Orr Shalom After-School Enrichment

Orr Shalom recognizes that after-school enrichment activities are crucial to the development of the confidence and self-expression of troubled children and provide a means of integration with their peers.

Orr Shalom offers opportunities for children living in Therapeutic Homes to attend a variety of extra curricular activities that facilitate their growth and progress according to their unique needs, enabling them to build self-esteem and friendships with local children.

Many of our children have discovered and developed extraordinary talents through these activities, including one graduate who studied dance and was later on accepted to dance in a New York dance company, and a young woman who is on Israel’s championship handball team. We know that it is vital to help our children widen their horizons through knowledge and experiencing different activities.

Below are some of the primary areas through which the children and youth choose to develop their abilities and express themselves.

Art Classes provide alternative outlets for children who find it difficult to use words or language to communicate.  Through classes in drawing, painting and sculpture, children are encouraged to develop their individual creativity in a nurturing atmosphere of open expression.  Art classes give the children confidence to value and cultivate their own creative talents.

Dance and Capoeira Classes: Movement and dance encourage children to express themselves and gain a healthier body image.  These classes give children an opportunity to release tension and increase their confidence through movement.  Classes in ballet, modern dance, Israeli dance and Capoeira (Brazilian martial arts) help children to appreciate their bodies and improve their strength and coordination.

Sports Classes provide a method for children to learn to thrive as part of a team, seeing their talents and contributions as necessary and valued. Children gain firsthand experience in healthy competition through meeting regularly for practice and games of soccer or basketball.  Through sporting activities they develop their athletic skills and self-confidence.

Voice and Music Lessons help children express themselves by cultivating their natural talents in voice, rhythm and pitch.  Private lessons and voice training help children develop these abilities, and group lessons teach them to express themselves in “harmony” with a greater group.

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