Beyond the Mitzvah: Open Up Your Circle of Friends Yael Zelinger

COMMUNITY NEWS Beyond the Mitzvah: Open Up Your Circle of Friends

By Yael Zelinger

My name is Yael, and I am good at teaching Sign Language. I am not so good at shooting hoops. What are you good at, and what are you not so good at?

We all have things that we are good at and things that we are not so good at. While the U.S. government imprints millions and trillions of quarters and they all look exactly the same, every single human being that ever lived on this blessed earth looks and acts differently, has different opinions and invokes different perspectives.

How does this relate to people with disabilities? Approximately 20 percent of the population has a disability. That means one out of every five people. If you are connected to more than five people, then you are connected to the community of people with disabilities.

Although I trust that most families try to raise their children with the mantra to “Love your neighbor as yourself” and show children to be nice, share, take turns and not call people names, applying this generic lesson to people with disabilities is not so common. Well-meaning parents and teachers often emphasize being nice to people with disabilities because it’s a mitzvah (commandment) or act of chesed (kindness). I believe that we need intentional lessons; I like to call them experiences that go beyond kindness and convey an appreciation of people with disabilities and what they have to offer.

Over the last year, close to a dozen Baltimore Jewish schools–including day schools, yeshivas and supplemental schools–have been participating in

B’More Inclusive programing with BHC, Beth Am and the JCC Early Childhood.

B’More Inclusive Disability Awareness Experiences. Developed by the Macks Center for Jewish Education, B’More Inclusive experiences are designed to teach students that every Jewish person has an important, valuable place in our community. Students experience activities that highlight the concept that even if someone seems very different from you, we all share a Jewish neshamah

(soul) and we all have things in common. Those common interests can be the basis for real relationships. Students also learn to work together using their own individual skills and talents to benefit our community. These experiences give students a chance to get to know each other.

If we don’t include all children, the rest of the class is losing out on what each child has to offer. We are all good at some things and not so good at other things. I don’t want to be known as “that lady who can’t shoot a basket for beans.” I’d much rather be referred to as “the lady who taught us some cool signs.” It means

that when we need to come up with a creative poster for our science project, I want that artistic girl who happens to be deaf in my group. It means that when we need someone to sing our Color War theme song, that girl who rocks back and forth and does not make eye contact but has an awesome voice would be perfect on our team.

The old adage “children are our future” is so true. Children of today are tomorrow’s Jewish leaders, synagogue presidents, employers and decision-makers. Early lessons and experiences of acceptance and understanding will shape the culture of inclusion in the future. If we can have a discussion in school or the work place about the tremendous potential and accomplishments of people who look, act, walk or communicate differently than we do, we can create an environment that truly includes people with all different abilities. Look beyond the mitzvah and include a person with a disability because of what he or she adds to our team, our group project or our staff. He or she might even make a good friend!

If we can have a discussion in school or the work place about the tremendous potential and accomplishments of people who look, act, walk or communicate differently than we do, we can create an environment that truly includes people with all different abilities.

B’More Inclusive programing with BHC, Beth Am and the JCC Early Childhood.

Yael has worked at CJE since 1999 as a member of the Disability and Inclusion team, advocating for and supporting individuals with special needs.

Washington Torah Project Teams up With Sulam

Kol HaBirah Staff

For the first time ever, a Torah scroll has been written entirely within Washington, D.C. After months of anticipation and planning, a few Sulam and Shearim students had the opportunity to participate in the Washington Torah Project. The roster of locations where relevant passages are being written include landmarks such as the National Zoo, the US Capitol and even the Supreme Court. Sulam is Hebrew for “ladder,” and the sponsors of the Washington Torah, American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), saved the passage about our ancestor Yaakov’s ladder for Sulam students.

Students arrived at the Chabad to be greeted by Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad). Standing right in the sanctuary was a large ladder, giving a visual lesson about how the ladder didn’t hang from heaven beyond reach, but was “placed into the earth” and reached all the way to heaven and angels of Hashem ascended and descended on it. The message that Rabbi Shemtov shared is that we don’t have to jump to access the ladder to Hashem. It is here, accessible, and you just need to take that first step so that you can climb all the way.

Each student had the opportunity to dip the special quill into the ink and then asked the sofer (scribe), Rabbi Shaul Bassel, to write them each a special letter in that passage. The energy in the room was a truly special and it was unforgettable moment for everyone who participated.

Group photo including Shearim and Sulam students, Sulam Director Lianne Heller, Sulam Director of Marketing Ahuva Orlofsky, Sulam faculty Rabbi Alon Dek and Miss Devorah Merzel, and Rabbi Levi and Nechama Shemtov, and sofer Rabbi Shaul Bassel.

COMMUNITY NEWS Kol Habirah Spotted!

NCSY photos

Parents reading Kol HaBirah for the first time at a Berman game Congratulations to Jake Turx, Chief Political Correspondent of Ami Magazine for making it to the White House and taking Kol HaBirah with him! The wonderful FNP Printing and Publishing staff holding the first ever copies of Kol HaBirah. If you would like to start a rival paper, we suggest them!

Isaac Nadaner, Sam Fingerhut, Yonah Gershman, and Hillel Goldschein

Brett Kugler, Jacky Vino, and Ayelet Fishman Guest speaker Nira Berry addressing the full crowd

Bari Perlmutter, Daniella Jaray, Eliana Makovsky, Hadas Dubrawsky, and Jessica Hilfer

Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld of Ohev Sholom - The National Synagogue leads residents of the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes in learning and song in honor of Tu B'Shevat

Photos taken by Harris M. Cohen