The update you have all been waiting for

Where to begin?

Well that last few days in Israel were like on of those emotion charts! full of every emotion possible! Happy and Sad were the two major ones! All the therapists and I got together for an official closing discussion. Their thoughts opinions and ways to continue. It was wonderful and teary. The last day was very hard for me. I was getting close to coming home (just had the weekend to get through)  and i was so excited but I had to say goodbye to the people that helped me and supported me. We had a little party for Noam and another little girl who also attended the institute from England! Noam gave everyone a flower and a big hug and really understood that he was heading home!

I had a meeting with the Rabbi Raffi Feurenstein... that was exciting, it gave me more motivation and hope for the future and the trip home!
The weekend was great and long! We were both anxious and ready to get home! Noam had some last minute fun with my family! Horse riding, swimming at the beach! Just beautiful!

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Lucky for me i bumped into some friends of mum and dad's just before boarding the flight home! They flew all the way home with us and that was a blessing!!! great to have help and a familiar face!
Noam was great on the plane but by the last leg was full of energy! Good old Qantas and their amazing staff... lets just say, they all knew Noam by the end of the flight!

Melbourne Airpot walking through those doors and I got it!! the hugs I had been waiting so long for. Mika, Shuly, Naish and my Dad ( mum was in bed it was an early flight).

It's been two weeks now and things are starting to settle.. Noam had a hard start sleep wise but as the days went on he got better and better! It was so great to be home and even better to be able to share the experience finally with Naish and the rest of the family! What has been even better has been the changes they have seen! Noam has settled back into school and kinder and it will be interesting to see how those changes carry though....
I am back into running a household, being a mother, a wife a friend and a girl on a mission to find the support and therapies to keep this kid growing!
There are lots of exciting things coming up in the horizon and I promise to keep update happening through my blog!!  ( especially seeing as 130 people viewed it yesterday)

It wasn't really until I got home that I realised how much I had changed! Two weeks in and i am realising that some things you can't change, some things you have already changed, some things you don't want to change!

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We are home with still lots of stories to tell! I have promised many to keep this blog going so that I will do! just give me a few days to get my act together!

Both Noam and I were very excited to get home! kisses for everyone and non stop hugs!

Thank you!

We were so blessed to be given this opportunity! The generosity of work colleges, family and friends and people we haven't even met, was then as is still now overwhelming. I will be forever grateful to everyone who has helped us get here both finically and emotionally.... I can honestly say with all my heart that you have given Noam a new beginning.. you have given Noam direction and knowledge to see the world through clear eyes. To know, to understand and be a part of a world that every person deserves to be apart of! I have to say it again THANK YOU!!

Tomorrow is our last day at the Institute! WOW! Five weeks have past, I have learnt so much and  so has Noam. We had final meeting with all the therapists and me! They each went around and spoke about what they have been doing with Noam, why and where to go from here. I have filmed it so that I can share it with everyone in melbourne that works with Noam and for me to keep the inspiration and motivation flowing within me! I also spoke about my experience, how we got to Israel, how the trip has effected me and how I see the changes in Noam... My goals for the future

This trip has taught me to believe again.. It has opened my world to a sea of opportunities for Noam and made me believe in a child whose future 6 weeks ago I was not to certain of! I have learnt to have faith in Noam, let him be the five year old he is! Give him the independence he deserves and send him on his way to be wants and needs to be! (with a little help from me)

I can't forget to say a big thank you to a few other people! My amazing family here in Israel who not only have embraced Noam but have cherish him supported us and honestly helped me get through the toughest 6 weeks of my life!

To the therapists at the Institute! ( I know some of you have found this blog) Your support and dedication infectious! Each and every one of you has something unique and inspirational to offer.. Keep doing the amazing work that you do and always remember that you are changing the lives of so many families and so many children who will be forever grateful. You have not only given me hope you have given Noam Life.... You have shown him what the world has to offer and taught him to embrace it!
There are no words to describe to you all how grateful I am! I am going to miss you all and I prey that one day I will be back with Noam to continue this amazing Journey!

There is nothing more magical than Erez Israel. ( the land of Israel) Tonight we stood and watched a city unite on the eve of Yom Yerushalayim ( Jerusalem Day) . We walk the streets in pride, waving the Israeli flags and sining about a country that means so much has given so much.


There is nothing more magical than watching your child flourish amongst crowds. Become a boy who understands, is intrigued and excited and who I honestly believe felt the pride all other Yerushalmi's (people of Jerusalem) did today!  


Noam asked me to 'walk with the people'..... He told me he wanted a flag.... And as he watched the tractors drive by he waved, said shalom and talked about the tractor he went on with his cousin Motty to see the 'SHEEP'....


This is a boy who's world has been opened up not only to language but to everything it has to offer. I realised today as I walked with Noam that he is no longer a passive member of society but an active one! 

 As we come the the middle of the last week at the institute my fear of leaving this amazing place, it's inspirational people and the support is becoming a reality! Noam and I have learnt so much in five short weeks. 

( OKAY they may have been long one's)  I have been given the tools to take Noam anywhere in this world he wants to go. I can only hope that together as a team back in Melbourne I will be supported to continue this Journey the 'Feuerstein way'

When I come home and Noam sleeps i have been reading a lot on this theory that has intrigued me so much. Today i came across a piece of writing that just put it all together for me. 

' THE STUDENT IS OFTEN TREATED AS AN EMPTY VESSEL INTO WHICH KNOWLEDGE MUST BE POURED'

(my husband being a librarian  I should probably quote that properly but that would mean having to go back through my papers... another time maybe) 

I could probably try and summarise what this means for you but I think i may just put the link to the site I have been reading and if you are interested have a read! ESPECIALLY people out there who have children!

Just to clarify.. the child is often and just shouldn't be! When mediating it's also about changing yourself for the child,  looking at the individual child, setting the environment for the individual child and 'stimuli' - looking at what will motivate the individual child and using that knowledge to extend learning!

(hope that makes sense)

So you would like to know how all this learning and mediation has helped Noam? well let me tell you.
Tonight we had to take Noam to the doctor! A suspected ear infection diagnosed by myself! Noam HATES doctors and never ever cooperates. As expected when she went to check his ear he carried on, screamed no no no and wouldn't let her look! I asked him to listen to me and I asked him if his ear was sore? he said yes! I basically explained to him that 'if you want it to feel better then you need to let her look so she can give you some medicine!' He said NO! I asked him if he wanted to go home and see daddy and Mika and Shuly in a week? He said YES! so I explained ' We need to check your ear so we can give you medicine, otherwise you can't go on a plane home to see them! he said OKAY! he sat and let the doctor look. He then said THANK YOU! So now I think I can say this trip is really going to change our lives!

Thank you!