AKIM International

Home
Israel
Tel Aviv
AKIM International

AKIM Israel is a vibrant, person-centered organization that acts to realize the rights and improve t

Mission:
To make Israel a better place for people with intellectual disabilities: a warm, inclusive and respectful society, enabling self-actualization and offering equal opportunity while recognizing diversity. AKIM was founded in 1951 by parents of children with intellectual disabilities. AKIM operates 67 branches in both the Jewish and the Arab sectors. AKIM is Israel’s leading national organiz

ation for people with intellectual disabilities. A Unique Organization:
 NATION-WIDE - SERVICING THE PERIPHERY: Providing advocacy, services and support reaching diverse populations in Israel.
 DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE: Unique democratic organization whose board of directors and branch leadership are elected every four years.
 PERSON-CENTERED APPROACH: AKIM advocates for all people with disabilities based on the premise that each person with disabilities has autonomy to make decisions for her/himself. AKIM leads the way in advocating for the movement from institutional to community living.

25/05/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐲! 🐕🐴

Members of the AKIM Ramla community got an incredible up-close experience this week — a special visit with the Dog and Cavalry Units of israel police.

They met Elko, an elite police dog trained to detect explosives, weapons, and missing persons — and learned what it really takes to train both the dogs and their handlers for the field.

The Cavalry Unit showed up too, sharing how their officers help secure major events and locate missing individuals. The gang from AKIM did what they do best — asked brilliant questions, showed up with total warmth, and yes — got to pet the dogs AND the horses. 🙌 Genuinely, one for the books.

A huge thank you to AKIM Vice Chair Benny Farjun, whose initiative made it all happen — and to Israel Police - משטרת ישראל , Israel Aerospace Industries (MLM) in Be'er Ya'akov, and every partner who helped bring this special experience to life. 🩵

20/05/2026

The excitement is at an all-time high!

The highly anticipated new series "The Intern", starring Niv Sultan, premieres tonight on HOT.
Playing Niv's sister in this high-stakes medical drama is the remarkable Lihi Tzur, an actress with AKIM's Other Theater Troupe. And Lihi's character's friends in the series? They are played by her real-life friends and fellow actors from the Other Theater.

We are thrilled and deeply moved to see AKIM's extraordinarily talented actors on screen, sharing the stage and the spotlight as part of such an outstanding cast.

A heartfelt thank you to the production team and HOT for placing people with disabilities front and center in what will no doubt become a landmark hit. ❤️

(Photos from the premiere and set of "The Intern")

15/05/2026

🎧 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐬𝐢, 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐢 & 𝐑𝐨𝐢 — 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 & 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

In a refreshing episode of AKIM’s podcast “Worth a Listen”, Israel’s President יצחק הרצוג - Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal join Shiri Frenkel and Roi Harush, co-chair of Koleinu (Our Voice), AKIM’s national self-advocacy and leadership movement, for a heartfelt and inspiring conversation.

Together, they speak openly about relationships, friendship, public life, and the importance of building a more inclusive society where every person has the right to love and be loved.

Warm, honest, and deeply personal — this is President Isaac & Michal Herzog as you’ve never seen them before.

▶️ Watch the special podcast episode here 👇
https://youtu.be/TGm0KCr_3vg

📸 Photo credit: Maayan Toaf

14/05/2026

♻️ 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 — 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐬!

Meet our Recycling Champions — the incredible 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 (“Shavim B’Madim”) volunteers from the IDF Logistics Center in Tzrifin💚.

Thanks to an initiative led by their instructor Ayala, our dedicated volunteers joined the “𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐢’𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬” project and spent the past few months collecting tens of thousands of plastic bottles from across the base.

Their hard work paid off — they earned the title of Recycling Champions after collecting more bottles than any other participants in the initiative!

The proceeds from recycling the bottles will be donated to animal welfare organizations chosen by the winners.

29/04/2026

Big congratulations to Yafit Bogenim, Chair of AKIM Yavne, on receiving a certificate of appreciation from Yavne’s Mayor, Roi Gabay 👏💙

Yafit — mom to Elian, a child with an intellectual disability — has led the branch for the past three years with incredible heart, strengthening the bonds between families and building a more inclusive community every single day.

This recognition is so well deserved.

We’re proud of you, Yafit — and inspired by you 💙

22/04/2026

𝐈𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐬𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥'𝐬 𝟕𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲:
Today, we salute Sean, a participant in AKIM's "Equal in Uniform" program.

In advance of 'Yom Ha'atsmaut', he was awarded a Certificate of Excellence for his outstanding service and contribution to the IDF.

Sean, 23 years old from Rehovot, serves at the Tzrifin food distribution base, where he is responsible for packing food for IDF forces, including spotters/observers and troops stationed at Israel's borders.

He has been volunteering with "Equal in Uniform" for over a year and is expected to enlist soon.

Well done, Sean!

𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲- '𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐠 𝐀𝐭𝐳𝐦𝐚𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡' 🙌🇮🇱

21/04/2026

🕯️ Major Shahar Buzaglo, z”l
Rotem Buzaglo, from the AKIM community in Migdal HaEmek, lost her twin brother Shahar in September 2025 when he fell in battle in Gaza, leaving a deep void in the hearts of Rotem and her family.

Born on July 6, 1998, in Migdal HaEmek to Osnat and Michael Buzaglo, Shachar was one of triplets — brother to Aviv and Rotem, older brother to Yarin, and husband of Adi.

As Rotem’s twin, who is on the autism spectrum, Shahar grew up with a strong sense of empathy, responsibility, and care for others. Their home was open and warm, and from a young age Shahar was present—listening, asking, and offering support. His sensitivity and compassion were clear even then.

🕯️ Corporal Yechezkel Shviro, z”l
Hezi Shviro, who lives in the AKIM “Hashachar” hostel in Herzliya, is named after his father, Yechezkel, whom he never met.

Yechezkel Shviro was called to reserve duty at the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War and sent with his unit to the Golan Heights. On October 10, 1973, he was killed by shellfire at a field hospital. He left behind a wife and daughter, parents, three brothers, and two sisters.

His son Hezi was born two weeks after his death and carries his name. In a condolence letter, his commander wrote: “Yechezkel served in a medical unit and played an important role in treating the wounded. He fell in the line of duty while carrying out this mission.”

🕯️ Sergeant First Class Yuval Ravid, z”l
Yuval fell on February 28, 1981, in a car accident on his way to an operational mission.

Yuval is the uncle of Topaz Skornik from the AKIM Tiberias Occupational Center—an uncle she never had the chance to meet.

Topaz shares: “I grew up hearing stories about him. Although I never met him or shared moments with my heroic uncle, Yuval lived a life of purpose. He did not abandon his soldiers and went to battle without hesitation. Today I am already six years older than he ever was—but for us, Yuval will remain young forever.”

The AKIM community honors the memory of the fallen and sends a warm embrace to the bereaved families.

May their memory be a blessing. 🙏 יהי זכרם ברוך

20/04/2026

🕯️𝐘𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐧 - 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐬𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥'𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫

Tonight and tomorrow, we remember those no longer among us, yet still present in so many ways and in so many lives throughout the country.

We are sharing the song “A Soldier’s War”, written and performed by students from the “Kelim Shluvím” (MusEquality) program at AKIM College, Bar-Ilan University, during the war with Hamas.

May the memory of the thousands of fallen soldiers and victims of terror forever be a blessing🕯️

17/04/2026

🚨 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐮𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐭.
A missile strike in Southern Israel destroyed a community living home for 6 adults with intellectual disabilities.

They survived only because they reached the shelter in time.
But everything else was lost:
Their home in Dimona.
Their routines.
Their sense of safety and stability.

They’ve been moved to temporary housing.
We’re raising funds to rebuild what was destroyed and give them back what they deserve: security, dignity, and belonging.

👉 Please donate and share:
https://www.jgive.com/new/en/usd/donation-targets/166290
Tax-deductible donations are available in Israel, USA, Canada, and the UK.

Every contribution helps bring them one step closer to home. ❤️

13/04/2026

Between 200,000 to 230,000 people with disabilities were murdered during the Holocaust as part of the N**i T4 "euthanasia" program, a systematic, state-sanctioned effort to eliminate individuals with physical, intellectual, and mental disabilities.

People with disabilities were, in fact, among the very first victims of N**i persecution. their murder serving as a devastating precursor to what would become the Final Solution.
As history has recorded at an immeasurable cost, this ideology of extermination was subsequently expanded, ultimately claiming the lives of millions of women, men, and children across Europe among them six million Jews.

On this day, we remember every victim of the Holocaust.
We will never forget.

06/04/2026

AKIM staff, together with 'ShinShinim' (Service-Year Shlichim) volunteers from the Tzofim (Israeli Scouts), traveled to the Dead Sea hotels where evacuees from the war are staying to support families with children with disabilities.

The 'ShinShinim' program is a gap-year initiative in which Israeli high school graduates defer their IDF service to volunteer in communities in Israel and around the world.

Each staff member or volunteer was paired with a child or adult with a disability who experienced trauma after their home was destroyed by a missile strike. This support—for both individuals and their families—is especially meaningful during these challenging days.

In the photos: the amazing 'ShinShinim' celebrating the 4th birthday of a wonderful child who was evacuated from his home 🥳

We would like to thank the Disabilities Administration at the Ministry of Welfare and Social Security for leading this initiative, the AKIM team for their rapid mobilization under the direction of Yuval Levy, and of course, the dedicated 'ShinShinim' service-year volunteers.

As the final days of Passover approach—a time of freedom and hope—we wish for quieter days, good news, and that soon there will be no need for such initiatives. 🙌

Address

69 Pinchas Rosen Street
Tel Aviv
6951291

Telephone

+97237662222

Website

https://akimisrael.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when AKIM International posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to AKIM International:

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Tel Aviv?