How We Care About All Jewish Children
By Beth Manes Lax
The Torah teaches us that we are created betzelem elohim, in the image of God. There is no carving out for race, gender, or even physical or intellectual ability. As a Jewish community, we have embraced this concept. We want our children from the earliest ages to be able to participate in the Jewish community. Twenty to thirty years ago, many synagogues started pre-schools. Ten years after that, many of them started the tradition of Tot Shabbats. These were great ways to start engaging our youngest members. Even more recently, Jewish Federation has taken one step further towards bringing everyone into the tent by working with our partner agencies to develop tremendous programming for the home, the synagogue, and throughout the community.
Greater MetroWest ABLE (Access, Belonging and Life Enrichment for People and Families with Special Needs) works toward engaging people of all abilities and making sure they are an integral part of our community. For example, they train teens to assist children with disabilities in their home congregations so that they can participate alongside their typical peers. Rebecca Wanatick, Greater MetroWest ABLE Community Inclusion Coordinator, emphatically states: “This is not a mitzvah project! Everyone who wants to live a Jewish life should have that opportunity.” She explains that we have an obligation to provide everyone with the opportunity to access Jewish life. “It’s tzedek (justice).” Rebecca further explains that inclusion is not just about enabling children to participate in their home congregations, it is about providing choices in a variety of Jewish experiences. It is about making kids feel comfortable in myriad environments.
Therefore, Greater MetroWest ABLE does not just help kids in their home congregations, but it also supports programming in the community through agencies such as The Friendship Circle, and through camping. The Friendship Circle provides an opportunity for Jewish kids with disabilities to socialize, not just with other disabled kids, but with all Jewish kids. Steven and Erica Gendel have brought their son, Josh, to many Friendship Circle programs, like Friends at Home and Sunday Torah Circle. Volunteers from Friendship Circle helped Josh prepare for his Bar Mitzvah. Steven says that “without Friendship Circle, we wouldn’t be part of the Jewish community.” Steven explained that “it is very challenging for a child like Josh to be a child first and a child with disabilities second — Friendship Circle does that.”
Enabling kids to be Jewish kids, not kids with disabilities who happen to be Jewish, is the driving force behind these agencies and programs. What could make a child feel more embraced by the Jewish community than the camp experience? Whether it is day camp or overnight camp, this is the consummate Jewish childhood experience. Jewish camping is a transformative experience and has been proven to create strong, engaged Jewish adults. This is true regardless of a child’s ability. Pamela Schuller, inclusion advocate and NFTY-GER (North American Federation of Temple Youth - Garden Empire Region) advisor, reflects on her experience as a child with a disability who was able to attend Jewish camp: “At camp I felt not just accepted, but valued and celebrated.”
Tracy Levine, Director of One Happy Camper NJ at the Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life, described the development of the integrated camp programs. She explained that “while the goal was initially about kids with special needs, so many have realized that inclusion was good for everyone; welcoming all youth — regardless of background, denomination, or ability — creates a truly whole community, sharing these experiences together.” Now there are programs specifically for kids with disabilities, as well as programs at camps for typical kids that are designed to include kids with disabilities and full inclusion programs. The list of programs accessible to local families is growing. Tracy says that “parents are often surprised by the opportunities available to kids with special needs.” Even more surprising to parents is that some of these programs are able to deliver services listed in a child’s IEP (Individualized Education Program). Both Rebecca and Tracy work with families to navigate the road to obtain services and even financial aid, when available.
Judaism is about community. Federation is working hard to ensure that all people, even children, know they are important within our community, regardless of ability. Women’s Philanthropy is proud to enable these programs to thrive. We are mothers and grandmothers to all the children in our community and we care about raising our families Jewishly; that includes all children, despite their differences. If you are interested in learning more about the programs Federation offers families with children with disabilities, either as a recipient or a volunteer, please reach out to Rebecca at MetroWestABLE@jfedgmw.org, or Tracy at tracy@onehappycampernj.org.