About us

Kol Koreh was established in 2013,

By parents and professionals who cared

Kol Koreh is a non-profit organization (NGO) founded by parents and professionals who sought to fill a sorely needed niche in Israeli special education: empowering children with dyslexia, speech and language disorders, and other specific learning disabilities, with the tools to succeed in the classroom and beyond. Kol Koreh accomplishes these goals by providing professional information and advice, offering on-site intervention, and aiding parents to access qualified service providers in the community. We service bilingual Israeli Hebrew-speaking students as well as bilingual children for whom English is their primary language.
Whenever possible, we support the “preventive” model of intervention, as opposed to the commonly found “reactive” model. This means early detection and early initiation of specialized instruction, which proves to be the most effective approach, as well as often shortening overall time of service. To these ends, Kol Koreh is working to promote a policy of universal screening of all children in pre-1st grade ganim, to assess pre-reading skills and risk for reading difficulties prior to formal instruction.

learn more

Accomplishments to date

Thanks to our dedicated staff and donors Kol Koreh has been able to get a lot done in the past few years.
  • Awareness of learning disabilities has been greatly increased throughout Israel! Thanks to workshops and seminars, many children have been identified, assessed and provided with effective intervention.
  • We instituted in-house educational assessments, interventions, and consultations with expert professionals, enabling early and accurate identification and intervention.
  • We received the 2017 Initiative for Zionist Innovation Award, sponsored by Nefesh B’Nefesh, the JNF, and the Blumenthal Family Foundation.
  • We have educated parents about dyslexia to help them advocate for their children within the school system.
  • We established the Kol Koreh Virtual Learning Center to both challenge and empower intelligent and talented children with learning differences, offering a wide range of activities and advanced educational resources. We envision this center to also serve as a ‘one stop shop’ for information and resources for families and professionals.
  • We offer an intensive English-language reading and spelling intervention program for students with dyslexia
  • We have advocated with both local and national education officials, to further fundamental changes in the educational system on behalf of students with language-based learning disabilities.
  • Our unique high school class at Yeshivat Shaalvim was created by Kol Koreh for its 2016 freshmen class. It was specifically tailored to the needs of boys with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities, and included full bagruyot.
  • For high school girls, Kol Koreh was closely involved with the remedial program for mainstreamed students at Beit Shulamit in Jerusalem. We provided student assessments, English literacy instruction and training, and helped to train staff and students in the effective use of assistive technological methods to improve learning and studying.
  • Kol Koreh offers support in designing integrated classroom models to an ever-expanding network of schools, providing specialized assistive technology and focused teacher training that can enable students to learn in a regular high school class.

Looking ahead, Kol Koreh is actively occupied with raising the needed funds to expand its center and provide numerous additional services vital for educating and supporting our students and their families. We envision moving our Learning Center to a larger facility to accommodate expanded teaching space as well as to enable our organization to expand services. In our properly constructed full-service educational center we would also be able to offer large spaces for therapies, lectures and workshops, and an expanded resource library for instructional materials, games, audio-visual materials, and assistive technology devices and training.

Our Members

Our team is made up of dedicated, hard working parents, who care.

Rinat R. Green Psy.D.

Founder and Executive Director
Dr. Rinat R. Green is a licensed psychologist both in the United States and in Israel. She received her doctorate in psychology from Pace University and completed her Post-doctoral studies in Forensics at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, NY. Dr. Green is the mother of 7 beautiful children, including children with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities. Her growing awareness that many capable children with language-based learning disabilities struggle in the mainstream and special education systems drove her to establish Kol Koreh. She was determined to enable all children to succeed academically and generally in life. To that end, she combined her background in psychology with her experience as a mother to implement an evidence-based educational solution that addresses children’s challenges while recognizing their areas of strength. 

