Families raising children with disabilities face a number of obstacles to full inclusion in Jewish communal and educational settings.
As part of our signature initiative, Whole Community Inclusion, Jewish Learning Venture applies a lens of disability inclusion to all of our work in order to empower families raising children with disabilities to make Judaism meaningful and relevant for themselves. We provide programs for families and parents through jkidaccess and we help early childhood and congregational educators and teen aids become increasingly more inclusive of children with disabilities.
why it matters
1 in 5 people have some kind of disability – physical, developmental, learning-based, a mental health issue, or a combination of disabilities. Unfortunately, families raising children with disabilities too often struggle to find accessible and inclusive Jewish experiences. Jewish Learning Venture believes that every family raising Jewish children should be supported to find inclusive Jewish experiences where they can make Judaism meaningful and relevant for themselves.
Through Whole Community Inclusion, Jewish Learning Venture is ensuring that the support and accommodations needed for full inclusion are available to families and organizations alike, by:
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU
For families raising children with disabilities
Check out jkidACCESS for resources, sensory-friendly holiday celebrations, mitzvah project events, and more. We also have a series of online seminars for parents who would like help adapting Jewish practices to their children’s needs. To learn more, contact Erin Beser.
For educators
Whole Community Inclusion provides workshops, coaching and customized support to help you meet the needs of your students of every ability. We also train high school students to work as disability inclusion aids in congregational schools through the Teens/Teen Assistant Program. Additionally, the jkidaccess Guides initiative gives synagogue educators concrete tools and resources to make their family programs inclusive and accessible for all children. Contact WCI Director, Erin Beser, to learn about how you can bring WCI’s services to your school or community.
For clergy and synagogue leaders
We provide resources and support for clergy, and work with leaders to establish and sustain synagogue inclusion committees. The Inclusion Specialists Network trains synagogue professional leadership to ensure that people with disabilities and their families can connect and be active participants in the Jewish community. Contact WCI Director, Erin Beser, to learn about how you can bring WCI’s services to your school or community
For Community Members
Check out the Jewish Disability Inclusion Consortium of Greater Philadelphia and the Jewish Disability Awareness & Inclusion Month (JDAIM) resources, including JDAIM Shabbat Across Philadelphia.
For everyone
Whole Community Inclusion provides so many important resources, events, and services. Keep up with us on our calendar and our monthly WCI newsletter.
Contact WCI Director, Erin Beser, to learn more about how Jewish Learning Venture can support you, your family, and your organization.
How You Can Help
Interested in helping more families raising kids with disabilities feel welcomed and supported in the Jewish community? Here’s how you can help:
Your donation to Whole Community Inclusion will have a profound impact on making our Jewish community inclusive and welcoming for children and teens with disabilities and their families. A donation of $36 will allow us to purchase sensory-friendly materials, $500 will support a WCI program for families or educators, and $10,000 will sponsor a B’nai Mitzvah Tutor Training conference.
Do you have a background in special education or therapy? Do you simply love hanging out with kids of all abilities? We are always seeking volunteers; contact WCI Director Erin Beser to talk about volunteering.
Do you know Jewish families raising kids with special needs in the Greater Philadelphia area? They can sign up to receive monthly email newsletters about our programs, check out our calendar of events, or contact WCI Director Erin Beser for a personal consultation to learn more about disability inclusion opportunities in our community.
Encourage the leaders of your congregation about ways to be more inclusive of individuals with disabilities. Make sure they know about what Jewish Learning Venture can do to help.