About Us
Tsad Kadima, the Association for Conductive Education in Israel, is recognized worldwide for its holistic approach to the rehabilitation and education of children, adolescents, and young adults with cerebral palsy or motor dysfunctions. We seek to strengthen each participant's self-esteem, independence, and competencies with the goal of successful mainstreaming into regular society. To accomplish these goals, we involve families and follow normal daily routines as bases for our work.
Our staff of more than 20 professionals includes Conductive Education (CE) specialists, called “conductors”, who have completed a three-year training program funded by the Israeli Ministry of Education and managed by Tsad Kadima.
The Beginning
Three decades ago, a beautiful baby girl was born in Jerusalem to a loving family. Her doctors determined that she had cerebral palsy, and her parents searched worldwide for the best treatment available. When they learned about Conductive Education (CE), a method developed in the 1920s and 1930s by Professor Andreas Petõ, a Hungarian Jewish physician, they brought their daughter to Budapest for long training sessions. Soon, hundreds of other Israeli families followed the Jerusalem pioneering family. The positive changes and progress that the children made convinced their parents to establish the Association for Conductive Education in Israel, naming it “Tsad Kadima”, which is Hebrew for “A Step Forward”. In this way, they turned their own challenges into a platform for helping many other families with the same challenges.
Today
With an annual budget of about NIS 15 million (about $3.9 million), we run programs throughout the year, from Carmiel in the north to Beersheba in the south. Our local training program for Israeli CE practitioners (conductors) leads to a CE certificate that is recognized in both Israel and the European Union.
Funding from three Israeli government ministries – education, welfare, and health – cover 75% percent of our budget. We raise the remaining 25% (about $1 million) through parent-initiated fundraising activities. These include benefit concerts, the annual Hike for Hope, and support from private individuals and foundations.