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Kalman Samuels (born Kerry, September 07, 1951) is the Founder of SHALVA, The Association for Physically and Mentally Challenged Children in Israel. SHALVA provides therapy, vocational training, family support and advocacy for members of the special needs community.

Early Life
Kalman was raised in a nonobservant Jewish home in Vancouver, Canada where he attended Sir Winston Churchill High School. Upon his graduation in 1969 he was given academic and basketball scholarships to the University of British Columbia. After his freshman year studying philosophy he traveled Europe with plans to undergo coursework in France. However his mother requested that he stop in Israel to visit relatives. Enamored with Jewish culture and heritage, he cancelled the trip to France and enrolled in several Yeshivot, and in 1977 he received his rabbinical ordination.

Marriage and Birth of Yossi
In 1973 Samuels married Malki Klein and the couple took up residence in Jerusalem. In 1977, their second son, Yossi Samuels, at the time 11 months old, was injured by a faulty DTP vaccination and was rendered blind, deaf and acutely hyperactive. After 7 years with no communication, Yossi’s special education teacher, Shoshana Weinstock achieved a break through by relaying sign language into the palm of his hand, teaching Yossi his first word, ‘Shulchan’ (שֻׁולְחָן), meaning table.

Founding and Expansion of SHALVA
Due to their experiences raising Yossi, Malki and Kalman established an afternoon playgroup for children with special needs. Over time, the program expanded to meet the needs of a broader specturm of special needs, from birth through adulthood. Today SHALVA provides therapy, education, and recreation to hundreds beneficiaries as well as family support, respite and advocacy initiatives. In recognition of SHALVA’s accomplishments and an ongoing need to expand the availability of special needs services, the Jerusalem Municipality provided Samuels a seven acre plot adjacent to the new Route 16 highway and the Shaarei Tzedek Medical Center in the Beit HaKerem neighborhood of Jerusalem. The new SHALVA National Center, opening in 2016, will increase SHALVA’s activities by 400%.

Prizes and Acknowledgments
1994 - President of Israel Prize for Excellence

1999 - Mayor of Jerusalem’s Award for Exceptional Service

2004 - Shalem Foundation Award as “Israel’s Most Unique Program for the Mentally Challenged”

2005 - Knesset Speaker’s Quality of Life Prize in Honor of Teddy Kollek for Leadership & Public Excellence

2007 - Aminadav National Service Award for Excellence

2009 - Jerusalem’s Award of Distinction for National Service Volunteers

2010 - SHALEM Foundation Award

2012 - the Ministry of Education Outstanding Volunteer Award

Personal life
Kalman Samuels is married to Malki. They have seven children, five boys and two girls.