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The Mindfulness Center at the Gate of the Negev was established in 2014 with the aim of improving the quality of life and mental well-being of the residents of the Negev, mainly those living in the settlements around Gaza. The center works to make accessible the development and deepening of the skills and principles of mindfulness practice, for children and youth, adults, families, therapists and educational teams.
What is Mindfulness?
In recent years, the term ‘mindfulness’ has become a common term in everyone’s mouth, starting with employees in large companies and ending with children in schools and kindergartens—and not for nothing. Mindfulness has been found to be a significant tool for strengthening mental resilience, reducing depression and anxiety, sharpening attention and concentration skills and increasing feelings of joy and happiness.
“Mindfulness” refers to the ability to direct non-judgmental attention to the present and experience the ‘present moment’.
According to the mindfulness approach, everyone can develop these abilities, and the more we practice them, the more we will be able to meet reality in an authentic, inclusive and softer way. Mindfulness is a tool that helps us to better control automatic reactions, which allows us to reduce aggression and impulsiveness, and to more correctly choose our reactions to the present moment.
The Mindfulness Center works to make accessible the development and deepening of the skills and principles of practice in the spirit of Dharma, for the population of the South. Its goal is to increase the mental well-being and quality of life at the individual and community level with a mutual guarantee. The center operates as part of the psychological service of Sha'ar HaNegev.
Since the vision of the Mindfulness Center is to improve the quality of life and mental well-being at the level of the individual and the community, the assimilation of mindfulness in educational environments is a central and essential action in our eyes. We see educators, in all their circles, as key figures and central ambassadors for transferring the tools and skills of mindfulness, and for creating an optimal impact on each and every one of the students and team members.
In our worldview, mindfulness programs in educational environments must refer to the whole fabric of life in educational institutions and outside of them. That is, to the teachers, supervisors, kindergarteners and tutors, the management teams, and of course – the children, their siblings and parents.
We believe that only through the assimilation of mindfulness as a common language (teachers and students alike) will we be able to bring about a change in the educational climate, bring about an improvement in the personal well-being of the populations associated with the educational environment in all its facets, and thereby create real change in the long term.
Educational and therapeutic programs based on mindfulness skills are gaining a central place in Israel and around the world today. In recent years, the programs working with children, in different educational settings and at different ages, have been growing and expanding.
The main reason why Mindfulness is “making waves” due to its results on the ground in Israel, as well as around the world.
The beneficial effects of mindfulness have already been proven academically and with research. The many benefits found include:
צוות מנחי מרכז מיינדפולנס הינו צוות בעל ניסיון עשיר במיומנויות מיינדפולנס, עבודה עם ילדים ומבוגרים. הצוות כולל אנשי טיפול או אנשי חינוך מנוסים אשר משלבים את המיינדפולנס בעבודתם. הצוות מקבל הדרכה, ע”י ד”ר קרן ריינר נוי, מנהלת המרכז ושותפה להקמתו.
Noy is director of the Sha'ar HaNegev Mindfulness Center, and a partner in its establishment. Noy develops mindfulness-based programs in the community and in educational environments with a vision to enrich the personal and community reserves of resilience for the population surrounding Gaza and the surrounding area. Noy has been a lecturer and facilitator of mindfulness workshops for various audiences for over a decade. Expert clinical psychologist, specializing in combining mindfulness and Buddhist concepts in individual and group therapeutic work, she is a partner in the Mindfulness Clinic team at the Health Center.
I lived as a nun for about 12 years in the mindfulness practice community in Plum Village, under the guidance of Zen teacher Thich Nath Han, and was certified by him as a Dharma (mindfulness) teacher. I was also trained as a teacher for MBCL - a program that emphasizes compassion and emotional intelligence based on mindfulness practice and combines meditations from the world of Buddhism with Western studies and psychology.
Walking the Buddhist path for more than a decade, Shmolevich is a facilitator of a practice group (Sangha), and facilitator of mindfulness workshops for the general public and therapists. As a clinical psychologist, she treats patients with a mindfulness-based approach. She has also been a candidate in Jungian analytical training. She teaches a course on dreams at the School of Psychotherapy in the Negev and sees the everyday as a fascinating journey, which invites practice, and contains its seeds of growth.
Lev is a Movement Therapist (M.A) experienced in working with adults and youth. He is also a mindfulness teacher in various settings, both public and private. As a qualified spiritual companion, he accompanies families and individuals in dealing with life's crises. Lev is also a senior facilitator in the 'motivational approach,' where he trains medical teams and therapists to have more effective communication required for success in behavioral changes in patients.
Cohen is an attention language teacher in an elementary school, and lecturer and host of mindfulness workshops for teachers and groups of parents and children. He has practiced Tibetan Buddhism and Yoga for 15 years. He is a certified meditation instructor, on behalf of Win - Medi School of Complementary Medicine at Wingate Academic College. Cohen also holds an Instructor's certificate for the "language of attention" on behalf of the developer of the program, Shimi Levy. Additionally, he has a PhD degree specializing in molecular immunology.
Zuckerman teaches mindfulness to care and education professionals, adults and children. She is an expert in guiding groups in combination of arts (MA). She graduated from the program for training therapists in mindfulness-based approaches, and is an instructor and rehabilitation therapist. She notes that practice for her is a home, a real home you can sometimes rest in it, knowing that it's always always there.
Ashad has extensive experience in implementing mindfulness in schools, and in addition, specializes in working with people with special needs, especially people with autism. He gives lectures and leads mindfulness workshops for different audiences (teachers, therapists, parents of children with special needs, etc.). He graduated from the program for training therapists in mindfulness-based approaches at the BS Psychiatric Hospital, and the "Language of Attention" studies for training mindfulness instructors for children. Ashad has a master's degree in non-profit management from the Hebrew University.
Schuster has an M.A. degree in social work, certified in cognitive behavioral therapy. She is a specialist in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents, specialist in trauma therapy (EMDR), meditation facilitator for adults, and 'attention language' facilitator for children.
Uziel holds a bachelor's degree in BPT physiotherapy with specialization in child development and rehabilitation. She is a graduate of the three-year program for therapists in mindfulness approaches at the Be'er Sheva Psychiatric Hospital and a certified mindfulness instructor for children, parents and educators, and a hydrotherapist. She believes in the ability of each person to reach their full potential in their natural environment and above all to give and receive love. She believes that the family and the child as human beings are the center of treatment, and not necessarily the difficulties for which they came.
The language of attention, mindfulness for children and youth. She is an instructor in the Magan program, which focuses on detection and prevention in dormitories and kindergartens. Cohen also facilitates the preparation of groups for first grade and social skills.
Swiss is a clinical psychologist, with a PhD student in neurocognitive psychology. She is also a facilitator of mindfulness workshops.
Semeret has a degree in educational counseling, and a master's degree in conflict resolution and management and peace education. She specializes in special education, ADHD and attention disorders. She is a supervisor and boarding school teacher for at-risk and mentally challenged youth, and specializes in teaching learning strategies and building adapted teaching programs. Semeret facilitates mindfulness workshops in diverse settings for groups of children, youth, kindergarteners and teachers. She believes in the integration of mindfulness in everyday life.
Sapir is a student and teacher of mindfulness and yoga in organizational groups and "one on one" sessions, emphasizing the application of the concept in everyday life.
