WHAT WE DO
Family Cleft Education
At Smiles/Israel, we offer a variety of programs and services to support familes and their children born with cleft lip and palate.
Our Family Education Programs include a website and cleft resource guide, periodic publications and cleft education conferences. We believe that knowledge is power, and we strive to provide comprehensive resources to help with informing parents and their children.
Specialty Equipment
Smiles/Israel is dispatched daily to provide specialty feeding equipment to newborn babies that are challenged with cleft lip and palate.
The advanced feeding equipment, which is not provided by Israel's socialized health system, is distributed free-of-charge only through our volunteers and distribution points that are strategically located all over the country.
Support & Respite
Our Support Programs are designed to provide emotional assistance and a sense of community for parents and their families. We offer an array of support groups, from the stage of discovery during pregnancy until adulthood and beyond, as well as care packages for new moms.
Support groups and respite programs provide opportunities for parents, children and adults to connect with and learn from others who share similar experiences.
Professional Education
Smiles/Israel is dedicated to enriching and elevating the level of cleft care in Israel. Our Professional Education Program provides cleft care professionals with continuous education opportunities, and international networking with world-leading cleft care professionals.
We also provide promising young professionals with education grants to complete their education abroad. This is a long-term investment in the uptrend of cleft care in Israel.
Surgery Missions
Over the past 10 years Smiles/Israel facilitated and funded numerous surgical missions to Israel.
These missions bring top tier world-renowned cleft lip and palate surgeons. These sought-after surgeons are frequent guests of Smiles/Israel and operate at the best medical centers in Israel. During these missions we bring the surgical solution to the most complex cases while elevating the level of care through advancing the education to future Israeli surgeons.
Awareness & Inclusivity
Smiles/Israel's Awareness Programs include public appearances, advertising, and public relations. We believe that by educating the public, we can help reduce stigma and create a more supportive environment for children with cleft lip and palate.
All of our programs and services are offered in Hebrew, Arabic, English, Yiddish, French and Russian, and are uniqely designed to meet the needs of each community. We strive to provide services equally to every community and ethnic group in the diverse society of Israel.
Advocacy & Lobbying
Smiles/Israel's Advocacy Programs focus on lobbying for legislation and expediting approvals and care to ensure that every child in Israel born with cleft lip and palate has access to the resources they need.
By continuously advocating on their behalf, we also aim to create a more equitable and supportive society for everyone.