As a young student, Isaac Goldknopf saw firsthand the shortcomings of the educational system in dealing with special-needs children, and the potential harm caused by ill-trained staff. Deeply moved by what he had witnessed, Goldknopf set out to create a place where every child can thrive. That’s how Petachya was born.
Petachya was established in 1995 to provide comprehensive mainstreaming educational and therapeutic frameworks for children with emotional, physical and language disabilities, to complement existing educational institutions. Over the years, with its belief in every child, vision for a brighter future and outstanding staff, Petachya has expanded and today provides an array of educational and therapeutic frameworks catering to children with developmental delays, Down’s syndrome, and other disabilities and syndromes, providing the highest standards of care.
Petachya’s modus operandi is inclusion. We believe that special-needs children deserve equal opportunity to grow, learn and thrive in a supportive, loving environment that empowers them to be independent, productive and contributing members of society. Thanks to our team of leading pedagogical and paramedical professionals, Petachya has earned the respect of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services, and works in collaboration with government offices, regional councils and local authorities in providing educational frameworks and therapeutic services to thousands of special-needs children and their families throughout the country, from all backgrounds and socio-economic levels.
From primary intervention and support for parents right after the birth of a special-needs child, through comprehensive diagnostic services and therapies and onto rehabilitative daycare centers, language-oriented kindergartens, preschools for the developmentally delayed and mainstreaming programs, Petachya is Israel’s leading network of early childhood special education services.
