Givat Shmuel – No Exclusion, Only Belonging

Raising Awareness About Social Exclusion Among Teens

It all began with a dance performance set to the song “Umbrella Child”, created by Chen Salem-Blu, Director of the Community Center’s Professional Dance School, for the school’s end-of-year showcase. The song, performed by singer Atara Oria, addresses the painful reality of social exclusion and is based on her personal life story.

“As the dancers rehearsed, we could all feel the emotional power of the song and the choreography,” Salem-Blu shared. “We realized this message needed to reach far beyond the stage. I approached our Community Center Director, Shelly Shemesh-Buri, who immediately embraced the idea—and from there, everything took off.”

This week, a citywide event was held at the local high school under the theme “Connecting Hearts, Breaking Exclusion.” The initiative aimed to raise awareness about social exclusion and bullying among teenagers and featured an inspiring panel discussion moderated by Guy Bracha.

Panel participants included:

* Singer Atara Oria, who performed “Umbrella Child” and shared the personal story behind the song.

* Actor and singer Shahar Tavoch.

* Ofek Rishon, who spoke openly about her experience of severe social exclusion, first sharing her story on a national television program and today leading anti-bullying initiatives as commander of the “Anti-Exclusion Patrol.”

* Chen, a dancer from the Professional Dance School, who shared her perspective through the arts.

The event concluded with a moving performance by the Connection Dance Ensemble of the Professional Dance School. The dancers performed their interpretation of “Umbrella Child,” delivering a powerful and emotional message that left a profound impact on the audience.

“Social exclusion leaves a wound that many children carry with them for years,” said Shelly Shemesh-Buri, Director of the Community Center. “The thought of a child experiencing exclusion right now—the loneliness, the distress, and the emotional scars that may shape their identity during such a sensitive stage of life—is heartbreaking. Unfortunately, this phenomenon remains all too common. That is why we chose not to stay silent, not to stand by, and to work together to ensure that no child in our city experiences exclusion again.”