I would like to take a look into something that we did not cover in this course, yet I feel is very important to Judaism. In this blog I would like to throw around some of my thoughts on Jews with disabilities. Leviticus 21:17 states, “No man of your offspring throughout the ages who has a defect shall be qualified to offer the food of his God,” and the chapter continues to follow along the same ideology. With that said, we have seen how the three primary movements within Judaism have taken an active role in including Jews (and non-Jews) with disabilities into their lives. Although this verse sends the message that individuals with disabilities are not fully accepted into the Jewish community, modern American Jewish communities are not practicing their religion in accordance with this statement. Today it is evident that American Jewish communities have gone to great lengths to no longer ostracize children and parents of children with disabilities. An example to show how much times have changed in recent years is in a story that a friend of mine told me a couple months back. My friend’s mother discovered in 2000 that she had a 30-year-old brother with down syndrome. Her parents gave their son with this specific disability to another family who continue to raise him in their home. I believe that in accordance with today’s standards (in both a Jewish and secular sense) this would not happen.
I had personal experience last summer when I worked at a camp for Jewish families with children with autism. It’s very interesting to see how Jews with Autism Spectrum Disorder are viewed and accepted within Jewish communities. I googled Jews and Autism and discovered a school called Shema Kolainu – Hear Our Voices, the first Jewish (orthodox) school for children with autism in America. This year it is reaching its 10-year-anniversary and as we see the implementation of several inclusive religious school programs, summer camps, youth programs and life-skills programs, I think it’s outstanding that the American Jewish community is incorporating these children (and their families) into our daily lives.
3 comments:
becca,
it is interesting to see that there are separate schools for jews with disabilities such as Autism. A big part of cultural Judaism is going to Jewish schools so it is nice to incorporate programs for people with disabilities.
I agree that the modern Jewish community is doing a good job to include and help Jews in our communities with disabilities. I know that when i was younger and in Sunday school our teachers were not able to teach children with special needs but now we do and can and our entire building is handicap accessible so that whoever walks in our doors can feel welcome.
I definitely think that the Jewish community is taking steps in the right direction when it comes to addressing those with disabilities. At my synagogue, there is a program called "Tikvah," which provides special needs members with a religious education, as well as a place for them to go outside of their homes.
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