At a first-of-its-kind conference at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque, SHEKEL – Inclusion for People with Disabilities presented a new community-based model to help Israelis with disabilities age with dignity while remaining in their homes and neighborhoods, alongside an initiative to involve them as equal partners in research and policy design.
The conference, titled “Aging with Long-term Disabilities in the Community,” was organized by SHEKEL in partnership with the University of Haifa’s Minerva Center for the Study of Aging Populations, the Ministry of Welfare and Social Security, the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, and Meuhedet Health Fund. It brought together researchers, start-ups, policymakers, professionals, families, and individuals with disabilities for a day of discussion that blended academic findings with personal experiences. The event was hosted by SHEKEL president Lihi Lapid.
At the center of the gathering was the KESH"Z model, an acronym in Hebrew for Community, Partnership, Support, Identity, Participation, and Security. The framework, developed by SHEKEL and approved by the Welfare and Social Security Ministry, integrates housing, employment, and holistic supports within city neighborhoods. According to the organization, it is designed to enable people with disabilities to maintain independence, identity, and a sense of belonging as they age in both urban and rural settings.
Continuous life pathway
SHEKEL also announced the establishment of a Participatory Action Research Department, which it described as a pioneering step that “positions people with disabilities as equal partners in the processes of developing information and shaping public policy.” The initiative aims to shift systems away from viewing people with disabilities as passive recipients and toward recognizing them as co-creators of “equal and resilient communities,” the organization said in a press release.
The conference highlighted the need for a “continuous life pathway” that adapts services as needs change over time. Organizers emphasized comprehensive responses that include housing, health, leisure, accessibility, and emotional support, with long-term guidance from professionals who are familiar with each individual’s history. They also emphasized the importance of establishing supportive communities and flexible service networks that can respond promptly to changing circumstances.
In a personal moment, Lapid reflected on the social barriers that still exist. “Once, I went with Ya’eli to a children’s play that she was really looking forward to,” she said, recalling that a child nearby recoiled before accepting a high-five from her daughter. “When the lights went out, his parents moved him to another seat. Ya’eli cried hysterically and left the hall. I was offended, as was she, and that’s when I realized that acceptance begins in the community and with the parents of children. I also realized at that moment that Ya’eli understands everything,” Lapid said.
SHEKEL CEO Offer Dahary called the event “a defining moment for Israeli society in general and for people with disabilities in particular.” Presenting the KESH"Z model, he said it would “allow every person with a disability to age with dignity, security, and belonging, at home and within their community,” adding that the framework reflects “a complete worldview that places the individual and their life cycle at its center, with independence and within a supportive community.” He thanked partner institutions and “all the professionals, families, and people with disabilities who were part of the conference and contributed knowledge, research, and life experience,” according to the press release.
The conference concluded with an on-stage performance by SHEKEL residents Reut Barina and Ohad Ben Ami, both of whom are on the autism spectrum, who performed songs and were interviewed by Lapid together with actress Vered Ben-Hur.
SHEKEL describes itself as Israel’s leading organization for community inclusion of people with disabilities. For more than 45 years, it has provided services across housing, employment, military service, and education, culture and leisure, therapeutic care, and accessibility, serving tens of thousands of people with intellectual disabilities, autism, and physical and sensory disabilities. The group collaborates with families, local authorities, government ministries, businesses, and social entities in Israel and abroad, and states that it is developing new models in areas such as aging with disabilities, emergency care, and equal rights, according to its press release.