CAHAL (Communities Acting to Heighten Awareness and Learning) is a program of smaller classes for children with various learning differences from Kindergarten through 8th grade. CAHAL was organized by local Rabbis, Principals and community leaders who were concerned with the challenges presented by children who were not succeeding in the mainstream yeshiva class, even with resource room or other s
upport. Since 1992, hundreds of children have been able to attend the same yeshiva as their siblings and friends learning the mainstream curriculum, in a professionally staffed, highly individualized program. Our classrooms are not identified differently, and there is no sign on the door that says “CAHAL.” Our students and mainstream students jointly participate in all non-academic activities such as recess, lunch, gym, art, music, science, and grade level special programs and events. The students are included as students of the host school, rather than students of CAHAL. The goal of the program is to enable the students to return to their mainstream school. As the children develop their learning and social skills, CAHAL will mainstream them into the regular classes. The fact that CAHAL classes are located in the local yeshivas rather than in a separate school helps to facilitate and streamline the mainstreaming process. There are no travel or transportation issues to delay or impede this process. Many children are mainstreamed for one or more academic periods a day. At CAHAL, the small classes, highly individualized attention (4 to 1 student to teacher ratio with a maximum of 12 students) and uniquely designed programs encourage and foster the children’s success, preparing them for advanced studies and adulthood.
