Emotional support

The learning experience at Bezalel may surface personal difficulties and place students in the face of emotional and mental challenges – that in some cases – may lead to depression, anxiety, difficulties to function and more. Students who feel distress, are invited to turn to us, and their petition will be dealt with within the frame of Bezalel, in full discretion and under ongoing accompaniment and consultation.

In addition, we provide assistance according to need using mediation and by appealing to external therapeutic factors, and in crisis situations even provide psychological therapy in the Academy. These services are provided by the counseling services of the Hebrew University with the help of an experienced team of psychologists who are familiar with the unique characteristics of the Academy. Such assistance during a crisis is focused and short-term, and is designed to circumvent or overcome obstacles as well as to counsel in order to assist in academic success.

Every full pledged student is entitled to refer to the Dean of Students in order examine his/her suitability for receiving counseling services. Liora Tess, a social worker by training, and the manager of the Emotional and Academic Support System, performs a preliminary evaluation which helps in extablishing the appropriate assistance. The first session is free of charge.

Students referred to internal academic crisis therapy, shall pay a symbolic participation fee of 50 NIS per session.

To schedule a meeting, please fill out the following form:

This is the Hebrew URL of the form: https://www.bezalel.ac.il/services/dean/psychologicalform

Any student who comes across any difficulty are invited to refer directly to Liora Tess or Shelly Hershko, and his petition will be dealt with discretely.

Essential contact information in a time of need

It is advisable and possible to seek assistance from an external source if necessary. The following is a list of some of the various possibilities we recommend.

• 'Eran' – Mental First Aid. Help line and chat: www.https://eran.org.il
• ‘Sahar’ – Online assistance and listening: https://sahar.org.il/
• 'Amcha' Association – Provide mental health care tailored to the patient's needs at a subsidized cost: 02-6250745
• Head Space – Short term individual therapy for youngsters up to the age of 25 free of charge (for those who qualify): 054-9299740
• The HMO services of Clalit and Maccabi operate special centers for online mental care
• Clalit HMO - *2700
• Maccabi HMO - *3555
• It is also possible of course to contact your family doctor via the internet.

Learning disabilities and special needs

The Dean of Students Support Center provides a response to students who are diagnosed* with learning disabilities, ADHD, physical handicaps, sensory disabilities, diagnosed mental difficulties, or to those whose mother tongue is not Hebrew.

The purpose of the Center is to assist students in overcoming their difficulties according to their needs. This aid is provided through accompaniment, personal support, group assistance in the frame of adaptable courses and dedicated workshops, exercises and tutoring as well as personal mentorship.

*A "Diagnosed Student" for the purpose of receiving assistance from the Center and participation in the appropriate courses, is one who will deliver to the Dean of Students – during the summer break and prior to the start of the school year – a copy of an up-to-date evaluation (conducted in the past 5 years), or any other special needs certificate. In addition, you need to set an appointment or schedule a phone call with Liora Tess via e-mail: liora@bezalel.ac.il.

Services provide as part of the assistance:

