Our theory of curative education and social therapy developed in the spirit of Rudolph Steiner, the "father of Anthroposophy," is based on our perception that each human being has a healthy spiritual core that attempts to cope with life's challenges, to develop, find meaning and significance, even when social, physical, or mental conditions surrounding this "core" limit or make life extremely difficult.

The curative community is structured on an understanding that the encounter between "healthy" members and those with special needs opens the door to a journey of growth and change, both for the care staff and those cared for. Curative communities based on Anthroposophic principles have been established in Europe, the USA, and elsewhere and have operated since the mid-20th century, with a wide spectrum of populations of different ages, serving people with various special needs.

What characterizes these communities as a whole is the integration of people with different types of challenges, bringing individuals together as a community and integrating them so that each person can develop empathy for others' distress and discover and express one's own strengths. The curative community creates a system of living to include active social and cultural partnership during work, studies, domestic life, and nurturing the environment and the landscape.

 

Life in the Broader Community

Children and adults with special needs require special conditions to enable their delicate soul qualities to grow and develop. However, the encounter with life in a broader community and life within a larger community context form an important condition for forming a healthy connection with the external world. On the kibbutz, the Beit Tuvia children and the members of the Beit Elisha community have become part of the landscape. They join in the kibbutz celebrations and artistic performances, as well as the kibbutz children's sports events and environmental projects. Nearly all of the Beit Tuvia children have been "adopted" by kibbutz host families, although this is not a dogmatic principle; we make every effort to "match" each child or member in the best way and at the pace most suited to the individual.