There are 4 health funds (Kupat Holim) in Israel.

1. Maccabi
2. Meuhedet
3. Leumi
4. Clalit

Every citizen must choose a health fund as their health care provider. They are not all the same. My experience is only with Maccabi and they are considered one of the better health funds. It's important to check which health funds are available in the area where you choose to live. For example, if you are living in a yishuv or more remote area, you may only have 1 or 2 options.

The health fund provides therapies for your child (occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy etc). To get these services, first you must visit your local GP or peadiactrian and get a referral to Hitpatchut Layeled. This is the health fund's center for dealing with children with developmental problems. Hitpatchut Layeled will have a peadiactrian assess your child and then decide which services to provide. Generally this means the following:
Physical therapy (PT) - from 1-2 months till just before the child begins to walk.
Occupational therapy (OT) - from after walking till age 18.
Speech therapy (ST) - from around 2-3 years of age and up to age 18.

Each health fund has it owns rules and whims about what services to provide and when. Generally you should get PT once a week and when that stops it should be replaced with OT once a week. Also ST once a week. Some health funds also offer hydrotherapy but usually make you choose between pysiotherapy and hydrotherapy.

Note: You do not have to receive therapies at the Hitpatchut Layeled center although they will encourage it. I found in the Sharon area that due to a lack of resources they couldn't offer ST once a week. However, you have an alternative. The Kupah will have a list of therapists in the area that work with the Kupah that you can use. The disadvantage is that instead of not paying anything at each visit, you will have to get approval (Ishur)every few months, outlay the money and then take in the receipts to be reinbursed. It can be a hastle but worth it if it saves you time, travel or gets you better therapists.

Usually Hitpatchut Layeled stops providing services for children after age 6. However a child with Down Syndrome (DS) is considered a "Yeled Somati" (no one has been able to tell me what that term means) and is entitled to services until age 18.

I don't have experience with Special Education so I'll be writing about my experiences with my daughter who is included in a typical kindergarden and is about to start typical first grade.

In Israel there is law called Chok Hashiluv - The Law of Inclusion that basically gives the parents the right to choose the educational institution for their child including inclusion in regular schools/kindergardens. This law begins from Gan Chova (age 5). Unfortunately the law doesn't come with funding for an aide. This is decided on an indivudual basis by each municipality.

The Process to send you child to a regular school/kindergarden:

For children under age three you must contact Misrad Harevacha (Social Welfare) in your city. They will also decide what sort of help your child will receive in kinder (ie an aide and for how many hours).

Above age 3 you must contact Misrad HaChinuch (Education Department) in your city. More recently Misrad Hachinuch said they won't provide an aide for children before Gan Hova since by law they are not required. But this may change depending on the whims of the beauracrats.

Misrad HaChinuch will invite the parents to a Vaadat Shiluv. Note, it's imporatant to request a Vaadat Shiluv (and not a Vaadat Hasama which is to send your child to special ed). This is a statutory meeting with a rep from Misrad HaChinuch, Matiah (the orginazation in your city that deals with kids with special needs in regular schools) and perhaps a few others. It usually takes place between March -May. It's imporatant to bring any reports with you to present. This meeting determines the Ramat Tifkud for child (level of functioning) where each level provides a certain amount of hours for an aide. Misrad Hachinuch has to provide at least the minimum hours in that level. E.g. Ramat Tifkud Bet provide 8-13 hours. Generally kids with DS are rated at Ramat Tifkud Gimmel and if you don't get this you must appeal. The answer is usually only given in July.

Imporatant - you should request from Misrad Harevach (Social Welfare) in your city to have your child evaluated. They will send you to a professional organization that provides evaluations that are recognized by Misrad Hachinuch. You should present this evaluation to the Vaadat Hashiluv.

It depends on where you live. In Raanana they are quite happy for parents to find their own aides who then sign up with Misrad Hachinuch. If you can't, they will find someone for you. Other cities may force you to use their aides. Aides get paid minimum wage - about 20 NIS per hour or 25 NIS is the aide has a degree. It's extremely difficult to find someone to work for that money so most parents supplement the aide with an extra 5-10 NIS per hour. Also you may not get all the hours you need. Many parents pay the aide privately to work extra hours. In theory this practise is not allowed by Misrad Hachinuch but in reality most schools turn a blind eye since it's in their interest to have an aide all the time.

If you can find your own aide, start by telling everyone you know that you are looking. You may just find someone by word of mouth. Put up some ads in community centers, local universities/teacher colleges or use internet lists. I don't think the aide needs to be trained in special ed although some people prefer students in the field. I think the personality is most important - someone who is compatible with your child, can be firm, yet warm and is open to learning new things. Yated Mercaz Lshiluv (Center for Inclusion) provides very specific instructions for your aide and gives a detailed program to work on every 6 weeks.

I feel it is important for my child to participate in extra curricular activites just like other kids. Yona takes swimming lessons at Bet Issie Shapiro in Raanana. I can highly recommend their teachers.

Check your city. I accidentally discovered that my city has a sports department for kids with special needs and they provide chugim. This year they had bikeriding and judo. They will also offer hippotherapy if I can get a group.

Yated in Petach Tikva offers some activities for teenagers. I believe Shalva in Jerusalem does too.

Yona also goes to a regular sports chug at the local country club. Don't rule out typical chugim if they are small and well organized.