By Rivka Levine

This past weekend I was given the great privilege of co-organizing Tiferet's annual Darkeinu Shabbaton. Darkeinu is an amazing program that gives girls with special needs the unique opportunity of spending a year (and often times 2 or 3 years) in Israel after they graduate high school. I was very excited when I was offered the leadership position in helping to organize the Shabbaton, especially because of the experience I've had in being a liaison for the Etta Israel Center.

I've gained so many useful skills in working with the special needs community throughout my four years in being involved with Etta Israel and it was exciting to once again put them into practice with this Shabbaton. One of the most inspirational points of the Shabbaton  was the Kumzitz we had after our Friday night meal. All the girls wrapped their arms around each other and our voices joined together as we sang the beautiful Shabbat Z'mirot. It was truly inspirational to watch both the Tiferet girls and the Darkeinu girls take control in leading the songs. After the Shabbaton I got such great feedback from the Tiferet girls telling me how at first they were a bit nervous for the Shabbaton but in the end it was one of the most inspirational Shabbatonim that they've ever been on. Hearing this made all the stress and hard work that went into the planning well worth it.

It was so exciting to be able to build on my experience of volunteering for four years with the Etta Israel Center and use those skills to help create something very special for the girls in my seminary along with the girls of Darkeinu. I couldn't have done it without the experience I gained from volunteering with the Etta Israel Center and I look forward to putting those skills to good use again in the future!

All three group homes got together on the 2nd night of Chanuka for some latkas, music and fun. Brad Schacter played as everyone danced up a storm and Hilky Lisbon strummed along on the guitar! Family and friends were there as well and enjoyed time together. To check out pictures of the event, please go to:

I found this article intriguing though *very* -- as the title says -- speculative. Here, in a nutshell, are Discover's Fall 2011 "The Brain" magazine's 5 "Surprising Ideas" of what might cause autism:

1) Mother's immune system attacks the fetus's brain -- the scientist behind this theory, Judy Van d Water of UC Davis, has shown that when mothers have certain antibodies in their immune system, they give birth to children with autism. BUT only 18% of children with autism have mothers with these antibodies, so her theory still doesn't explain 4 out of 5 cases of autism.

2) Poisons from gut bacteria interfere with brain development -- there is proof that abnormal intestinal germs can affect the brain, but whether this explains autism is still a big question.

3) Extra testosterone in the womb overamplifies typically male abilities, like being great at detial and bad at social realtionships -- Simon Baron-Cohen of the University of Cambridge, is now studying frozen samples of amniotic fluid to test this theory (if fetal testoerone correlates with autism diagnoses later in life).

4) Mitochondria, which profice power to our cells, turn sickly and starve the brain of energy -- This theory relies on the fact that "the symptoms we see in children with autism are right along the lines of what we would expect in kids with mitochondrial disease," says Richard Frye, a researcher at the University of Texas.

5) Autism genes are viral -- Antonio Perisco, a researcher in Rome, thinks that genes for autism are so hard to find because they occur at the viral level, with a virus in the sperm that infects the embryo at conception. But such an infection has to first be proven to occur and then proven to cause autism.

(Original article by Adam Hadhazy, "Unmasking Autism")

In the United States, we've seen a fifteen-fold increase in autism diagnoses over the past two decades. In fact, it's currently estimated that almost 1% of US children have an autism-spectrum disorder (ASD), while the rates in US adults are largely unknown. Autism is described in the DSM-IV, listed as a disorder usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adolescence. Autism is further categorized as a pervasive developmental disorder, falling within the autistism spectrum, along with Asperger's and PDD-NOS.

Autism is characterized by impaired social development, limited communication skills, and repetitive movements. Autistic individuals may have dysfunctional mirror neuron systems, which are involved in imitation learning and empathy. The mirror neuron system is thought of as the neural basis for human social cognition, and anatomical studies show a significant reduction in cortical mass of brain areas directly populated by mirror neurons in individuals with autism.

The causes of autism, however, remain unclear. Genetic factors, dysfunctional cell-to-cell communication, and even environmental factors such as teratogens (chemicals that cause birth defects) have all been implicated. Indeed, ASDs may be as unique as the people who live with them, and a one-size-fits-all explanation may never be sufficient. One thing we know for certain is that there has never been a legitimate link found between autism and vaccine use. The science simply does not support childhood vaccination as a causal factor.

In a special issue of Discover Magazine released earlier this year, five intriguing yet largely speculative causes of the disorder are discussed. From an autoimmune hypothesis to a model of impaired mitochondria, these provocative explanations challenge conventional wisdom, and may, in fact, open the door to a new way of thinking about ASDs. We have learned a lot about autism recently, and with each new discovery, the picture grows clearer.

