Chapter III: Test Cases - Spearheading the Change

Engines of Change

Within our activities on both axes of impact, we identified valuable arenas and created “engines of change” that will continue to grow after the Foundation exits its various projects. In this way, we created a “spread” effect that intensified the impact of our actions, both in programs run by the Foundation and in its grant support of outside organizations. In light of the Foundation’s entrepreneurial DNA, we devised an exit strategy in advance, which stipulates the desired benchmarks that will determine when the initiative becomes independent. From a macro perspective, the Foundation institutes effective solutions and creates a change in awareness as a sustainable basis for continued growth in the future.

Chapter III: Case Studies - Spearheading the Change

The studies presented below illustrate how we fulfilled the Foundation’s values which place the individual at the center, with all their dreams and needs, and translates the desire for inclusion into universal themes of human rights and justice. By analyzing these cases, we will illustrate our theory of change which serves as our compass for planning and project initiation processes, for our ongoing work and for ensuring continuity in the future.

On the axis of solutions, we focused on developing services for the inclusion of people with disabilities in significant areas of life: employment; housing; education; community and leisure. On the axis of public awareness, we focused on acknowledging the rights of people with disabilities, as well as shattering stigmas and stereotypes. On each axis of impact, we identified valuable spheres of activity and created engines for change.

Impact Axis: Solutions

The need we identified: Inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in Jewish Communal life in the United States.

The community is an important, critical layer of the identity and lives of individuals and families in Jewish society, in all its denominations and varieties in Israel and the United States. Synagogues, schools, summer camps and leisure and cultural activities are important aspects of community life and are the means of creating a sense of belonging.

The inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in these settings is crucial for them and their families.

Working Methods

Spheres of Influence

We identified the religious sphere, including various religious leaders, as a platform for improving access, opening the community’s gates and reinforcing the sense of belonging of people with disabilities. Based on this insight, we defined this as an important sphere of activity that can potentially have a broad impact by bettering the lives of people with disabilities and including them in society. Emphasis was on creating a sense and experience of belonging and community, and on mitigating loneliness. The Foundation chose to act in this sphere both in Israel and in the United States. Educational settings: Jewish schools, camps and informal activities for the various denominations and groups in the Jewish community are an integral, substantive part of the lives of children and their families in the United States. They have a powerful impact on the quality of their lives, their personal and family identity and the ability of the children and their families to integrate optimally into the community. Cultural and leisure centers shape community awareness to a large extent and serve as social and spiritual meeting places for all community members.

Main Activities

In accordance with the foundation's holistic approach, we chose to work on several aspects of Jewish communal life. To ensure the sustainability of the process, the Foundation established infrastructure and engines of growth so that the activity could continue even after it finished its involvement in the process. The Foundation used a similar method to devise solutions for all programs developed with its involvement. The tools and working procedures developed by the Foundation include:

Developing and launching pilot programs in organizations that have the potential to assimilate them in order to influence a large population of people with disabilities.

Devising an action and exit strategy that includes goals, targets for success, intervention activities, target populations and target dates.

Planning infrastructure for organizations and for focal points of activity.

Main components of Foundation activity on various levels:

Plan:

» Developing an intervention plan to make the activities and program components accessible to people with disabilities and their families. » Funding the development and operation of the program. » Reviewing the effectiveness of programs and ensuring their long-term sustainability.

Organization:

» Full accessibility for people with disabilities and their families. » Development of strong leadership in the areas of activity and the organizations. » Professionalism among the leading teams and therapists: specialties, training, knowledge and tools. » Assimilation of values, tools and a shared language by the professional staff, decision- makers, social action organizations, academia and government. » Assistance for organizations that receive grants, with emphasis on in-depth work vis-à-vis the boards of directors, management and professional staff.

Field:

» Sharing of information and joint activity through the establishment of forums of representatives of the various Jewish denominations. » Cross-fertilization and improved professionalism by means of joint forums, roundtables, conferences, etc. » Formation of coalitions of organizations and foundations for the programs, laying the groundwork for collaborative endeavors. » Creative outreach, inculcation of values and education among participants, families and communities. » Use of the digital assets of the organization and community: newsletters, social networks, websites, etc. » Joint campaigns in communities, focusing on inclusion as a Jewish value and a universal human- rights value.

Examples of Activity

RSIP

The Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion Project (RSIP) was launched in 2014 as a partnership between RFF and CJP to support synagogues in creating communities where people of all abilities and their families are welcomed, valued, and participate fully. The program was launched across all Jewish synagogues from all Jewish denominations. Today it includes 52 participating synagogues that fall into the categories of Partners, Affiliates, or Alumni based on their level of engagement and number of program offerings. The sheer growth of participants is a testament to the strong network the program has nurtured for effecting change. Each synagogue that participates in RSIP engages in its own strategic process and implements an Inclusion Action Plan to move its efforts forward. RSIP supports each synagogue with grants ranging from $500-$5,000 as well as resources based on each institution’s specific needs and challenges.

