Tag Archives: Jewish

Stigma and Non-Disclosure

Posted on by
Reply

Written by Michelle Wolf, this post originally appeared on her blog, Jews With Special Needs

Which comes first, the decision to disclose sensitive personal information, or the fear of stigma that may result from disclosure? This is a question of many people who feel at the margins of the Jewish community, whether for physical/mental illness, sexual orientation, poverty or special needs.

For many Jewish parents raising a child with less severe or “invisible” special needs, there is a strong, inherent urge not to share the child’s challenges with educators, camp directors and youth directors. After all, if the child can “pass” as a typical child, why turn the child’s diagnosis into a “label”, with all the stigma and difference that goes along with that appellation?  With our community’s hyper focus on academic and extracurricular success, a Jewish kid who is even a little quirky or who has an artistic bent can feel left out, let alone someone who has a diagnosed learning disability.

In many cases, however, that lack of disclosure can boomerang, and result in the child acting up, getting into trouble, or even in the best case, often unable to keep up academically, and/or socially and the resulting feelings of low self-esteem.

At Matan’s recent inaugural Jewish special education national institute in New York City, 20 congregational school education directors from across the country came together to launch a 15-month program that will enable their schools to better accommodate children with special learning needs. (Read more…)

Matan’s Rosh Hashanah Cards are Here!

Posted on by

Send personalized Rosh Hashanah cards to your friends, family and colleagues while supporting Jewish children with special needs!

Step 1: Choose from one of the beautiful designs below.  Personalized cards are $180 for 100 cards.
Step 2: Email Meredith@matankids.org with your selection (card 1, 2, or 3), along with your name, address, phone number, quantity and how you want the cards personalized. Indicate if you would like envelope liners (add’l $56/100 cards) and/or your return address pre-printed (add’l $35 before Aug. 30 and $45 after).  Ordering deadline is September 6, 2011.
Step 3: Mail a check (including $10 for shipping) to Matan, 333 Mamaroneck Ave. #342, White Plains, NY 10605
Step 4: Send out your cards and wait for all of the fabulous compliments you will receive. Because the back of each card displays Matan’s information, everyone will know that you care about children with special needs in the Jewish community.

 

Personalized Rosh Hashanah Card 1

Card #1

Personalized Rosh Hashanah Card 2

Card #2

Personalized Rosh Hashanah Card 3

Card #3

 

Op-Ed: Embrace Special Needs in Continuity Conversation

Posted on by

Written by Jay Ruderman, this Op-Ed originally appeared in the JTA, October 27, 2010.

BOSTON (JTA) — Since the late 1980s the Jewish conversation — and Jewish funding — has orbited around the goal of Jewish continuity. Whether the cause is Jewish peoplehood, intermarriage, education or even Israel, ensuring our Jewish continuity inevitably grounds the discussion.

But one issue critical to continuity has been missing from the conversation for far too long: supporting our disabled and special needs populations.

With 14 percent of children in North America having special needs and an even larger percentage of people (young and old) living with a disability, hundreds of thousands of Jews in North America and around the world must forego Jewish experiences in order to participate in secular programs — schools, camps, vocational services and more — that meet basic developmental needs.

Even in major Jewish markets, families with disabled children struggle to engage in Jewish life. This summer, international media reported on the Samuels family of New York, who were forced to choose between providing a Jewish education for their daughter Caily, who was born with Down syndrome, and a secular program that would accommodate her special circumstances.

For a people who value fairness, inclusivity and justice, it’s unacceptable that so many of our own are turned away in this manner. We need to tackle Jewish continuity head-on by ensuring that Jews with special needs have a place to live, learn and work within our communities.

As we mark the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I am issuing a challenge to the Jewish community to embrace special needs as a core part of the continuity conversation, and to take active roles in supporting the needs of the disabled. We cannot afford to ignore the issue of special needs because it is expensive or complex. It is critical to the future of our community and deserves to be prioritized.

If Jews with disabilities are turned away from Jewish schools, community centers and synagogues, that means the organized Jewish community is turning away an integral part of our community — our children, siblings, parents, friends, neighbors and colleagues.

But by moving the bar in this one area, and supporting programs that enable Jews with disabilities to participate in all facets of Jewish life, we can create opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people living with special needs to lead meaningful and vibrant Jewish lives. I can’t think of a more meaningful way to support continuity.

We’ve seen individual examples of programs that are making a real difference across the United States and internationally:

* San Francisco’s Bureau of Jewish Education has helped preschools, synagogues, JCCs and day schools come together with central agencies to ensure that Jewish learning is available to every student.

* With support from the UJA Federation of New York, the “Reelabilities” film festival has been able to raise awareness and promote appreciation for those with a range of disabilities.

* In Michigan, the Friendship Circle provides assistance and support to the families of children with special needs.

