Contribution to the community
The IJC, as a volunteers-based-convention, and the Israeli association for juggling and circus arts view the connection and the cooperation with the community and society in general as a fundamental principle. As a result of this principal, we contribute to the community in several way during the conventions and throw-out the year.
Juggling As A Therapy
The IJC aims to promote special populations’ educational work through juggling and the circus arts. The association wants to contribute both to these populations, to the development and distribution of the circus arts and give back to the general community and society in Israel.
The IJC’s activities include placing juggling instructors with specific experience for special populations for educational work during school hours in special education settings since 2013.
An article about juggling as an educational tool in schools (Hebrew)
Instructors Course
In order to increase the convention’s activity in the community, we need more guides. Every school year since September 2015, a course has been held for jugglers who wish to specialize in educational-therapeutic work with the help of circus skills with populations with special needs.
The course is intended for interested jugglers and circus people, and who intend on working with those with special needs, with the main emphasis being on students with behavioral difficulties, children at behavioral risk, and students with learning disabilities.
Due to the nature of the course, it is designed for a small group of about 4 jugglers. Each meeting will include joining 2-3 viewing and experience classes, and a theoretical class that will include study material and training.
The course will be taught by Shahar Avneri (“Shakalka”) a juggler and certified physical education teacher who works with populations with complex disabilities, and Einat Asa Polansky – a music and movement therapist and instructor who works in special education settings using juggling as a therapeutic tool.
The course will focus on understanding the field of education and care for children with special needs and the possibilities that juggling and other circus arts can offer to these populations.
The course will be held at the “Savion” school in Ramat Gan during the school year and will receive a certificate of completion on behalf of the Association for Juggling in Israel.
The trained jugglers will be a reserve for the instructors who will work with special populations in the educational project.
Course requirements:
- Consistent attendance and active participation on school days – Mondays between 10:00 and 14:00 at the “Savion” school in Ramat Gan (near the National Park).
- Reading a recommended bibliography. A limited relevant library will be available to readers.
- Writing summaries/learning diary every week.
- Readiness and openness to get to know the different sides of those with special needs on the one hand, and the possibilities that the education system can offer them, on the other hand.
At the end of the course – submission of a reflective summary paper that combines the documentation of learning and personal development during the year from a personal point of view, and the theoretical literature
The course is held with almost full subsidy from the association. The total cost for participants is 250NIS.
To register, please send your CV and a brief description of the source of your interest in this type of course to:
Einat Asa Polanski [email protected]
The Circuschool (ha-kirkasefer)!
A very special “Peak!” day in special education. The various schools where the association’s activities take place throughout the school year gather together for a joint activity of circus and colorful people. The activity includes workshops, performances, and great joy for children, teachers, guides, and chaperones. This is an annual celebration full of joy.
Hosting Groups at IJC
The IJC hosts and funds each year several groups from disadvantaged communities for a visit in the IJC where they take part in different workshops that are created especially for them.
The groups get to refresh themselves from their daily routine for a day of fun that also strengthens their feeling of capableness and self-confidence of the participants.
In Addition, in the past few year we decided we want the juggling to accompany the groups not just at the IJC, but also in their daily life and daily struggles. For that we have created the Great Balls Project – every IJC attendee is invited to prepare a few simple juggling balls in advance and bring them to the convention, where they will be donated to the groups. This way, the participants from the groups can practice their juggling that they learned during the IJC throughout the year and make it an ongoing supporting process in their life instead of a one-time event.
If you want to participate this year, great! we need your help making some juggling props to give to all of the groups we will host. we will upload a video and instructions here, teaching how to do it yourself.
Over the years the IJC and the Israeli association for juggling and circus arts in the convention has hosted groups of:
- Disabled children.
- Women and their children from shelters for women who experienced violence at their home and women who were rehabilitated from life on the streets.
- Adults who take part in the Clubhouse program for people with mental issues.
- “Sinai” Special needs school from Ramla & “Idud” Special needs school from Rehovot.
- “Emuna” and “Renanim” Boarding schools.
- Foreign workers and poor families’ children from the Bialik-Rogozin school.
- Children with Williams Syndrome from the Tel HaShomer Hospital.
- Adults with Down Syndrome from the Yeted Organization.
- Joint effort with the “Centre culturel français de Naplouse” to deliver juggling workshops to Palestinian children in Naplouse (Shchem),
at Hope Flowers School.
Here you can find some Thank you letters and a full description of our activities –
