When I think of the meaning of “a community of belonging,” it is the community that Keshet has created, particularly at camp. Each summer I sit in the picnic grove at camp, and I look out at our camp community with hundreds of disabled and non-disabled campers and staff and get overwhelmed with emotions. The [click to continue...]
We at RespectAbility’s Faith Inclusion and Belonging department know firsthand the importance of faith-based summer camps for providing spiritual and community formation. One might believe the work of faith inclusion is limited to what we do in worship services together, but as we learned from our recent webinar with Tammy Besser and Sarah McKenney, what [click to continue...]
Transcript Ben Bond: Hello, my name is Ben Bond. I am the Faith Inclusion and Belonging Associate here at RespectAbility. I use he/they pronouns. I’m a white genderqueer person with brown hair, glasses, and beard, with a burgundy shirt. I am here to welcome Feryaal. Feryaal Tahir: Hi everyone. My name is Feryaal Tahir. I [click to continue...]
Transcript Chag sameach! Happy Passover! My name is Rabbi Lauren Tuchman, and I’m going to speak for a few minutes about celebrating Passover in an accessible and inclusive manner. Passover is Zman Cheruteinu – time of our freedom. It is a central holiday in the Jewish tradition, a time where we come together with families [click to continue...]
In the Christian tradition, Holy Week is the last week of Lent. The significant days within Holy Week often include but are not limited to: Palm Sunday, when Jesus enters Jerusalem; Maundy Thursday, where Jesus has his last supper with the Disciples; Good Friday, which commemorates the death of Jesus; and Easter, which celebrates the [click to continue...]
Judy Heumann embodied cross-disability solidarity throughout her life, beginning with her time at Camp Jened, a summer camp for disabled teenagers. She created life-long friendships with other disabled folks that formed the foundation of their organizing work for the passage of the ADA. Cross-disability friendship is a powerful bond. It is a love that insists [click to continue...]
Judith (Judy) Heumann was the definition of perseverance and determination in her fight for equity for all people. Considered “the mother” of the disability rights movement, Judy Heumann has been a part of almost every pivotal moment in the movement ever since. After being turned away from her elementary school for being seen as a [click to continue...]
When I was first offered the position of Faith Inclusion and Belonging Associate at RespectAbility, I was told, to my utter shock, that on my first day of work, I would be meeting Judy Heumann. Getting to meet your all-time hero on your first day on the job is a remarkable experience, and learning that [click to continue...]
Late one Sunday night last October, my phone rang. I panicked because late night calls never bring good news. “Who is calling so late?” I grumbled. One glance at the screen and I had my answer. It was actually good news. “Hi, Judy,” I said. “I’m so glad you called!” A month earlier I texted [click to continue...]
Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month for 2023 is almost over. In March, the Faith Inclusion and Belonging team will evaluate RespectAbility’s first JDAIM since I joined the team. We will be reaching out to many of our national and community colleagues to find out what they promoted during JDAIM and how our Faith [click to continue...]