• Adaptations and mediation between the student's difficulties and that which is academically required of him
• Students with learning disabilities will receive counseling, guidance and support based on the evaluation recommendations and the specific requirements for studies at Bezalel. Individual assistance and counseling throughout the year shall be provided by the team of the Support Center for Learning Disabilities.
• Assistance in organizing the curriculum and tracking the student's difficulties individually, and building a personal support system
• Assistance in the absorption and acclimation in the Academy
• Providing adjustments during exams
  The exams' adjustments will be provided based on the evaluation recommendations and the specific requirements for studies at Bezalel. Any student who will submit a valid evaluation shall automatically receive time extensions on exams, and disregard for spelling errors in the studies of the Visual and Material Culture Department. Students who require additional adjustments shall submit their request to the Dean of Student’s Office up to 30 days prior to the dates of exams and submissions.
• Summer Courses
  Students with learning disabilities and special needs, and those whose mother tongue is not Hebrew are eligible to take some of the compulsory courses that are delivered in an adapted manner during the summer vacation, prior to the beginning of their studies at Bezalel.
  The participation in these summer courses is free of charge, but you need to enroll in them using the following link: http://www.bezalel.ac.il/services/dean/learning_dissabilities/summeregform
• Annual Academic Course in the Department of Visual and Material Culture – "Learning Disabilities and Creativity"
  The course will engage the following topics: Reading academic texts on contemporary art, comprehending and analyzing them; Releasing writing blocks; Learning strategies; Skills for tracking key concepts, written and oral analysis of modern works and the rationale behind the students' works. The course meets the students' requests and needs and helps deal with various problems arising from the fields of study at Bezalel.
  For registration to this course please use the following link:
  http://www.bezalel.ac.il/services/dean/learning_dissabilities/form_course_creativity/
• Practice Groups
  Small study groups which accompany the compulsory courses in the Department of History and Theory studies. As part of learning in these groups, there will be a review of the learning materials of the course, guided reading of the reading materials, and preparation for exams, writing assignments and tasks.
• Assistance in English
  Study groups adapted for learning disabilities in English, adaptations in ways of distinction, and personal assistance as needed.
• Private mentoring ('Perach'-Mentoring program, 'Leshem')
  Mentoring which is provided by outstanding students from previous years in these fields: theoretical studies, professional studies in the department, assistance in organizing, time management, mediation, breaking-down academic assignments into assignments for execution, help with computer programs, learning English, and assistance according to the unique needs of the student.
  Students who are interested in the accompaniment of a mentor, are asked to fill in the Application for Mentorship during the summer break and the first two weeks of school using the following link:
  http://www.bezalel.ac.il/services/dean/learning_dissabilities/form_tutoring/
• Study workshops and imparting various skills for the use of assistive technology and designated computer software for the fields of art, design and graphics.
  Such as: photocopying, recording, narrating software, assistance in the translation of texts, scanning texts and more.
• Mediation between students and professional evaluation institute, and subsidization of evaluations
  Based on economic requirements

Workshops

Throughout the year, the Center conducts various workshops designed for both students who are diagnosed with learning disabilities as well as for students who seek to improve their learning capabilities.

Sample workshops to be held at the Center:

• Empowerment workshop on standing in front of an audience and conveying messages.
• Workshop on the emotional accompaniment on the creation processes.
• Learning strategies workshop.
• Workshop on dealing with stressful situations and accepting critique.
• A workshop on recognizing and dealing with personal and academic difficulties.
• Workshops for preparing for employment and business entrepreneurship.

Details on the workshops can be received at the Dean’s Center.

Pregnancy and parenthood

Pregnant and postpartum female students, as well as students who are in the midst of fertility treatments are eligible for adaptations according to Academy guidelines. The essential rights are within these areas: Absence from classes, leniency in submitting works and during exams (postponing submission deadline, additional exam dates, extra time etc.), extending the study period with no extra study tuition, as well as eligibility to park inside the campus. These benefits and reliefs are given to the mother, as specified hereunder in the complete version of the rules.

Partners are also eligible for benefits and reliefs, in the event of a birth of a child, adoption, receiving custody of a child or fostering.

The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Campus has a nursing room. Floor -2.

In addition, we also try to facilitate as much as possible the integration of studying and parenthood, and invite you to consult with us and receive assistance, to raise your needs and points of difficulty before us – and we will do our best to assist.

Students are hereby invited to contact us with any question regarding rights, problems or difficulties by addressing Liora Tess at – liora@bezalel.co.il

The following is the complete version of: The rules of student rights (adjustments due to fertility treatments, pregnancy, birth, adoption or receiving a child in custody or foster care)

Absence from classes – Eligibility to be absent from 30% of all classes during a course which has a compulsory attendance policy. Students who are postnatal, after adoption or receiving a child into custody or foster care are entitled to be absent from 30% of all classes in any course which has a compulsory attendance policy for a period of 15 weeks from date of giving birth, adoption, or receiving a child into custody or foster care;

Notwithstanding the aforesaid, a student who has given birth is entitled to an alternating absence for a period of six weeks from date of giving birth, according to the highest rate of absence between them.

