Greater Boston Jewish Community Programs and Services for People with Disabilities
Numerous agencies and organizations in the Jewish community are striving to provide opportunities to welcome people with disabilities into all aspects of Jewish life. Many of these programs are supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies. Others receive funding and support from other sources. All share a vision and a goal to make Jewish life accessible and meaningful to all Jews.
Where to start...
The Disabilities Resource Network at Jewish Family and Children's Service (JF&CS) provides access and information to the wide range of services available within the community. Please call Sandy Slavet at 781-647-5327 x1940 or sslavet@jfcsboston.org for more information about Jewish and secular programs for people with disabilities.
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
Yesodot maximizes potential and builds community foundations ("yesodot") for Jewish children and young adults with disabilities by empowering their families. Yesodot provides a varied menu of family-centered, family-directed services and programs to families whose loved ones have developmental, physical or learning disabilities, autism, mental illness, or other disabilities. Over 175 families from 35 cities and towns in Greater Boston currently benefit from Yesodot's services. Yesodot provides parent and sibling support; family recreational outings; presents educational workshops; disseminates information and develops resources; offers programs for young people transitioning from high school, and runs an assistive technology project. Yesodot participates in public awareness activities and collaborates to foster community inclusion. Yesodot also has a project with the Greater Boston Jewish community's sister city, Haifa, Israel. Yesodot is a service of JVS. For more info contact Leah Abrams at Director@yesodot.org or 617-399-3299 and visit the website at http://www.yesodot.org.
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish
Philanthropies)
Education
The Bureau of Jewish Education (BJE) seeks to initiate and expand services to children with special needs in our day schools, congregational/community schools and preschools. The BJE Special Education Services provides workshops and speakers, awards grants to area schools for planning and programming, consults with education directors and professionals, and offers parents information about special educational programs available within the local Jewish community. http://www.bje.org
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
CJP's Initiative for Day School Excellence: Special Education provides significant funding to enable our day schools to support the learning of students with special needs by providing additional special education staff and offering extensive training (professional development) for special educators, classroom teachers, administrators, and the community. Additional information about grants, workshops and speakers can be found on BJE's website (www.bje.org). The site also has an extensive listing of websites for those interested in Jewish special education.
In addition to working with schools, our Special Education Services supports a Shabbat minyan for people of all ages with special needs. Held at the fully accessible Congregation Kehillath Israel, Brookline, about once a month, Minyan Me'YOUchad is highly interactive. The entire KI congregation joins the minyan for kiddush following services. An innovative program, TeenAde, prepares teens (grades 10-12) to work as aides with children with special needs individually, in small groups or in inclusive classrooms in congregational/community schools. Teens attend monthly Sunday seminars to learn Jewish views on disabilities and strategies for working with children with special learning needs; these seminars support their work in the classroom. This program received national recognition and is being successfully replicated in other cities. Dr. Sandy Miller-Jacobs, the Director of Special Education Services, can be reached at sandymj@bje.org or 617-965-7350, ext. 229.
Gateways: Access to Jewish Education is the new organization formed by the merger of Etgar L'Noar and the Jewish Special Education Collaborative (JSEC). The mission of Gateways is to enable students in Greater Boston with special needs to become participants in the Jewish community.
Through its Jewish Special Education Collaborative (JSEC) program, Gateways enables students with special educational needs to attend and succeed in a day school environment, by providing on-site special education services that go beyond what the day schools generally offer. Students in the nine participating day schools receive in-class and out of class assistance from JSEC speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, behavioral and vision consultants, inclusion aides, and reading and learning specialists. JSEC works with students, teachers and school special education staff, to help students generalize developmental, academic and social skills and strategies to the classroom. In addition, JSEC assists teachers with curriculum modifications and provides teachers with professional development including weekly coaching.
The Gateways Etgar L'Noar programs provide a Jewish education for children with moderate to severe disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder, hearing and visual impairments, developmental delay, cerebral palsy, and genetic disorders. Etgar offers a Sunday program for ages 4-16, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah class, a teen program called "Mitzvah Mensches" and a monthly program for 2-4 year olds with disabilities and their parents.
