We have members of our “Weasel Zippers” community that are affected by autism, keep them in your thoughts and prayers this holiday season. Thanks to our own Blueburb for the photo.
Via JPost
ALUT, the Israeli Society for Autistic Children in collaboration with the Association for Children at Risk (ACR) is to hold its annual donation day on Sunday.
Thousands of children are planning to knock on doors throughout the country, asking for contributions for the two organizations. In addition, ALUT is to launch an informational campaign calling on the public to light two blue candles during Hanukkah for children with autism.[…]
In recent years autistic children have been increasingly integrating into society through special kindergartens and schools, activities in the Tzofim (scouts) or even by joining the workforce. Through these activities the children are able to meet people without disabilities. Yet, according to ALUT, despite this there is no real interaction – no one comes to visit, the phone does not ring, no one invites the children for a game or to go to the beach or to a movie.
The candles are meant to serve as a signal to children with autism that they are not alone.
Furthermore, according to the organization there is a serious lack of schools and frameworks for the increasing demand of autistic children and their families.