In addition, students who are postnatal, adoption or receiving a child into custody or foster care, will be entitled to an additional absence of 10% of all classes in which compulsory attendance applies in order to care for a baby during the first year of their lives.

Exams and tasks – Eligibility to postpone the deadlines for submitting tasks. Eligibility for taking a test at another time within the frame of the acceptable timetables at the institution. Additional exam time of 25% on top of the exam duration.

Extension of studies – Eligibility to extend the study period by two semesters without tuition or any other additional payment due to this extension.

Parking on or around campus – The institution will allow a student, from her seventh month of pregnancy and until a month from giving birth, to park free of charge near the campus.

Partners – Partners are exempt from attending classes for a week due to absence caused by a qualifying event during the semester. Eligibility for an additional test time in the frame of the accepted timetables of the institution, due an absence which took place during the 3 weeks after giving birth.

Photocopy – Eligibility for a benefit equivalent to 20 photocopies or prints of learning material the student has missed due to a qualifying event, for each school day in which they were absent.

Qualifying event, for every school day in which they are absent.

Scholarships – Continued payment for a research grant for an advanced degree for the period of absence, and its extension for an additional period.

Military reserve service – Counseling and guidance

The Academy does everything in its power and acts accordingly, under the auspice of the Higher Education Council, and in accordance with the agreement signed between the institutions of higher education and the Student Union. The agreement deals with providing special services to students serving in the reserve, in order to guarantee that these students, who carry the burden of security, will not be harmed in their studies.

A reserve soldier who was accepted as a full pledged, or partial-time student at Bezalel, must notify his/her unit, as well as indicate any change that took place in his/her personal status. Every student (reservist) must attach an official confirmation from Bezalel, stating the he/she are students, and send it to the unit, so they will not be called for active reserve duty during their study period.

Based on this confirmation, the unit will indicate in the personal printout of the reserve soldier, under the "Call-up restrictions" column the fact that the soldier is a student in an institute of higher education. This registration was meant to aid in the planning of calling up the student for service during the current school year in accordance with the instructions of the orders.

A student who will be called up for active reserve duty, and that his/her departure will significantly impact his/her studies, may submit a request to postpone his/her active duty, to shorten it or cancel it altogether to the RC"C (RC"C=Reserve Coordination Committee). An application may be submitted online. To submit a request, you must access your personal area on the RC"C website.

A student who submits an application to postpone service through the Dean of Students, must photocopy the order he/she received and attach it to the RC"C Form which will be filled out and signed by him/her and the department in which he/she is studying, when it will be delivered with the Dean's recommendation to the RC"C/ The RC"C Form must be submitted immediately upon receiving the order and no later than one week from date of receipt.

RC"C applications may be submitted for a service of 6 days or more. The application must arrive to at the RC"C at least 30 days prior to the start date of reserve service.

Please ensure the receipt of the documents with the Reserve Center, Tel: 1111 (Ext. 4), about 24 hours after submitting the application.

The hotline is available Sunday – Thursday between 8:15 – 18:00.

To download forms from the RC"C website: https://www.miluim.idf.il/1278-10130-HE/miluim.aspx

To download the RC"C Form: https://www.miluim.idf.il/SIP_STORAGE/files/4/3894.pdf

Reserve Call Center: Available between Sunday – Thursday between 8:15 – 18:00

Tel (Multi-line): 1111 (Ext. 4)

E-Mail: valtam@mail.idf.il

Queries and Complaints

It is possible to contact the Dean of Students and the Dean’s Team on any matter to request assistance or aid, both in respect of personal issues as well as on matters relating to studies in the Academy. All queries will be handled discretely.

It is also possible to refer in cases when a student feels his/her rights were violated or that he/she were unfairly treated by any factor in the Academy, this being after all the appeal proceedings existing in the regulations were exhausted. The petition shall be made in writing, detailing the nature of the complaint or reference, indicating the name of the applicant, contact address, telephone number.

It is possible to contact shelly@bezalel.ac.il in writing.

Address: Military Postal Unit 03000, IDF