As we enter the end of summer (I know–it’s here!), those of us who work in education are turning our attention towards our classroom communities. How do we create inclusive Jewish education communities? At Jewish Learning Venture, our Whole Community Inclusion initiative approaches inclusion holistically, engaging all stakeholders including the educators, the families, clergy and [click to continue...]
There is a verse that is often quoted by Jewish educators from Proverbs (22:6) which states, “Teach a child according to his way.” This verse reflects the Jewish belief that every child should be educated and raised according to their way. While many schools and various educational settings strive to create inclusive environments, how should [click to continue...]
Mritika Senthil, Community Engagement Specialist at the Asian Americans with Disabilities Initiative, reflects for AAPI Heritage Month. Transcript My name is Mritika Senthil and I am currently serving as the Community Engagement Specialist at the Asian Americans with Disabilities Initiative. I’m also currently a student at a boarding school in South Carolina. One thing that [click to continue...]
They viewed me in a cruel and envious way I kept being myself They said I brag about my success I was honored to share my accomplishments They triggered my attachments to sports and favorite athletes I practiced everyday with coaches by myself and won championships They bad-mouthed my world travels I felt motivated to [click to continue...]
(Trigger warning: sexual assault, bullying, homophobia, ableism) Los Angeles, March 14 – When you’re disabled, when you’re trans, when you’re a child growing up in a rural community of abuse, your body does not belong to yourself. The most important thing you can do, as impossibly difficult as it is, is to reclaim yourself. I [click to continue...]
Six years ago, I became visually impaired. My eyes began to bleed, and I was told the damage was permanent and there was a chance that I could go completely blind. As a Rabbi, reading is crucial to my job. There was a solution in English braille, which I started to learn. As those studies [click to continue...]
The disruptive effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic have reached almost every aspect of our lives. These include one of the most growing uses of technology – the one aimed at helping vast and diverse populations. Assistive technology, which, frankly, we may all need some day, is at the heart of 8200 Impact’s work. We [click to continue...]
The most joyous part of celebrating the eight nights of Hanukkah for me each year is reflecting on fond memories. I will forever and always cherish singing with the family and playing with the dreidel. I also cherish the many lessons that I learned from these observances. The Prayers My grandpa Harold Shapiro was a [click to continue...]
I have a dream I would like to share with you. On second thought, it’s not actually a dream. It’s a vision that stems from a deep longing. I am a neurodivergent individual, a survivor of complex brain surgery. I am also a parent of children with neurodiversity – including autism, ADHD, auditory and sensory [click to continue...]
I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation I was in. There I was on a beautiful spring day, with sunlight streaming through the windows and birds chirping outside, reading “Grover’s Eight Nights of Light” to my (at the time) 10-month-old son Phoenix. He’d been obsessed with this book for weeks, and [click to continue...]
