Disability Awareness Month in the Jewish Community
Iyar 5770 (April 15, 2010- May 13, 2010)
Shalom!
The Special Needs Professionals Committee (SNPC) strives to raise disability awareness and supports efforts that foster inclusion in the Greater Boston Jewish community. Traditionally, we have joined together with the Synagogue Council to celebrate Jewish Disability Awareness Month (JDAM) during the Hebrew month of Iyar. This year Iyar occurs April 15, 2010 through May 13, 2010 and we have decided that in addition to celebrating in Iyar, the Boston Jewish community will also celebrate with our colleagues across North America, by kicking off JDAM efforts in February 2010.
During this time of year many communities across the country, rabbis, educators, and congregants will build on the sensitive and welcoming practices they already embrace, and/or develop deeper and stronger steps toward inclusion of all people whatever their abilities. Wherever you and your congregation are on the journey toward creating an inclusive congregation, it's time to ask: How open are our doors?
We've prepared a quick and easy Inclusion Rating Tool: A Self-Study for Synagogues (IRT). To be counted as a participating congregation in Jewish Disability Month of the Greater Boston Jewish Community and/or to use this month to begin putting plans in place for next Iyar 5770, April 15th to May 2, 2010, just click here: irt@bje.org.
1. Use the Inclusion Rating Tool as a guide to assess your current inclusion practices and policies for individuals with disabilities. Download the IRT.
2. Select a team of clergy, staff and lay leader to review the results of this self study and develop next steps.
3. Identify someone in your congregation who could be the point person to work with an Inclusion Committee or a sub-committee of an established group, bringing together individuals who have an interest in helping your congregation more effectively meets the needs of people with disabilities.
4. For information and suggestions refer to:
- The Yesodot website includes communication guidelines, Divrei Torah ideas and much more.
- The newly published Jewish Community Guide to Inclusion of People with Disabilities by Shelly Christensen of the Minneapolis Jewish Community Inclusion Program for People with Disabilities gives step by step guidelines on raising awareness and a roadmap to inclusion. Click here for more information and to order. (www.jfcsmpls.org/inclusionresources.html)
5. The Special Needs Professional Committee will provide consultation to help you get started on your journey of awareness and inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of Jewish community life. Contact Sherry Grossman, the Coordinator of Community Special Education Services at sherry@jgateways.org or for more information about Yesodot and Disability Awareness Month contact Leah Abrams at Yesodot (617) 399-3299 or director@yesodot.org.
Synagogue Council of Massachusetts
Synagogue Council Directory
The Synagogue Directory contains information about accessibility for Massachusetts synagogues, such as handicap parking spaces, wheelchair accessibility, availability of large print siddurs, TDD and audio enhancement.
http://www.uscj.org/accessibility
Synagogue Council of Massachusetts
email: info@synagoguecouncil.org
phone: 617-244-6506
web: http://www.synagoguecouncil.org
Special Needs Professional Committee of the Boston Jewish Community
The Special Needs Professional Committee consists of professionals who work in CJP funded agencies and other Jewish community organizations serving individuals with disabilities. We include representatives from Yesodot, the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston, Hebrew College, Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Boston, Jewish Vocational Service, Jewish Family Service of Metrowest, Combined Jewish Philanthropies, the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts, Gateways: Access to Jewish Education, Jewish Family & Children's Service, Yachad/National Jewish Council for Disabilities, and Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston.
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The mission of Jewish Disability Awareness Month is to unite Jewish communities and organizations for the purpose of raising awareness and supporting meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities and their families in every aspect of Jewish life.
In 2010, the Special Needs Professionals Committee, beginning January 16th, at the start of Shevat through the end of Iyar, May 13, 2010, will host a variety of events for Jewish Disability Awareness Month and North American Inclusion Month.
Check out Yesodot's Calendar here for Jewish Disability Awareness Month events.
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Yesodot
