With construction nearing completion, the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar, visited the new Center for Special-Needs Children to tour the facility and follow up on progress. He was hosted by the center’s director, Rabbi Avraham Elimelech Gedzh, who guided him and his entourage through the newly renovated building, which will open its doors in the coming months, much to the anticipation and joy of parents and families.

The new institution is named “Улыбка сердца” (“Smile of the Heart”) — a center dedicated to the educational and therapeutic development of children with special needs, as well as support for their parents and families.

Rabbi Gedzh was called to lead this project after nearly two decades of serving as a Mechanech in Moscow, gaining a strong reputation both in general and special education. The vision and mission of the center is to provide children with special needs a full-day supportive environment, offering all the tools necessary for their academic, emotional, physical, motor, sensory, and developmental growth. Children with various developmental challenges will be integrated and supported individually by a team of expert specialists.

According to Rabbi Gedzh, the center will offer a wide range of professional therapies for children, including emotional support, cognitive and academic development, motor and movement therapies, as well as sensory and developmental treatments. In addition, the center will host special classes and activities designed to help children discover their talents, including art and ceramics, music, singing, dance and movement, drawing and creative workshops, and cooking classes — all aimed at fostering motor skills, independence, and self-confidence.

A special emphasis will be placed on family support, recognizing that a child’s development is closely tied to their home environment. The center will provide emotional guidance for parents, assistance with bureaucratic processes for obtaining disability documentation and benefits, and activities for siblings.

Even during construction, the staff has been organizing celebrations, events, trips, and family activities to strengthen the family as a whole. The goal is to ensure that the home to which the child returns is a place of acceptance, love, and peace — allowing families to see that having a special child is not a burden, but a privilege. Every child should feel loved, valued, and empowered to grow in their unique way.

Currently, the center is in its final stages of renovation, and with Hashem’s help, the team hopes to open its doors soon and begin this important work.

This institution is unique and pioneering, and it has already drawn interest from non-Jewish special education organizations seeking to learn from its approach, which adheres to the high standards practiced in Israel.

Following the tour, a celebratory gathering was held, during which the Chief Rabbi praised all those involved in this holy work and blessed them with continued success in creating a Kiddush Hashem.

Photography: A. Alexander