autistic child’s world to us and from us to his heart. Other children can release pain, aggression, and on the contrary, even joy, and humor through the music. Sometimes music is the major or sole tool to make the child laugh. Children with higher function and ability enjoy music in the ordinary manner, and sometimes it is possible even to continue what has begun as an emotional therapy into the regular, normal music learning.

Another aspect is the intensification of the relationships between parents and children through music. Sometimes it is very difficult for a parent to express emotions to the autistic child, and even to show love. Singing and paying music is a wonderful method to develop these relationships. Throughout the therapy sessions we experience frequently laughter and tears either from parents or child.

Music truly develops the children and enables their individual progress; it is very important factor for the children and unlike the “Normal” world for some it is the only communication between our world and the autistic child’s world.

News

  • Carolina: Master’s thesis!
  • 4th February, Gstaad: Fundraising Concert
  • Océane Masters degree and Prix Arditi!
  • Jerusalem: Jonas Alumni at the «Alleluia» festival
  • Jonas student at the Davidsbündler Music Academy in The Hague

Special piano concerts – CD available


The CD of a concert of Rati Skhirtladze’s (13 years) and his teachers Natia Beraia Taktakishvlili and Dachi Taktakishvili is available – order here: info@jonasfoundation.org
The concerts took place in Switzerland (Berne, Bioley-Magnoux, Geneva) from 12th to 15th March 2015.
On the program: Liszt, Chopin, Ravel, Lagidze.

Donations

You would like to donate? More informations you can find here.

Middle East

Drama workshops in Ramallah (Kathy Bergen, Faten Khoury) – Read more

Milman Center, Haifa

Musictherapy for children suffering from autism at the Milman Center, Haifa. Read more

Armenia: Integration of disabled children

The Jonas Foundation supports the project “Art for Inclusion” in Armenia. Documentary films: "I am a hero", "If you have wings" and "Only love". Read more

Paris-StDenis, France

The Jonas Music Class at Collège Pierre-de-Geyter, StDenis, France. Read more

London Music School

Read more about our music school.

Puzzle «Creation»

«The Creation», a painting in form of a huge puzzle! A piece of art put together by handicapped children and children from the Bernese Oberland (summer 2007). During the International Year 2008 of the Earth, «The Creation» was hosted by the International Airport Geneva at Gate A8. Read more

June 2006: UN Human Rights Council

Jonas Choir UN Geneva
19th June: The «Jonas Singers» sing with the «Petits Chanteurs de la Cathédrale» at the first Session of the Human Rights Council, United Nations, Geneva. Young singers from countries as varied as Iran, Zimbabwe, Angola, Rwanda, Cameroun, Bulgaria, Germany, United Kingdom, France and Switzerland, have been invited to sing at the first Session of the Human Rights Council.

Jonas Foundation · CH–1407 Bioley-Magnoux · info@jonasfoundation.org