.png)
Keshet Chaim has been serving the community with its educational projects since 1995. Programming takes place in the public and private school systems, community centers, churches and various events. Children learn to express their emotions through movement, and the focus that dance demands can help them find greater stability in their lives and form stronger self-identities. Arts research shows that students who study dance are more self-motivated, disciplined and focused in their everyday lives. Keshet Chaim has created an exceptional team of teachers that are passionate about teaching and connecting with the students.
Keshet Chaim is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation in good standing with the IRS and the California Franchise Tax Board. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
Originally from Argentina, Cecilia found her passion for Israeli Folk Dance through Keshet Chaim and developed a program to include it into Jewish educational programs. Since then, she has been teaching Israeli folk dance in Jewish organizations, synagogues, schools, and in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The program teaches tolerance, diversity, and multiculturalism through Israeli folk dance, which has branched out to include churches and community centers as well. Cecilia runs training sessions for Israeli Folk Dance instructors, and she is currently leading the Department of Education at Keshet Chaim. During the week, she is Ms. Hanono, a School Counselor at LAUSD, and works in private practice as a psychotherapist (Licenced Marriage & Family Therapist). Cecilia worked as Youth Director for USY and BBYO, as Cultural Arts & Dance Director for Camp Ramah in California, has been a Daber Fellow -a specialized program to teach Hebrew informally- funded by the Avi Chai Foundation, and has been teaching at Ohr Lanu -a Special Needs Family Camp. Cecilia participated in the March of the Living as a group coordinator, as she understands the importance of educating and transmitting our history as well as our folklore.
Ruth Goodman is the director of the Israeli Dance Institute, based in New York City, the Jewish Dance Division of the 92nd Street "Y", the annual Israel Folk Dance Festival, and the Parparim Ensemble of Israeli Dance and Song. Ruth conducts workshops and seminars throughout the Americas and holds a Master of Arts degree in Dance Education from Columbia University Teachers College. Ruth has been guiding and working together with Keshet Chaim since 1988 and has been a great source of inspiration for the company's educational programs. Keshet Chaim worked with Ruth on a week-long residency in Texas, brought her to Los Angeles to teach workshops at the Skirball Cultural Center for our Inbal project and with her, produced "Moving Out of the Box", a program to educate teachers to use Israeli dance in the classroom. Her contribution to Israeli dance education is immeasurable.
