About us

Who are we?

"Bakehila" non-profit organization – integrating people with autism in the society – acts to promote the rights of people with autism by developing innovative, high quality services for them, which will enable them to integrate in society in the best way.

We do that by promoting their rights and by establishing a model for living in the community, a model which puts the individual with autism in the center and provides a quality response to his needs and wishes by offering them a living solution, occupational opportunities and leisure activities.

The Vision

The realization of the "treaty on the rights of the disabled"

This will be accomplished by achieving rich community living for people with autism in an urban environment, while maintaining close ties with the nuclear family, supportive ties with the community and a "safety net" around their living arrangement.

The Organization's Objectives

• To achieve the right conditions in order to create a meaningful life for people with autism within the community according to their wishes and preferences.
• To act for their integration in the community, and to change positions in regards to their ability to participate in community life.
• To establish adaptive, high-quality services of supportive living, occupation and leisure services, which will enable adults with autism to live within the community in a high standard of living and have meaningful lives.

Ways of Action

• Lobbying and explaining the idea of living within the community.
• Finding apartments for the "Partners for Life" project in the Kiryat Ono area.
• Raising funds in order to finance the above apartments.

Leisure

• Finding a permanent home for the "Hevre Groups" quality social activities in the Kiryat Ono area.
• Promoting and supporting parents groups and their need for quality leisure services.

Occupation

• Continuous support of the learning and occupational center in Bar Ilan University.
• Continuous support and aide for other groups that are interested in opening similar centers around the country.

The Organization's Activities Today

• Supporting and guiding families in receiving their lawful rights from different government agencies.
• Support and counsel for other organizations in order to develop innovative occupational and leisure activities.
• Participating in civil community forums that promote the rights of people with disabilities.
• Leisure – Promoting and supporting the "Hevre" leisure center (which services 10 different geographical areas). Helping create similar high quality centers. These leisure centers will also service the members of the group when they move to the supported living facilities in the community.
• Occupation – promoting and supporting the learning and occupational center in Bar Ilan, helping to develop similar centers.
• Supported living – developing a new project of living in the community.
• Giving lectures about accessibility and services available for people with autism.

Our History and Progress

The Bakehila Organization was founded by Malky Icek and associates in June 2013. Ms. Icek serves as chairperson of the board and as the acting managing director.

The organization as an independent entity was preceded by years of rigorous voluntary work by Ms. Icek. Malki is a mother to a 27 years old son with autism. She has played a leading role advocating for people with autism for the last two decades to promote the integration of people with autism in the community and initiate innovative and ground breaking solutions for them.  Malky Icek is the chairperson of the organization, and is the acting manager.

During the last two decades, Ms. Icek actively promoted a variety of projects aimed at integrating autistic people into the community:

1. Promoted and coordinated the integration of children with disabilities into mainstream schools.
2. Initiated and advocated the revision of The National Health Insurance Law in order to cover treatments for autistic children.
3. Promoted revisions to The Equal Rights for People with Disabilities Law to include the rights and the unique needs of people with autism.
4. Initiated and lead an appeal to the Supreme Court in Israel against the Ministry of Welfare for the discrimination of autistic adults regarding afternoon social clubs. (Moadoniot).
5. Founded a social group and leisure center for autistic adolescents. The group began its operation 9 years ago initially serving autistic adolescents and currently serves 19 adults with autism.
6. Founded an innovative and unique learning and occupational center dedicated to autistic adults at Bar Ilan University.

 Members of the board

All members of the board are unpaid volunteers.