BodyTalk: Movement and Music with Immigrant Children and their Peers

JDC has developed a program that empowers immigrant children and their peers through the media of music, dance and movement. Using imagination, creativity, communication and improvisation, BodyTalk works with children who show difficulties in behavior and in concentration, or who, even at their young age, are at risk of dropping out of school.

Through weekly two-hour sessions of non-verbal activities, groups of 15 children are provided an alternative means to develop self-image, social integration, emotional expression and educational advancement. 

Some 100 fourth and fifth graders are now benefiting from this unique and important program. Twelve professionals have been trained to work as group facilitators to enable the expansion of the program to additional schools.   And, for the first time, younger elementary school children and their parents are going to be incorporated into the program as an integral part of JDC’s PACT (Parents and Children Together) partnership with American Federations.  The pilot location for initial work with first and second graders will be in Beersheva, in three schools.

Hailed as a success by Israel’s Ministry of Education, the ministry is funding the training of additional professionals, further increasing the impact of this program. 

JDC, through BodyTalk, is restoring – or providing for the first time – a sense of power, confidence and hope in children throughout Israel, at a time when they need it most.