A tribute to Chava Sekeles

Dr Chava Sekeles, who unexpectedly passed away on March 2018, was not only a teacher, but also a professional mother and a mentor. Chava, an Israeli music therapy pioneer, studied music and occupational therapy, and, during the ‘60s in the Netherlands, she combined her two professions and studied music therapy. Chava established the Music Therapy Department at David-Yellin College, Jerusalem, in 1980, where, with her sense of agency and a very thorough management style, she trained many music therapists. Chava was a role model at a time when music therapists were still scarce in Israel. She combined diverse activities – musical work, clinical work and influential international academic work – and was co-founder of the Israeli Creative Arts Therapies Association (ICT).