Both children and adults with ASDs appear to have difficulty connecting social cues with a personal emotional experience. Interestingly, they are largely immune to the highly "contagious" yawn. In a study performed on yawning behaviors in young children, only 11% of autistic children aged five to twelve-years-old caught yawns, as opposed to 43% of matched controls.

In multiple clinical studies, oxytocin, the hormone implicated in human bonding, has been shown to improve social skills in adults with ASDs. Compared to placebo, autistic adults taking oxytocin demonstrated an increased ability to understand emotional speech, improved identification of cooperation in a simulated social setting, and even a reduction in repetitive behaviors. This is an exciting development, since there is currently no known medical treatment for social or communication problems, aside from intensive behavioral intervention.

Last year, a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience provided convincing evidence that one of the first signs of autism is excessive brain growth. Although children are usually diagnosed between the ages of three and four, secondary to behavioral problems and delays, it is notable that autistic children have measurably larger brains within the first year of life. Although no cure for autism exists, earlier screening tools may lead to earlier behavioral interventions.

Autism is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls, and until recently, researchers could only speculate as to a genetic or hormonal cause for the discrepancy. But, in a study released earlier this year, a gene-hormone interaction that appears to be largely implicated was identified. Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor-alpha (RORA) is a gene that indirectly controls production of sex hormones via an enzyme called aromatase. In the brains of individuals with autism, the way these neurochemicals communicate seems to be dysregulated, causing lower than normal levels of RORA proteins and aromatase, and a significant buildup of testosterone. This could explain why boys are so much more commonly affected than girls, since high levels of estrogen appear to protect against dysfunction of this system.

Another recent trend I've noticed in the scientific literature is one that celebrates the unique perspective, focus, and creativity seen in the autistic community, instead of fixating on deficits alone. The human side of autism is beautifully displayed in a recent issue of National Geographic, wherein photographer Timothy Archibald presents "Echolilia," an expose of his child's autism, and a join effort between father and son to learn more about the minds of one another, minds that often feel frustratingly inaccessible. In addition, a New York Times article published just this week tells the romantic story of Jack and Kristen, two young people who love one another in spite of, or perhaps by virtue of, the daily autistic experience. Stories like these remind us that the science and humanity of autism are inextricably linked, and we cannot know one without knowing the other.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/28/autism-a-year-in-review_n_1171943.html?ref=mostpopular

Well, Mark and Aaron are back in Los Angeles safe and sound, though missing Israel. Their trip was super-special and amazing and as a last post for the blog, here are some highlights:

Trip to Acre (Akko): An ancient city that's one of the oldest continually inhabited places in Israel, Acre is a beautiful northern city on the bay. Aaron and Mark went together with some members of Mark's family and were visiting the shops when they walked into one store that was run by people with disabilities! The store sells items for disabled people, such as specially-tagged hats that blind people can feel and know which color they're putting on their head. Mark loved the people and the concept. He made sure to purchase some items to support the store! He really connected with all the people there and could not stop talking about Etta Israel and his group home!

There's No Place Like Home...: In fact, wherever Mark and Aaron went, Mark loved to tell people about the group home and Etta Israel events. He met one young man who lives in a group home in Israel. With his cousin translating his remarks to Hebrew, Mark told this man all about his home and what Etta is like, raving about how happy he is... to the point where the man said he wanted to move to Mark's group home, in LA! Mark assured the man that he'd get the man in and that he should come! Another time, while on a hike, Mark ran in to someone, an American living in Israel, who actually knew about Etta Israel! Mark was SO happy that someone recognized Etta, even halfway around the world, and could connect with him. Mark's pleasure in relating to people and his family was evident throughout the trip, and his family soaked it up!

...But My Heart Is in the East: Mark's first trip to the Kotel was during one of the busy days of Sukkot when throngs of people attend. But his second trip, on his second-to-last night in Israel, was quieter, and contained an extremely special moment. Aaron explained that they were saying goodbye to the Kotel as they were leaving Israel soon, and asked Mark to go up to the Wall and touch it. Then Aaron moved away. Mark remained at the Wall for 15 minutes, eyes closed, touching it. Aaron then came up to him and asked if everything was okay. Mark, with his eyes still shut, replied "Yes. I was just sitting here and telling things to Hashem (G-d)."

When it was time to board the plane, Mark asked if they absolutely had to go, because he wanted to stay. He had waited so long for this trip, and thank G-d, he enjoyed every minute. He spent time with family, connected at the Kotel, met many new people, and even danced on his cousins' shoulders on Simchat Torah. He still wears the kippahs and tzitzit that he bought on the trip, and loves looking at his picture album of his travels. And he tells everyone about the blog!

Mark and Aaron, it was really a privilege following you on this trip. We hope everyone reading enjoyed following along as well.