I am a person with disabilities. Mine are nonvisible, and because of that, it is not immediately obvious to others that I have disabilities, but they are there. However, even though I have disabilities I want the same things as other people. I want a good job, a house, a nice car, a vacation, and [click to continue...]
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. 14 years ago, I appeared in front of the Rabbinical Council of America to gain their permission to officially convert to Judaism. The [click to continue...]
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 [click to continue...]
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 [click to continue...]
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 [click to continue...]
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 [click to continue...]
On April 8 we observe Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and remember the 11 million people who perished throughout the Holocaust. When we think about the Holocaust, we generally think about the 6 million Jewish people that were killed. But there were other populations that were targeted in the Holocaust: Roma, LGBTQ+ people, and people [click to continue...]
In my first essay for RespectAbility I mentioned the problems single, sick or disabled congregants of modest means have in this modern world because we as a people have excelled in so many pursuits. From the outset I must make it clear the second part of my essay is not a bitter mega-kvetch about poor [click to continue...]
Passover is coming up soon, and depending on whether or not you and your family have been vaccinated, you might be able to safely celebrate in person this year. It’s important to remember that it’s easy to hold festivities where all guests — with and without disabilities — feel welcomed, respected and have fun. But [click to continue...]
How do we create inclusive Jewish classrooms? At Jewish Learning Venture, our Whole Community Inclusion initiative approaches inclusion holistically, engaging all stakeholders including the educators, the families, clergy and synagogue leaders and of course, the students themselves. We’ve implemented a number of successful programs to support inclusion, including: Providing support for families: Families raising Jewish [click to continue...]