For more information contact Arlene Remz, Executive Director of Gateways at 617-630-9010, Arlene@jgateways.org or Sue Schweber, JSEC Program Director at 781-784-8201, sue@jgateways.org or visit our website at www.jgateways.org
The CJP Disabilities Trust was established as a vehicle for families with children who have a disability (cognitive, psychiatric or physical). The Trust provides for current and future financial protection as well as lifetime personal advocacy. For more information, contact Ilana Gordon-Brown at JF&CS at 781-647-5327 x 1966.
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
K'Sharim
Connecting People with Disabilities to Jewish Life is designed to involve people with disabilities in all facets of Jewish life. K'Sharim is for teens and adults with disabilities, their families and caregivers, as well as for the host synagogue communities. Newcomers are always welcome to any and all K'Sharim activities. For more information, contact Jan Klein at Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters at 617-558-6548 or Judy Pearl at the JCCs of Greater Boston at 617-558-6508.
Refuahis a grass-roots organization offering support, advocacy and educational programs for the families and friends of people with chronic mental illness. For more information, please visit http://www.refuahboston.org.
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
Special Needs Services at the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston The JCC offers a wide variety of direct service programs, community education seminars, and Jewish enrichment programming for people with disabilities of all ages. The Ledgewood Special Needs Program provides early identification and intervention for children aged 3-5. Camp Grossman offers a special needs component. Some of the programs the JCC provides for children include adapted aquatics, martial arts, climbing wall and teen friendship group. Programs for adults include activity groups, adapted aquatics, social groups and Jewish learning. The JCC works with advocates and families on inclusion issues through its "Beyond the Ramp" conferences and committees. For more information, please call Judy Pearl at the JCCs of Greater Boston at 617-558-6508 or visit http://www.jccgb.org
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
JCC Maccabi Camp Kingswood's Zohar Program provides adolescents with a unique Jewish experience of overnight camping in Brigton, Maine. The Zohar campers, ages 11-15 are fully integrated into all recreational, social and community-building activities of camp life, with the support and supervision of specially trained staff. For more info. contact Judy Pearl 617-558-6508 or jpearl@jccgb.org
Services for Adults
CHAI (Community Housing for Adult Independence) of Jewish Family & Children's Service provides housing and residential services for adults with disabilities. If you or family members would like to register for residential services, contact Sandy Slavet at JF&CS at 781-647-5327 x 1940 or sslavet@jfcsboston.org and describe current or future housing needs.
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
Chaverim Chaim:
Friends for Life is
a program of JF&CS, JCCGB and JBBBS provides monthly activities for adults with developmental disabilities that enhance Jewish identity and foster connections to the Jewish community. For more information, contact Sandy Slavet at
781-647 -5327 x 1940 or sslavet@jfcsboston.org.
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
Chaverim Shel Shalom at JF&CS connects people with chronic mental illness to the Jewish community, offering holiday celebrations and opportunities for socialization. The annual Passover seder is always a powerful and moving community event. For more information, contact Breanna Robinson at 781-647-5327 x 1913.