* Gateways: Access to Jewish Education enables more than 500 special-needs children in Boston to attend local Jewish day schools, where teachers and administrators are now trained to work with the children.

* Yachad provides Jewish programming and experiences in educational, recreational and social settings throughout the United States and Canada.

* And in Israel, Israel Unlimited, a partnership of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the Israeli government and the Ruderman Family Foundation is engaged in integrating people with disabilities in the community.

These are all examples of pacesetting organizations making great strides on this issue. However, there are no mechanisms — particularly in the funding community — for sharing information and pursuing collaborative endeavors that perpetuate these regional programs. When and where it exists, support for disabled populations happens in silos, across regions, age groups, and a great variance of physical and cognitive disorders.

In order to effectively support the needs of our disabled populations, we must break down these barriers, so that shared learning and collaboration can benefit all.

This month, an international group of Jewish funders and nonprofit leaders convened in New York City to examine the opportunity gap that exists for disabled Jews, and to inspire collaboration in which private funders, federations and professionals can actively work together to build a more inclusive community.

The Ruderman Jewish Special Needs Funding Conference was an important step on the path toward building a more inclusive future, but it will require a greater communal response to make that goal a reality. We must commit to making “special needs” a priority topic within the larger continuity conversation, and take action to bring all people with disabilities back into the folds of Jewish life.

(Jay Ruderman is the president of The Ruderman Family Foundation, which focuses on improving the lives of people with special needs in the Greater Boston area and Israel.)

 

The Jewish Deaf Resource Center Press Release

Posted on by

The Jewish Deaf Resource Center (JDRC) applauds the Conservative Movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS) for unanimously passing a historic Teshuvah positively impacting the lives of Jews who are deaf and hard-of-hearing.  With this Teshuvah, the Conservative Jewish Movement now recognizes that individuals who communicate in sign language are equals and that the Conservative Jewish community must strive to be accessible and inclusive.

On May 24th, 2011, the CJLS passed a Teshuvah stating the following in part:

“The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards rules that the deaf who communicate via sign language and do not speak are no longer to be considered mentally incapacitated.  Jews who are deaf are responsible for observing mitzvot.  Our communities, synagogues, schools, and camps must strive to be welcoming and accessible, and inclusive.  Sign language may be used in matters of personal status and may be used in rituals.  A deaf person called to the Torah who does not speak may recite the berakhot via sign language.  A deaf person may serve as a shaliah tzibbur in sign language in a minyan whose medium of communication is sign language.”

Alexis Kashar, president of JDRC said, “This is a historic moment as we deaf and hard of hearing Jews are now able to stand along with the larger Conservative Jewish community as equals.  We truly appreciate Rabbi Pamela Barmash’s pioneering efforts as the author of this Teshuvah.”

The Jewish Deaf Resource Center is a national advocacy organization whose mission is to build bridges between Jews who are deaf and hard-of-hearing and the individuals and organizations which serve the Jewish community throughout North America.

Beth M. Mann, Associate Vice President of The Jewish Federations of North American (JFNA), said, “JDRC has been a magnificent partner in widening the tent of Jewish communal participation, a shared mission for both the JDRC and the JFNA.  The responsum from CJLS represents a pivotal Jewish moment in our history as a people and our ever-expanding quest to provide a dynamic and magnetic community in which our people wish to participate.”

As stated by Rabbi Barmash, “This is yet another example of how Jewish law and spirituality, guided by the innovative spirit of tradition, embraces the challenges of the present.”

A copy of the full Teshuvah can be found at:

http://rabbinicalassembly.org/sites/default/files/public/halakhah/teshuvot/2011-2020/Status%20of%20the%20Heresh6.2011.pdf

Press Release Submitted By:
JDRC Co-Founder
Naomi Brunnlehrman, MA
www.jdrc.org

 


 

The King’s Speech

Posted on by

Written by Matan Executive Director Dori Frumin Kirshner, this article was originally published in the New Jersey Jewish Standard.

If you have not yet seen the film “The King’s Speech,” don’t wait any longer.  I think it should be a requirement.  Without divulging more details than necessary, “The King’s Speech” depicts the real life experience of King George VI, who struggled with a significant speech impediment during the time before he became king.  His wife finds him a speech therapist who labors with the future King for years.  The film succeeds in bringing to the screen the tremendous conflict between this potential personal agony and his predestined duty.

Before viewing the film, I was not aware that any of Britain’s Royalty had struggled with anything more than infidelity.  It makes perfect sense, though, that some percentage of a dynasty would face certain challenges.  The Learning Disabilities Association of America reports that at least 15% of the population has some form of a learning disability.  The CDC’s research tells us that 1 in 110 individuals – and 1 in 70 boys – is diagnosed with Autism.

