What is FC?

Facilitated Communication, or FC, is an alternative method of
communication meant to help people with mental incompe-
tence. This method successfully assists children and adults of all
ages with language and speech difficulty. Participants are gener-
ally unable to communicate due to autism, Down's Syndrome,
Rett's, cerebral palsy, or a comatose condition.

Non-verbal people with mental incompetence, or who are
very limited in their use of words, can convey their thoughts and
desires through FC by pointing at an alphabet board or by typ-
ing on a home or portable computer.

The individual with the disability pushes his or her hand to the
alphabet board and points at the letters on the board. By com-
bining letters, words are spelled out, and this leads to sentences.
Throughout the world, people with mental incompetence write
in this way. By pointing at letters or typing on a keyboard, brain-
damaged people (of all ages) write poems and articles on many
varied subjects, learn math and biology, order a meal at a restau-
rant, or shop at a convenience store.

In most cases, the facilitator gives the person hand support by
holding or steadying the back of the hand, the palm or forearm; for
this reason the technique is called "Facilitated Communication."

Over the course of time, it is possible to reduce the amount of
support some individuals receive. Some FC users overcome the
need for physical support and manage with the facilitator just
standing beside them or touching their shoulder, head, hand or
garment. There are some who are able to communicate without
any need for hand support or any other kind of support at all. All
of this has been documented and has been captured on films that
have been shown throughout the world. This will be elaborated
upon in Part I, Chapter Two and Chapter Three.

In Israel and throughout the world, people with mental in-
competence, aside from communicating everyday messages,
write out extraordinary spiritual messages and deep insights into
Torah that are beyond the abilities of many facilitators to com-
prehend. They also study Torah with advanced students in a spe-
cial yeshiva for students with autism, and author original,
in-depth insights.

Communications of deep spiritual messages occur mostly to
Jewish children from Torah-observant homes, although two
books have been published in the United States that also contain
spiritual messages: A Child Of Eternity (by Kristi Jorde, mother
of a mentally incompetent child) and Memoirs Of An Autistic
Child (John Chambers).

Another book recently published in France,  Choose Your
Hand To Talk, is written by a speech therapist, Anne-Marguerite
Vexiau. She discusses telepathy and other supernatural issues in
FC communication.

By means of Facilitated Communication, children who are
otherwise completely incommunicable and detached from their
surroundings tell of their past lives in this world, describe the ex-
istence of a spiritual world after death, and attest to the fact that
G-d exists and that the individual is responsible for his actions.

In A Child Of Eternity, the child tells her mother that one of
her purposes in coming to this world is to influence people to love
G-d. She also writes of the importance of loving one's fellow man.

Galia's spiritual messages will be presented in Part II and Part
III Part VI, Chapter Ten: "Galia and Her Ima," contains
poignant personal communications between Galia and her moth-
er, and illustrates the strong bond that developed between them
as a result of Facilitated Communication. Many very interesting
messages, some of which are lengthy, or did not belong in other
chapters, are collected in Part III, Chapter Thirteen: "Ends and
Beginnings, The Conversations Continue."

It is important to note the following points, which have been
clarified by our Torah leaders as well as by the children themselves:

1. Although the souls of those with mental dysfunction know
everything without material and temporal limitations, one must
not forget that their bodies are extremely restricted and they
require our help for their daily needs. Giving them this help
enables the body, which serves as a receptacle for the soul, to
protect the precious deposit placed within it and return it to the
Creator at the proper time.

2. It is forbidden to communicate with people with mental in-
competence and autism without the written consent of their
parents. Failure to comply can involve criminal proceedings.

3. It is forbidden to hold communication sessions with the men-
tally incompetent on a stage in front of an audience or to make
communication into any kind of entertainment show.

4. Any communication session should be conducted with the ut-
most discretion, in privacy and seclusion, calmly and pleasant-
ly, without a gathering of onlookers and with all the respect
due to any person.

5. A recognized and known rabbi must check all messages before
they are publicized to prevent passing on any distortion of
Torah, chas vechalila.

6. Mentally incompetent people who see the truth and the spiri-
tual worlds without distraction, and hear the bas kol (voice) of Heav-
en announcing what is about to take place in our world, pass
on only what Heaven allows them to convey. Their dire pre-
dictions are not bound to take place. In Heaven, everything is
dynamic and can change in a moment. And with Torah,
mitzvos (commandments), prayer, honesty, decency, helping
others, and our other maasim tovim (good actions), the kitrugim
(prosecuting forces) and gezairos (decrees, judgments) against us will
be canceled be-ezras (with the help of) Hashem and
HaKadosh Baruch Hu will dispense only happy gezairos. Amen.

next - My background and the early years

Back cover, publisher information, letter to Galia, and Prayer,
Facilitated Communication - introductory background
My background and the early years
My discovery of Facilitated Communication
The very beginning of  Facilitated Communication with Galia
cont. the beginning FC communications with Galia
a sample from the communications with Galia