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
The CJP Disabilities Housing Initiative In addition to housing needs for adults with disabilities being met through the JF&CS CHAI program, CJP is also working with JF&CS and other partners to expand the number of housing units that are available through its CJP Disabilities Housing Initiative. For more information on the housing initiative, contact Elizabeth Sternberg at 617-457-8593 or elizabeths@cjp.org. Families and people with disabilities, who are interested in registering for housing or residential services now or in the near future, please contact Sandy Slavet at the DRN at 781-647-5327 x1940 or email at sslavet@jfcsboston.org
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
The Connections Program at Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) provides a continuum of services to assist Jews with mental illness and other disabilities improve the quality of their lives through personalized career planning and placement services. Support is provided on the job or in school to enable participants to successfully achieve and maintain their identified goals. For more information about Connections or other JVS programs serving people with disabilities, please call Rebecca Pyle at 617-399-3204 or rpyle@jvs-boston.org
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
Independence through Employment is a program offered by Jewish Vocational Service to help adults with disabilities (ages 18-64) who have been unemployed for six months or longer find meaningful, gainful employment. The program has several components: assessments of the individual's basic clerical and computer skills, help in developing a resume and cover letter, and preparing the participant for successful job interviews. In addition to recording the person's work history, the staff put a focus on what the job seeker really wants to accomplish in her/her career and life. This program is making special outreach to the Jewish community. For more information contact Anne Chace, (617) 399-3201 or achace@jvs-boston.org
Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters (JBBBS) Friend 2 Friend Program matches volunteers and adults with disabilities (18 and older) in one to one friendships. In the traditional program model, our matches meet 2-4 times per month doing fun community activities of their choosing. In the MAGIC model, matches meet one weeknight each month to enjoy a variety of events with other pairs of friends. In both programs the experience can add an important dimension to the lives of adults with disabilities by enhancing self-esteem and independence, strengthening Jewish identity, and laying the groundwork for enhanced social skills and interaction. http://www.jbbbs.org/
(Programs financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
JBBBS also provides caring adult volunteers for many children, some of whom have mild to moderate special needs. The Big Brother/Big Sister approach helps children who feel themselves to be different, learn just how much they are valued. The consistent friendship of the volunteer, and the support provided by JBBBS social work staff makes each match a special and rewarding experience. For more information, contact Jan Klein at 617-558-6548 or jan@jbbbs.org
Jewish Vocational Service located in Boston, provides a wide range of employment and training-related services to individuals with disabilities, including identification of educational opportunities, vocational assessment, computer skills training, employer based training, job search techniques, job development, job placement, on-site job coaching, post-placement/educational support services and career ladder advancement opportunities. For information, please contact Rebecca Pyle at 617-399-3204 or rpyle@jvs-boston.org http://www.jvs-boston.org/
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
Yachad /National Jewish Council for Disabilitiesis a group that meets twice monthly and provides social and Jewish learning opportunities for older teens and young adults with developmental disabilities. Shabbatons are held on college campuses and in communities in New England, and a social skills course is also offered. The group is affiliated with the Orthodox Union, but is open to any Jewish person with cognitive limitations regardless of affiliation. For more information, contact Nechama Cheses, M.Ed, New England Coordinator at 617- 412-9599 or Yachad@nerncsy.org
Yom Sport is an annual sports day for adults with disabilities. Volunteers and athletes from throughout the Greater Boston community are invited to participate in non-competitive sporting events. Yom Sport was conceived by the Young Leadership Division (YLD) of Combined Jewish Philanthropies, is organized by the Friend 2 Friend Program of Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters, and sponsored by a consortium of Jewish agencies For more information, contact Jan Klein 617-558-6548 or jan@jbbbs.org
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
Programs for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Jewish Signing Families of Massachusetts in collaboration with Jewish Family Service of Metrowest, sponsors events linked to Jewish holidays during the year. The programs include morning workshops for Deaf children ages 8-15. Afternoon programs include classes, group celebrations and exchange of resource information among the families. For more information, please call JFSMW at 508-875-3100.
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
Jewish Signers of Massachusetts, in collaboration with the JCCs of Greater Boston, is a group of Deaf adults who come together as a social group and plan educational and recreational programs that strengthen their Jewish identities and knowledge and provide connections to the Jewish community. For more information, please contact Judy Pearl at the JCCs of Greater Boston at 617-558-6508 or jpearl@jccgb.org.
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
Temple Beth David of the South Shore provides programs and services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. For more information, please call 781-828-2275. Other synagogues offer ASL interpreted services at various times during the year. For more information, contact Sandy Slavet at 781-647-5327 x 1940 or sslavet@jfcsboston.org
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
Financial assistance for Interpreters for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing for synagogue-related services may be available through the Synagogue Council. For more information, please contact Alan Teperow at 617-558-6506. Financial assistance for interpreters at community events may be available through the JCCs of Greater Boston. For more information, please contact Judy Pearl at 617-558-6508 or jpearl@jccgb.org
Other Programs
Healing Partners is a program of JFS of Metrowest which provides individual consultations to Metrowest synagogues that want to become more inclusive and welcoming to all members of the Jewish community. For more information, contact Malka Young at 508-875-3100 or myoung@jfsmw.org http://www.jfsmw.org/
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) advocates with the state and federal government for adequate funding and services for people with disabilities. For more information, please contact the JCRC Government Affairs Department at 617-457-8670 or visit www.jcrcboston.org.
(Program financially supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