 

Dr. Green made aliya with her family in 2009. Shortly after arriving in Israel she helped establish Magen, a child protection organization. Dr. Green lectures extensively in the field of learning disabilities and child psychology, both in Israel and abroad, and spearheads Kol Koreh’s advocacy work in the Knesset, among non-profit organizations, and with educational bodies on a local and national level. Dr. Green resides in Beit Shemesh with her husband and children.

Vanessa Radom

Chairperson of the Board

Vanessa received her bachelor’s degree in Health Science, with an emphasis in Health Promotion at San Diego State University. Vanessa has worked on a number of public health issues. She then went on to incorporate her background with agencies that advocated for the elderly population. In 2006, Vanessa and her family made Aliyah. During their first year of Aliyah, one of their children had learning issues that went undiagnosed, camouflaged by the Aliyah experience of dual languages. In seeking proper help for her child’s learning needs, Vanessa became increasingly aware of the limitations in academic support for these children in the educational system. Vanessa was longing for better support and recognition for these children’s learning needs. She came in contact with Kol Koreh and was impressed and relieved to find an organization that was addressing this crucial situation. She became an active member of the organization and recently was appointed it’s Chairperson. Vanessa resides in Beit Shemesh with her husband and six children.

Dena Dobkin

Board Member

 

As Dena was researching alternative education options for one of her children, recently diagnosed with dyslexia, she discovered Kol Koreh.  She was amazed at the scope of the organization’s offerings, and the crucial role it plays in the lives of families dealing with dyslexia.  Dena quickly became active in Kol Koreh, and is honored to serve on its board. Dena works in the field of social media and online marketing.  She made aliyah with her family in 2010, and lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with her husband and three children.

Devora Druxman

Supervisor, Teacher and Educational Evaluator

Devorah made Aliyah with her husband in 2017, moving to Ramat Beit Shemesh, and beginning to work almost immediately for Kol Koreh. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise. She has served as a special class and resource room instructor, educational evaluator, administrator, and staff adviser in highly acclaimed programs in the United States. She has delivered workshops and participated in seminars for prominent American Jewish educational organizations. Devorah’s credentials, at bachelor’s and master’s levels, are in the fields of elementary education, reading disabilities, and teaching the learning disabled population in the yeshiva classroom. She also acquired a diploma in early childhood from her seminary, BJJ, and numerous certifications in professional advancement programs throughout the years.

A veteran special educator with over 40 years of experience, she serves Kol Koreh in several capacities. Devorah is our educational evaluator, and master teacher, as well as staff supervisor and instructional advisor. With all of the areas in which Devorah is involved, she emphasizes that nothing parallels the accomplishment she feels in teaching her precious students. She takes great joy in the daily challenge to use her creativity and know-how to solve the complex needs of her students and help them experience mastery and success in learning.

Tova Redlich

Remedial Teacher

Tova is a skilled remedial teacher at Kol Koreh who joined us in 2019, and is delighted to be teaching at Kol Koreh for her second year.

She studied remedial instruction with a specialty in Hebrew reading for children with dyslexia, at Maalot, Jerusalem. She gained excellent prior experience teaching children with learning disabilities of all ages, individually and in groups, and is constantly working at developing her craft. At Kol Koreh as well, Tova provides specialized Hebrew reading instruction and other language-based intervention for students of all ages. Tova enjoys working with these children immensely. She says, “The privilege of seeing the sparkling eyes of a child who succeeds, proving that he can read too, like everyone else, is worth every minute of the effort and the teaching.”

Chava Shapiro

Remedial Teacher

Chava has the advantage of being born and raised in Ramat Bet Shemesh to a family who made Aliyah. She understands a lot about the local educational system and the experience of the bilingual student. Chava attended Seminar Maalot Bet Yaacov in Jerusalem where she graduated with a diploma in advanced Judaic studies and a major in special education. She went on to then pursue a bachelor’s degree in special education from Michlala Jerusalem. She gained prior experience working in a remedial capacity with elementary age children, covering a variety of subjects. Chava, after hearing of the wonderful work Kol Koreh does in her field, was able to join the Kol Koreh staff as a remedial instructor, applying her talent, skills, and enthusiasm to the Kol Koreh individualized instructional model. Chava teaches children ages eight to fourteen, in math, Hebrew reading, and Torah. She derives tremendous satisfaction as she watches her students, who may have begun with an “I can’t” attitude, gain the skills and self-confidence to realize their abilities and say, “I can!”

