Faith Inclusion

An earlier version of this article appeared on the website Kol Birah, which has since gone out of business. It has been lightly updated and reposted with the permission of the author.

Ariella Barker

14 years ago, I appeared in front of the Rabbinical Council of America to gain their permission to officially convert to Judaism. The Rabbi asked me one pointed, unforgettable question: “As a [non-Jew], you are able to marry most anyone in the world. Why would you convert and limit yourself to less than 2 percent of the population?” For me, the answer was simple. I only wished to marry a Jewish man and to raise my children with Jewish values. If I remained a non-Jew, I would be unable to marry anyone. Alas, over a decade later, I am still unmarried.

Before joining the Jewish community, despite my disability, I rarely struggled to find a partner. But once I was Jewish, and I was dating with the purpose of marriage, my love life changed dramatically. [continue reading…]

ROSIES, which stands for Removing Obstacles, Supporting Initiative, Encouraging Solutionaries, was started by Chief Encouragement Officer Lee Chernotsky and founding board chair Jeffrey Sobrato. It is an organization that works to create opportunities for people with disabilities to engage and work. Focusing on people with disabilities who are passionate about encouraging themselves and others, highlighting their individual strengths, and providing a platform for learning, growth, and working together, ROSIES’ impact is made by the people it serves through accessible employment, disability advocacy, and learning opportunities in two core programs. [continue reading…]

We often save this space for other voices, but in addition to being the editor of this newsletter, I am also a Jew with a disability, and today I want to share with you my perspective on the power of togetherness. RespectAbility is proud to be a member of the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies (The Network). The Network is a national nonprofit that was established following the 2017 merger of the Association of Jewish Family and Children’s Agencies (AJFCA) and the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services. With an active membership of just under 150 community-based Jewish human service agencies throughout the US, Canada and Israel, the Network has established the following as its mission: The Network advances the Jewish human service sector through advocacy, best practices, innovation and partnerships. [continue reading…]

Short film series explores the intersection of disability and prayer in the Jewish community

Los Angeles, April 19, 2021 – Barry Shore, the Ambassador of JOY of who is a former quadriplegic, stars in his own segment of “What Do You Pray For?” The film was made by Ben Rosloff, a talented emerging filmmaker on the Autism spectrum who serves as a Jewish Inclusion Fellow in RespectAbility’s National Leadership Program. [continue reading…]

Jake Stimell

In 2010, I began my journey at Camp Bauercrest. I had been visiting camp for a long time, as my brother and father were both proud alumni. My attendance at camp was always destined to be. However, as a person with a physical disability causing low muscle tone, it was far from clear that I would find my Jewish home at a sports camp.

Prior to going to camp, I was an awkward middle school student. I did not have many friends and was not particularly happy at home. Camp, at the beginning, was not much different. I broke my wrist and was forced to cut my first summer short. I had trouble making friends and was the least athletic kid in camp, making me feel like an outsider. [continue reading…]

The Miracle Project was founded in 2004 by Elaine Hall, a Jewish woman who felt compelled to ensure that all people with disabilities felt accepted, included and loved. She created this organization to pass her love of the arts on to other people who feel the same. Hall’s desire for working with people with disabilities started when her own child was diagnosed with Autism at a young age. She wanted to make sure that all people with disabilities, specifically those diagnosed with Autism, feel included in society and in anything they do. Additionally, many of these people have felt judged or bullied by peers at school or in social settings. Therefore, Hall has worked tirelessly to create this “safe space” for people to come and be whoever they truly want to be without fear of judgment. [continue reading…]

Short film series explores the intersection of disability and prayer in the Jewish community

Los Angeles, April 9, 2021 – Rachel Rothstein, a fourth year rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College who is hard of hearing, stars in her own segment of “What Do You Pray For?” The film was made by Ben Rosloff, a talented emerging filmmaker on the Autism spectrum who serves as a Jewish Inclusion Fellow in RespectAbility’s National Leadership Program. [continue reading…]

Short film series explores the intersection of disability and prayer in the Jewish community

Los Angeles, April 9, 2021 – Rabbi Lauren Tuchman, a sought-after speaker, spiritual leader and educator who lives with blindness, stars in her own segment of “What Do You Pray For?” The film was made by Ben Rosloff, a talented emerging filmmaker on the Autism spectrum who serves as a Jewish Inclusion Fellow in RespectAbility’s National Leadership Program. [continue reading…]

Short film series explores the intersection of disability and prayer in the Jewish community

Los Angeles, April 9, 2021 – Erika Abbott, a talented writer and award-winning poet who lives with epilepsy, stars in her own segment of “What Do You Pray For?” The film was made by Ben Rosloff, a talented emerging filmmaker on the Autism spectrum who serves as a Jewish Inclusion Fellow in RespectAbility’s National Leadership Program. [continue reading…]