Gateways

Access to Jewish Education, was formed in July 2006 by the merger of two Boston area community based organizations, Etgar L’Noar and The Jewish Special Education Collaborative. In 2009, Gateways also absorbed a program of special needs consultation formerly overseen by the Bureau of Jewish Education. As a result of these mergers, Gateways became Boston’s central address for Jewish education for students with disabilities. The new organization formed was one of a kind in supporting schools, professionals and students with disabilities. Gateways provides special education services, expertise, and support to enable students with diverse learning needs to succeed in Jewish educational settings and participate meaningfully in Jewish life. Gateways provides a diverse menu of innovative educational services and programs designed for students with a range of learning styles and challenges. The organization collaborates with educators at area day schools, congregational and community supplementary schools, and Jewish preschools, and has its own autonomous Jewish Education Programs.

Denominations

The efforts to raise awareness and promote inclusion in religious life in made by the foundation expressed in its work with Jewish denominations was aimed to change the way Jewish religious streams approach inclusion and disability. Efforts were made internally towards organizational change and externally towards the faith based institutions under the umbrella of each denomination. Every denomination implemented the inclusion and change according to its faith traditions.

Engines of Change

Due to the implementation of knowledge and practice by the Foundation, the infrastructure organizations specialized in the area of inclusion and took upon themselves to continue to work with the Jewish community. Thanks to their years of activity at every major point along the spectrum of Jewish life, there is currently an entity with expertise, knowledge, resources and experience that will continue working with Jewish organizations and communities in Boston, after the Foundation is no longer involved. Inculcation of the values of equality and justice, education for innovation and entrepreneurship, and reinforcement of independence will ensure continued activity in these Jewish communities. This intensive investment, encompassing many members of Boston’s Jewish congregations, has resulted in an ongoing, multi-age, multisystem response to needs. The Foundation made sure to create a foundation of knowledge and activity in several strategic organizations so that they can continue developing innovative services and effective initiatives in line with the Foundation’s values, even without its involvement and support. Moreover, for every area of life, the Foundation took pains to develop innovative, precedent-setting, informative materials available to professionals and the public. These include:

Halachic practices and dispensations that improve life for people with disabilities and their families and assure their religious rights in their daily lives. Some examples: allowing guide dogs into synagogues; making mikva’ot (ritual baths) accessible; permitting deaf people to marry, and more. Two important, groundbreaking books: "Ve-ein ha-de’ot shavot", about the status of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Jewish tradition; and "Lifrotz et homat ha-zekhukhit", about intimacy and marriage for people with disabilities.

In line with the Foundation’s core values, and in view of the positive changes that have occurred with the inclusion of people with disabilities in community life, in synagogues, and among rabbis and spiritual leaders, the Foundation decided to expand its activity to other religions. Based on the idea that inclusion is a value that can bring together different communities and traditions, the Foundation, together with its partners, initiated discussions and learning opportunities, and organized interfaith conferences for Jewish, Christian, Druze and Muslim religious leaders.

Impact Axis: Awareness

A substantial change in the context of inclusion of people with disabilities will take place only if we are able to create a broad change in awareness. In the prevailing discourse, people with disabilities are perceived as largely incompetent; they are portrayed in a polar fashion as both unfortunates and superheroes, and they encounter social stigmas which harm their chances of optimal inclusion in all areas of life. We must make the human diversity of the heterogeneous population of people with disabilities visible and focus the discourse on human rights rather than on charity and compassion. Moreover, people with disabilities, their families and some professionals often echo the generalizations towards people with other disabilities and act accordingly, thereby deepening the division between people with different disabilities. The individual’s voice is silenced, and cycles of exclusion are reinforced. Having understood this challenge, Foundation President Jay Ruderman and Executive Director Shira Ruderman decided to seize the reins of leadership, act personally and publicly to introduce a solid social agenda, making extensive use of the media and social networks.

Case study: Lack of Authentic Representation of People with Disabilities in the Film and Television Industry Identifying the need:

The film and television industry has immense leverage to shape opinions and public awareness. The marginalization of actors and professionals with disabilities has a powerful impact on representations of them, which often end up being biased, stereotypical and offensive. The void created on movie and television screens by the absence of people with disabilities reinforces erroneous paradigms. A study conducted by the Foundation found that 95 percent of characters with disabilities are played by able-bodied actors; they may not be able to play these parts in a way that is true to the life experience of people with disabilities. As a result, they are depicted superficially and in an exaggerated manner, which emphasizes the disability and limits them to roles of superheroes, weak unfortunates or dangerous villains.

