On a recent Tuesday morning, a small group of parents filed into an airy building on Midwood Street holding very important packages: their children, gently wrapped up in taleisim.
Giggles emanated from underneath the taleisim as the kids peeked out and caught sight of the table: each place was carefully laid out with a slab of honey cake, a whole peeled egg, and a colorful aleph bais chart.
At Lighthouse Early Learning Center (ELC), these students were about to celebrate their official welcome to a lifetime of Torah.
The celebration went as most Areinfirinish do: the children sang the alef beis and nekudos songs, licked honey off of their laminated alef bais charts, and enjoyed honey cake and candy. Their parents held them as they watched a puppet show by Rabbi Levi Goldstein and sang songs.
Grandparents, siblings, and teachers stood off to the side and cheered them on as they showed off their daily routine and circle time.
To the untrained eye, it looked like a completely ordinary areinfirinish.
And that’s what makes it so incredible, because Lighthouse ELC is not your classic preschool. In fact, it’s the first and only preschool exclusively for children with special education needs in Crown Heights.
“We opened ELC for exactly this reason,” explains Lighthouse director Pessy Raitman, M.S. Ed., BCBA, LBA. “After working with children with special needs in mainstream Crown Heights schools for over a decade, we realized that there was a major need for a school that caters specifically to children with special educational needs but still offers all the usual experiences and environment that maintstream Chabad children enjoy at school.”
That’s what drew parent C.F. to ELC. Her son, she says, is thriving.
“My son is receiving a true chassidishe chinuch in a school setting built for his specific developmental needs,” she says.
While the school day is tailored toward meeting his educational and behavioral goals, C.F. shares, he doesn’t have to sacrifice the environment, values, and chassidishe celebrations that mainstream chabad schools offer.
“We’re so grateful that our son is getting everything he needs in one place,” C.F. shares. “All of his therapy is integrated into the school day alongside the Chabad chinuch that we value.
“And,” she adds with a smile, “it doesn’t hurt that it’s right down the block!”
It’s safe to say that for C.F., her son, and the other families who have found an oasis at Lighthouse ELC, this specific Areinfirnish was definitely an occasion to remember.
For more information about the Lighthouse ELC, call 718-218-5528 ext 109 or email: Pessy@thelighthousech.com
Photos by Yossi Fajnland
Incredible really.
Hatzlocha amazing!
Such a lucky school and lucky kids to have such an amazing teacher like Perla Austin!! Wishing you much continued Hatzlacha!