I have already shared my enthusiasm for my position as the Associate for Jewish Leadership, but even now I find religion an abstract topic. It has been difficult to wrap my head around, and to believe in. The idea that a supreme being has control over our lives can be scary to think about. I [click to continue...]
Election Day came, Election Day went. Each American experienced the ensuing, nail-biting days differently. We are delighted that several disability allies – from both parties – won their races. We look forward to partnering with them and others in the future. Disability or no disability, the voting process during a pandemic was a feat. This feat was [click to continue...]
On Rosh Hashanah, my phone was buzzing with dancing shofar GIFs, pomegranate pictures, and jokes about how we Jews had finished this challenging year. Among these was a strange message from my friend Avi, saying “Just remember, it could always be worse!” Little did I know that this quirky ‘blessing’ would become a mantra for [click to continue...]
In this week’s Shabbat Smile, Matan Koch, Director of Jewish Leadership at RespectAbility, and Benjamin Rosloff, a Jewish Inclusion Fellow in our National Leadership Program, talked about Ben’s new idea for a multimedia series, “What Do You Pray For?!” The idea builds off of Ben’s work filming a young boy’s bar mitzvah a few years [click to continue...]
Though tonight begins Shmini Atzeret, this week RespectAbility joyously celebrated Sukkot with a gathering in our virtual sukkah. HUC student and Jewish advisory committee member Rachel Rothstein taught us about the holiday. She opened with upbeat Israeli music, reminding us that the rabbis called Sukkot “the time of our joy”. After performing the ritual of [click to continue...]
As Rosh Hashanah approaches and we enter a new year, it is important to look back and reflect on the year that has just passed. In doing so, we look at all of the decisions we have made this year and try to remember that we can always do more and always do better. As [click to continue...]
I write you today with a story and a request. It was a year ago this week on the Jewish calendar that RespectAbility decided it was time for me to move from Boston to Los Angeles to take the reins of our Los Angeles-based Jewish projects. Los Angeles (and everywhere else) has a shortage of [click to continue...]
Michelle Friedman, vice chair of the board of Keshet and on Keshet’s board of governance and development committees As a woman who grew up in a strongly identified observant family, attended Jewish day school and camp, and had a bubby who devoted herself to Jewish organizations, the obligation of tikkun olam, chesed and serving the community were [click to continue...]
Two weeks ago, Lily Coltoff highlighted the symbolic role of the number seven in Judaism. This week’s Shabbat Smile continues with this “seven motif,” all weaving an overall message about virtual Jewish education during this pandemic and beyond. 1) To open, I invite you on a musical, whimsical st/roll down memory lane, by listening to [click to continue...]
As you have no doubt read over the past several Shabbat Smile emails, RespectAbility has been conducting a seven-part Disability Access and Inclusion Training Series for Jewish Organizations. While we plan on conducting more trainings in the future, for now we are happy to share with you that all seven trainings are live on our [click to continue...]