Working Methods

Spheres of influence

Hollywood was chosen as a strategic arena for change and influence. As the ultimate role model, Hollywood is admired and emulated by film and television industries around the world. A dynamic change of authentic representation of people with disabilities there would heighten awareness and create a worldwide ripple effect. Leisure culture and television were identified as effective spheres for long-term influence on all areas of life, on thought and on public awareness.

Main activities:

Publication of a white paper in 2018 on authentic representation of people with disabilities in television which was shared and covered extensively in the media and social networks.

An extensive digital campaign in social media: In a video, the actress Octavia Spencer compared the representation of people with disabilities with the representation of a variety of populations, including black actors. The campaign, which touched on human rights and values, called on actors and opinion leaders to support authentic representation of people with disabilities, and urged the large production companies to engage in a comprehensive process in which they committed to making casting accessible to actors with disabilities.

Laying the groundwork for strategic cooperation with leading organizations,

including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Sundance Institute, major production companies (CBS, Netflix, HBO), major festivals (Sundance Festival, Boston Jewish Film Festival, Variety Inclusion Summit, ReelAbilities Film Festival), and in Israel, the Gesher Multicultural Film Fund. Networking to reinforce bottom-up activity in social media: A network of filmmakers and actors with disabilities worked on promoting the subject in the industry and placing it on the public agenda. These people, including Danny Woodburn, Marlee Matlin and Taraji P. Henson, formed the basis for valuable advocacy for the rights of actors and others with disabilities in the entertainment industry. Conferences and events, such as roundtables in Hollywood and Israel with actors and other prominent people in the film and television industry: The prestigious Morton E. Ruderman Award was presented by the Ruderman Family

Foundation to Marlee Matlin (an Oscar-winning, deaf actress), the filmmaking Farrelly brothers and to the actress Taraji P. Henson, for their contribution to the inclusion of people with disabilities in the film and television industry. Leisure culture and television: Two innovative, original television series produced in Israel in conjunction with the Gesher Multicultural Film Fund created the vanguard of television programming representing actors with disabilities authentically: In ״Viki and Me״, a deaf actress appeared in prime time for the first time ever; in the case of ״Perfect״, the producer and all participants are people with disabilities. These cultural assets will be remembered for a long time. They will influence viewers and encourage filmmakers, actors and production companies to diversify casting and include actors and others with disabilities in the film and television industry in a variety of functions.

From Perfect

Indeed, we have effected change:

Extensive media reports on the importance of authentic representation of people with disabilities in the media and television; many references have been made in the media to the Foundation's findings in its white papers; At least fifty renowned people in Hollywood took part in a roundtable encounter. USA- Four production companies, Sony Pictures Entertainment, CBS Entertainment, NBC Universal, and Paramount have joined the Ruderman Family Foundation’s call and signed the foundation’s pledge to reaffirm their commitment to audition actors with disabilities for each new studio production. Israel - Four of Israel’s five major television broadcasting and production companies -- KAN, RESHET, HOT, and YES -- have signed the new pledge committing to audition actors with disabilities for each new studio production and to conduct a more inclusive selection process for all jobs across the film industry, on and off screen. More than one hundred actors, directors and opinion leaders in Hollywood, including George Clooney, Octavia Spencer, Glenn Close and Joaquin Phoenix, have publicly

expressed support for authentic representation of actors with disabilities in film and television. For the first time, Hollywood’s Academy Awards ceremony in 2020 included host Zack Gottsagen, an actor with Down's Syndrome.

ngine of chang

Engines of Change

We believe that a change in Hollywood, the heart of the entertainment industry, will have an impact on future content which will, in turn, influence millions of culture consumers, with and without disabilities, around the world. The result could be a chain reaction, in which the industry will reshape public awareness and the public will demand and receive greater diversity and authentic representation. Hollywood is the leading creator of films and a magnet for shapers and lovers of culture, establishing trends and norms for all film industries worldwide.

During this process, we identified a need to increase the number of actors with disabilities as an important factor for success. The Foundation is therefore partnering with the prestigious Yale School of Drama to offer scholarships for acting students with disabilities. Yale graduates are leaders in the industry. By choosing Yale, we will be fostering a high caliber of young actors with disabilities, which will ensure the adoption of the model in other drama schools.

In Israel, our collaboration with the Gesher Multicultural Film Fund, the leader of discourse on diversity in Israeli film and television, has already brought about change among decision-makers, foundations and the Israeli public. Gesher’s series has established new norms with respect to the authentic representation of actors with disabilities, ensuring that this advocacy will continue in future productions even without the Foundation’s involvement. These cultural assets will stand the test of time, influencing large numbers of viewers, and encourage filmmakers, actors and production companies to diversify casting and include actors and others with disabilities in a variety of roles and occupations in the film and television industry.

