Akim Israel Association

Akim Israel Association (Hebrew: אקים ישראל) is Israel's national organization for people with intellectual developmental disabilities and their families. It was founded in 1951 by a group of parents who wanted to press the authorities to establish institutions for children with disabilities. The association is a registered nonprofit (ע"ר) and describes itself as a person-centered organization that represents people with intellectual disabilities and their families while protecting their rights and freedoms. Its stated vision is to make Israeli society a better, more respectful, warm and accepting place for people with intellectual disabilities and their families, enabling self-realization through recognition of difference and a commitment to equal opportunity. From its founding, Akim has worked to realize the rights of and improve the quality of life and welfare of roughly 35,000 people with intellectual disabilities and their families, using legal advocacy and community advocacy. The organization promotes the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in the community, gives them tools for independent coping and personal responsibility, and encourages them to make their voices heard in the spirit of "nothing about us without us." It works through the Akim headquarters and 65 branches and activity centers across the country. Akim's services span community housing frameworks within residential neighborhoods, day centers for employment for people with intellectual developmental disabilities who need nursing care, unique dental clinics, a national vacation project, support and assistance in Hebrew and Arabic, leisure activities (clubs), the "Employment in a Different Way" project for placing people with disabilities in jobs in the open market (in cooperation with the National Insurance Institute), parent support groups, rights evenings, and more. It also operates the "Shavim BaMadim" (Equal in Uniform) program jointly with the Ministry of Labor and Welfare and the Israel Defense Forces, which allows men and women with intellectual developmental disabilities or autism to integrate into a military framework with accompaniment and support as needed. In addition, Akim founded "AL"A – Akim for Guardianship," which serves as guardian for about 1,800 people with intellectual developmental disabilities who do not have family members able or willing to serve as guardians. As part of its community advocacy department, and in the spirit of the slogan "nothing about us without us," Akim Israel operates 55 groups of people with intellectual developmental disabilities as self-advocates in nationwide deployment in Jewish, Arab and Druze localities. These groups form the "Kolenu" (Our Voice) movement. They are composed of representatives over the age of 21 who come from frameworks for adults with intellectual disabilities, and each group is accompanied by a professional facilitator called an "enabler." Self-advocacy is a tool for improving their quality of life and realizing their rights, through which they advance issues that concern them and their peer group and work for equal rights in society and the community. Akim also initiates laws and regulations to protect the rights of these people and monitors their enforcement, including ensuring the appointment of guardians to protect their interests, both family guardians and external guardians. The organization's work is carried out through parent committees, branches and departments at the association's center. In June 2021 the general assembly of Akim Israel elected Rabbi Dr. Benny Lau to replace Ami Ayalon as chairman of the association. The CEO of the association is Sigal Peretz-Yahalomi.

Akim was founded in 1951 by a group of parents of people with intellectual developmental disabilities to press the authorities to establish an institution for children with disabilities. In 1953 the association's regulations were changed to allow the general public to join, especially volunteers from among professionals working in the field. The association worked to conduct a census to determine the number of children with disabilities in Israel and to establish institutions for them. Initially branches were established in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and in 1953 a branch was established in Haifa. That same year the educational institution Givat Shemesh was established on the initiative of the association. In 1955 the association established the "Fund for the Upbringing of the Retarded" for "scientific research on the problems of the retarded and assistance for the education and placement of the retarded." That year the association reached an arrangement with the Income Tax Authority on tax relief to be given to parents of children who received certification from the association. In 1965 Akim in Ramat Gan and Haifa began a fundraising campaign with the help of school students, under the slogan "A Roof for the Retarded Child," which became an annual tradition. Akim led, together with the IDF, a process to integrate people with intellectual developmental disabilities into military service. Today the association operates the "Shavim BaMadim" program, a joint program with the Ministry of Labor and Welfare and the IDF. The program allows men and women with intellectual developmental disabilities or autism to integrate into a military framework while receiving accompaniment and support as needed. In July 2012 the general assembly of the association decided to replace the term "mental retardation" in the name and regulations of the association with the term "intellectual developmental disability," in accordance with a decision of the Ministry of Welfare and Social Services, which was adopted following the recommendation of a committee in which representatives of the association participated. However, it was decided to preserve the name "Akim," which had become a brand, but to remove the quotation marks, since the name of the association should no longer be seen as an acronym. On June 20, 2021, the general assembly of Akim Israel elected Rabbi Dr. Benny Lau to replace Ami Ayalon as chairman of the association. The CEO of the association is Sigal Peretz-Yahalomi. As of 2026, Akim operates 55 groups of people with intellectual developmental disabilities as self-advocates in nationwide deployment in Jewish, Arab and Druze localities, forming the "Kolenu" movement. The association also initiated the "Kelim Shluvim" program, a new study program for accessible music studies for people with intellectual disabilities at Bar-Ilan University, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Welfare and Akim Israel.

• 2012

  General assembly decided to replace "mental retardation" with "intellectual developmental disability" in name and regulations, while preserving the brand name "Akim".

• 1965

  Fundraising campaign "A Roof for the Retarded Child" launched in Ramat Gan and Haifa, becoming an annual tradition.

• 1955

  Fund for the Upbringing of the Retarded established; tax relief arrangement with Income Tax Authority.

• 1953

  Regulations changed to allow public membership; branch established in Haifa; educational institution Givat Shemesh established.

• 1951

  Akim founded by a group of parents of people with intellectual developmental disabilities.

• Rabbi Dr. Benny Lau elected chairman, replacing Ami Ayalon.

National nonprofit organization providing advocacy, services and support for people with intellectual developmental disabilities and their families in Israel.

• Community housing frameworks

  Housing frameworks within residential neighborhoods across the country.

• Day centers for employment

  Day centers for employment for people with intellectual developmental disabilities who need nursing care.

• Dental clinics

  Unique dental clinics operated by Akim and the Ministry of Welfare.

• National vacation project

  A national vacation project for people with intellectual disabilities.

• Leisure activities (clubs)

  Leisure activities and clubs for people with intellectual disabilities.

• Employment in a Different Way

  Project for placing people with disabilities in jobs in the open market, in cooperation with the National Insurance Institute.

• Parent support groups

  Support groups for parents of people with intellectual disabilities.

• Rights evenings

  Evenings dedicated to rights awareness.

• Shavim BaMadim (Equal in Uniform)

  Joint program with the Ministry of Labor and Welfare and the IDF allowing men and women with intellectual developmental disabilities or autism to integrate into a military framework.

• Kolenu (Our Voice) self-advocacy groups

  55 groups of people with intellectual developmental disabilities acting as self-advocates nationwide.

• AL"A – Akim for Guardianship

  Guardianship organization serving as guardian for about 1,800 people with intellectual developmental disabilities.

• Kelim Shluvim

  New study program for accessible music studies for people with intellectual disabilities at Bar-Ilan University.

1. 1אקים ישראל | הארגון הארצי לאנשים עם מוגבלות שכלית ולבני משפחותיהםakim.org.il
2. 2Akim Israel Association - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3אקים - Wikipediahe.wikipedia.org