ADHD, dyslexia, and Asperger’s, all part of our 21st Century lexicon, have been part of the human story long before we had terms with which to label them.  Early on in the Book of Shemot (Exodus), God tells Moses that he is charged with leading the Jewish people out of Egypt.  In turn, Moses (loosely translated) responds, “God, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I don’t speak so well.  I have a stutter and being a public figure might not be the right job for me.”  God tells Moses, “Yes, I am aware of that because I created you this way.”  In other words, God was remarking, “I see all that you are capable of, not simply the things you struggle with.”  Because God recognized Moses’ unique abilities and did not define him by his disability, that is how the Jewish people came to view him as well.

Moses and King George VI demonstrate that learning differences and challenges need not be obstacles to achievement and success.  But what was it that allowed these two great leaders in history to overcome their struggles?  As it turns out, their formula for success is neither complicated nor expensive and can be summed up by 3 main components.  Each leader required:

  1. the unconditional support of his family
  2. an adept champion or therapist who was ready and able to intervene
  3. his own willingness to accept his imperfections without permanently diminishing his determination.  Even royal and Biblical icons are not  perfect.  None of us is.

And yet, all too often in Jewish education, we turn away children – and potential future leaders – because of learning differences.  What would our history be if Moses had been denied his role or King George had not reigned because of an impediment?  What kind of community are we if children who learn differently are met with rejection or indifference?  If at least 15% of people struggle with some sort of learning issue, can the Jewish community afford the price of apathy?  What will become of these 150,000 American Jewish school-age children and their families?

Every time we fail to meet these students and families with the integrity, professionalism and support necessary, we’re essentially saying, “You’re not worthy of a Jewish education.”  In fact, it is our failure, not theirs.  And, it is indefensible.

To be sure, this kind of inclusion demands support – financial, human, educational, and more.  Yet, those are mere details once the greatest impediment to change is no longer an issue – that of attitude.  In the world of special education, and religious special education in particular, the keys to success are built on creating an environment where parents, teachers, counselors and clergy embrace all learners with support and encouragement.  Qualified and compassionate educators who are sensitized to different learning styles will create unique curricula and develop unbreakable bonds with children while meeting individual needs.  If we actually truly believe we are all created in the image of God, this should not be so hard to implement.

Whether the story is told by Spinoza or Spielberg, on the pulpit or the Big Screen, about leaders of religions or nations, Jewish or gentile, every person has the right to learn.  Our job is to ensure that even those who learn differently can do just that.  If it necessitates removing obstacles or building bridges, changing curricula or sensitizing teachers, our past models and frankly demands that we provide opportunities to learn – math and holidays, Hebrew and English, piano and Bar Mitzvah – for all people.  With the proper support, determination and belief, individuals with special needs will surpass your expectations.  The real question is, can we surpass theirs?

February is the month where Oscar nominations are announced and Jewish Disabilities Awareness is addressed.  While I am not a movie critic, “The King’s Speech” gets two thumbs up and is worthy of an Oscar nod.  One for being a great movie, the second for reminding us that education is not only for the “typical” and elite – but for ALL who want it.

Dori Frumin Kirshner is the Executive Director of Matan: For Every Child.  For Every Community.  The Gift of Jewish Learning.

 

Spotlight on the Matan Class at the JCC of Manhattan

Posted on by

The Matan class, part of the Kulam program at the JCC of Manhattan, serves children ages 8-12 years with Autism Spectrum Disorders.  This year, the focus of the class is Synagogue Life.  This is a unique experience for the students in the JCC setting, as for many of them it is their first opportunity to learn about synagogues.

Recently, Matan teacher Shira Arcus introduced a unit on “People in the Synagogue”.  Rabbinical Student Ariella Rosen made a guest appearance at the class.  She told the students that she is studying to be a Rabbi.  Through using stick puppets, she explained the various roles of different people in the Synagogue, including the Rabbi, cantor and teachers.  She told the students that Rabbis help people learn about being Jewish, and they also help to lead prayers in Synagogue.  Ariella showed them different versions of a Siddur (Jewish prayer book) and the students began their own Siddur project.

Shira told the students that with the new year, they would be starting a new way of doing t’fillah in their class so that everyone would have a new way of connecting with God.  They learned about tzitzit (ritual fringes) and the brachah (blessing) people say when they put on tzitzit.  Beginning their siddur project, they colored the body of a cut out person and glued on felt tzitzit to remind them what people wear when they pray to God.  They also created a cover for their siddur.  The students will create new pages of their siddur as they learn about different t’fillot (prayers) and even create their own personal prayer to God.

According to Shira, “Having the students interact with a Rabbinical student made synagogue and prayer more real to them. They had the opportunity to ask questions, and learn about and experience ritual objects by putting on tzitzit and reading from the siddur.”

To learn more about the Matan Class at the JCC of Manhattan, please contact Matan’s site supervisor at Chava@matankids.org.

Each month, Matan will put the spotlight on a Jewish Special Education program.  If you are interested in having your program featured, please contact Meredith@matankids.org.