Often, when we are in the midst of life, it is almost impossible to stop and see how far we have come. We are busy surviving, managing, adapting, holding things together. Progress happens quietly, in between the chaos, and only later asks to be noticed. Last week, we are celebrated a year since Asaf returned home. One year of shared space, shared time, and shared learning. A year that asks me to stop, to look back, and to really see what has grown. In him, and in me. January

Ask parents of a child with special needs what their biggest fear is, and many will give you the same answer: What will happen to my child when I am no longer here? We talk about services, housing, independence, inclusion. We make plans, spreadsheets, trusts, and lists. We tell ourselves that love, preparation, and good intentions will be enough. Or alternatively, we simply do not think about it at all. But late at night, when the house is quiet, and the mind refuses to rest,

Enjoying a well deserved break at Merchavim this week. The start of a new year invites reflection. It asks us to look back, not to judge ourselves, but to understand what carried us forward. Two years ago, if anyone had suggested, hinted, or even dared to imagine that Asaf would be living at home, content, happy, with a rich inner world we could access, communicating with us through typing, I honestly would have laughed in their face. Not because I lacked love, nor because I

Last week we celebrated Chanukah. Chanukah is the festival of lights, celebrating the miracle of the oil lasting the entire 8 days of the festival. I have my own miracle of light here at home with me. A light that has entered our lives and filled them with life, and a light that has entered his own life too. Asaf is my miracle of light. I have been given the rare gift of truly meeting my son, of getting to know the person who was always there, hidden inside, waiting. Since As

Asaf and Dill exercising in his running group When Asaf was a young child, he was a bolter. If he had the slightest opportunity, an open door, a distracted moment, he would disappear within seconds. He loved climbing and had absolutely no sense of danger. His favorite escape destination was always the playground. I would often find him standing on the pointed roof of the slide, one leg on each side, carefully balancing himself. But it was never calm. Each tiny wobble sent a

The Reunion with his phenomenal teacher Einat. Last week I was invited to deliver my lecture, “A Voice from the Silence,” at Asaf’s former school , a place that was home for him for eight phenomenal years. Walking through the familiar hallways filled me with emotions that are hard to describe. This was where so many chapters of our journey unfolded, years of growth, challenges, and lessons that shaped who we both are today. It felt deeply symbolic to return there, standing in

One of the games I love playing is backgammon. I have a running tournament with one of my friends, and there is always an open game on the table on my back porch. It’s always waiting for one of the kids to join me..I think I can safely say that the back porch is everyone’s favorite place in the house, except for Asaf. Asaf’s armchair in the salon is sacred territory. Anyone who forgets that quickly finds themselves lifted out of it by Asaf. It didn’t matter how many times we

An absolutely incredible thing happened in our home recently. We were sitting around the Friday night table, with all the children present, which is something that becomes more precious as they grow older. I asked the kids to share a good thing that happened to them this week. Each one shared. And then I turned to Asaf and said  “You’re part of this conversation too”. I presented him with the keyboard. When I share our story of how Asaf began communicating with us through typ

I always thought that as Asaf’s mother, I knew my son. I knew what he liked to eat, where he liked to spend time, and I told myself I...

Apraxia is a curse for any non-verbal individual with autism. Imagine being fully aware, fully intelligent, yet trapped in a body that...

How stepping away helped me reclaim myself and what truly matters. Biogradska Gora. The last couple of months have been challenging. I’d...

Asaf and his wonderful carer Dill at running group this week. This week, I’m writing from a place of deep frustration. Not the fleeting...

This year was the first time ever that Asaf could truly be part of the preparations for his birthday. And what a difference that has...

Asaf celebrating his birthday at Merchavim   Asaf, 25 years ago today you made me a mother . I remember it clearly, the moment you...

How does one deal with fear when there's no simple way to express it? The war with Iran, over the past two weeks, has brought that...

Quality Time together in the Safe Room People often ask me where my strength comes from, how am I so resilient. The answer isn’t...

On Friday Morning at 3am, The Air raid Sirens sounded. We were jolted awake by air raid sirens echoing across the country, unsure what...

I’ve written a lot about the voice I discovered in my son Asaf , a voice that rises from silence, from typing, from the inner world he...

Sunset on Hof Dor Two months ago, Asaf asked that we — his family — stop participating in his typing sessions. He wanted the space to...

Taking an ice cream break together 🌅  I HAVE A DREAM  🌅 And it’s time to verbalise it, time to visualise it, and time to make it...