Lisa Schlussel

Reading Intervention Provider

Originally from the New York area, Lisa and her family made Aliya in 2010, and settled in Beit Shemesh.  Lisa has a law degree from Cardozo School of Law. Lisa discovered Kol Koreh a few years ago, and saw an opportunity to become involved with a worthy educational organization making positive changes in the community, She received specialized training in successful methods to help students with dyslexia read and write with competence. She has been a skilled English reading intervention specialist at Kol Koreh since 2016. It has been immensely inspiring and gratifying to Lisa to watch her students’ reading, language and academic abilities develop. Her greatest reward is watching her students’ sense of excitement and amazement as they are finally able to open real books and read independently.

Nisa Wener

English Reading Intervention Specialist

Nisa Wener, originally from Toronto, has a bachelor’s degree (BA) in psychology along with a diploma in early childhood education. Nisa originally gained experience working for many years as a preschool teacher. She established and ran her own home-based preschool program. Nisa made Aliyah with her family in 2009, and lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with her husband and 6 children.

 In 2016, after completing specialized training in English reading intervention, Nisa joined the Kol Koreh team, and has been helping dyslexic students of all ages to develop and improve their reading and writing skills. Nisa takes pleasure in watching her students master their skills, and become confident, avid readers.

Sara Goldstein

Educational Content Developer and Moderator 

 

Sarah Goldstein earned her MSEd, with a focus on Learning Disabilities, at Hunter College’s School of Education in New York City. As a licensed teacher both in New York State and Israel, she has taught many students in both parts of the world. Her experience ranges from teaching students of varying abilities and ages. Prior to aliyah, Sarah was always intrigued by Kol Koreh’s astounding accomplishments and its unique role to make learning accessible to everyone. On top of creating virtual lessons for the Kol Koreh Virtual Learning Center, Sarah teaches English in a local school in Beit Shemesh, and currently resides in Ramat Beit Shemesh with her husband and children.

Elisha Tirosh

Board Member

Elisha has a degree in political science. A retired colonel following a long service in the Israeli Air Force where he held a variety of senior positions in the fields of management, command, and human resources. Since retiring from the Air Force, Elisha is involved in many community projects and various business functions. Elisha Volunteers at “Kol Koreh”- bringing with him extensive management experience and the “Sabra” culture.

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Katz

Specialized Limudei Kodesh Rebbi

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Katz, who lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh, has joined our Kol Koreh remedial intervention staff after years of successful experience as a specialist in remediating Hebrew (and Aramaic) reading and learning skills, primarily for Torah studies. He has hundreds of success stories, utilizing a creative and expert approach which incorporates proven methods. Rabbi Katz is a talented and sensitive mechanech, with an excellent perception about how different children learn. He is therefore able to build each student’s skills according to that child’s individual style and needs. Rabbi Moshe Chaim’s patient nature, combined with his pedagogical acumen, is instrumental in helping to develop his students’ self-confidence and motivation to learn.

Leah Haber

Board Member

 

Leah Haber earned her doctorate in psychology from George Washington University in Washington, DC. She is delighted to be involved in Kol Koreh’s crucial work advocating for and educating the children of our community with dyslexia and other language based learning difficulties. Leah made Aliyah 10 years ago with her family. She maintains a private practice in Ramat Beit Shemesh where she lives with her family.

Shira Schijveschuurder

Board Member

 

Shira Schijveschuurder has extensive experience working with a wide range of special needs children since she was 16, including both working in special needs institutions and mainstreaming. Shira has also worked with teenage girls at risk. Shira lives in Ramat Bet Shemesh, where she is fully occupied by her wonderful children!