Integration of Impact Axes: Solutions and Awareness

Case Study: LINK20, an activist network of young people promoting inclusion of people with disabilities.

LINK20 is a global social movement centered around a network of young people, with and without disabilities, who promote equal rights for young people and others with disabilities. The movement is based on three action strategies: increasing public awareness of the right of people with disabilities to participate fully in society; reinforcing activism, leadership and the influence of young people with disabilities; and creating online platforms to further shared social goals. The movement's name, Link20, expresses its main objective: to connect people with disabilities, who constitute 20% of the general population, with the rest of the population, people without disabilities.

Identifying the need:

Despite years of advocacy by the Foundation on behalf of the inclusion of people with disabilities, and an increase in inputs, resources and organizations active in this field, many people with disabilities are still excluded and lack representation in major areas of life, including higher education, employment, housing and social life. People with disabilities are, for the most part, perceived dichotomously as either inspiring or in need of assistance. As we understand it, this situation stems from several clear barriers: people with disabilities tend to have limited capital and social connections; they have little social involvement; they lack united leadership.

After 15 years in this field, the Foundation decided to establish LINK20, the first social movement in which young people with and without disabilities work together to promote social justice and rights of people with disabilities. We believe in the spirit of change in the hearts of young people and in their ability to influence others while fostering leadership and activism in the digital age. LINK20 combines the Foundation’s two axes of impact: the axis of awareness and the axis of solutions.

Working methods

Spheres of influence:

Cyberspace and social media are an effective sphere for changing awareness and forging connections between young people to enhance their social capital and promote shared goals; Young people are an engine for growth, social change and the creation of

discourse based on human rights, inclusion and diversity.

Activism and digital leadership are initiatives just beginning to strengthen. Creating a cadre of young leaders with and without disabilities who can take action to promote shared goals and use knowledge and tools suitable for leadership in the new age will be integral in making a difference.

Main activities:

Our central guiding principle is, “Nothing about us without us. ” Movements and social networks generally grow from the bottom up. The Foundation therefore chose to elicit the need for networking and social change among young people, independent of organizations and the establishment, in the hope that they will break new ground and design solutions that are right for them.

1. Movements of activists and leadership spearheading change: graphic model Top-down

> Coalescing many leaders and activists on the countrywide and global levels, integrating them in the leadership cadre of the movement and the ranks of organizers. > Establishing and fostering a network of alumni who can join the leadership cadre of the movement and the ranks of organizers. > Training the movement’s leaders and equipping them with tools for leadership and activism in the digital age.

Bottom-up

Setting it in motion and providing tools for organic activity by organized local groups.

Leadership training programs for the digital age: LINK20 members take part in workshops, lectures and discussions with a variety of professionals in the fields of leadership and activism, entrepreneurship, digital communication, public relations and inclusion of people with disabilities. They engage in networking activity and hackathons and, together, lead advanced digital campaigns.

Networking: The alumni network forms the heart of LINK20’s activity and is

its engine of change. We have succeeded in bringing together a large group of young people, with and without disabilities, who are prominent in an activist network, online and offline, taking part in events, both virtual and face-to-face activities. They have an intensive presence on various online platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and a monthly newsletter. Each year, members of the movement launch campaigns on the local and global levels. Thus, the center

of gravity has gradually shifted from the Ruderman Family Foundation to the movement itself.

2. Changing awareness and outreach

LINK20 works to change social and public awareness and leads highly significant processes with extensive media coverage, furthering core issues related to social justice and the rights of people with disabilities. The processes are led more and more independently by members of the network, with the assistance of the leadership and activists of LINK20. The outreach activity and efforts to change awareness focus on social media, where they attract a wide audience in a highly organic, broad manner. The assumption is that bringing up social issues and influencing public opinion will also have an impact on decision-makers.

Engines of Change

Achievements over the years by level of influence:

Extensive reports in the media of LINK20 Alumni and leading issues related to furthering the rights of people with disabilities. The inclusion discourse has become more interesting and more relevant to young people and is now perceived as an issue of human rights and social justice. LINK20 alumni are in high demand among decisionmakers, in the media and elsewhere in the public domain. Israel: 1. Thanks to a successful campaign, the Israeli Ministry of Transport is working with thirdsector organizations, led by LINK20, to make intercity public transportation accessible. Link 20 succeeded in influencing the approval of a budget of NIS 6 million NIS for buses that are accessible to people with disabilities. The result is that for the first time in Israel there will be accessible intercity buses. 2. After a prolonged struggle by Link20, in cooperation with other social organizations and the Commission for Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the Justice Ministry, the Ministry of Health froze regulations that were discriminatory towards people with disabilities on the issue of triaging life-saving treatments during the Covid19 pandemic.