Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month

Beth El’s Inclusion Committee, along with Rabbi Josh Breindel, Scott Newman, Director of Youth and Family Education, and Shoni Aronovich, Director of Teen Education and Engagement, are co-sponsoring several events in February to mark Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). This will include teachings by congregants dedicated to the spirit of JDAIM, plus “Opt In” quotes related to inclusion. You can choose to receive these specific teachings online.

• “Tourettes and Torah” with comedian and advocatePamela Rae Schuller on Sunday, Feb. 5 at Kerem Shalom (659 Elm St., Concord). For teens in grades 8-12, sponsored by J-LOFT.
• “Living with Mental Illness: Words to Say, Things to Do,” on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 10 AM.
• “Your Digital Front Door: Why Website Accessibility is the Key to Unlocking Your Community for All,” a virtual event on Wednesday, Feb. 15 from 11–12:30 PM with Rabbi Lauren Tuchman, the first blind woman to enter the rabbinate. For this webinar, Rabbi Tuchman will focus on nonvisual, text-based elements of a webpage and how to upgrade your web presence for the visually impaired. Click here to register.
• “Building Inclusive Spaces: A Conversation with Autism Inclusion Advocate Capt. Udi Heller” on Monday, Feb. 27 at 12 PM.
• Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month – RespectAbility. This comprehensive website has an abundance of information and will direct you to online reading material, movies and books about disability and belonging.

The mission of Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month is to unite Jewish communities worldwide to raise awareness and champion the rights of all Jews to be accepted and included in all aspects of Jewish and community life like anyone else. This directly connects to RespectAbility’s mission statement and that of the Faith Inclusion & Belonging Department: To fight stigmas and advance opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of faith community life.

Questions? Contact Inclusion Committee co-chairs Maxine Haron or Carrie Fuchs.