{"id":267213,"date":"2010-02-02T16:59:47","date_gmt":"2010-02-02T21:59:47","guid":{"rendered":"tag:blogs.rj.org,2010:\/rac\/\/2.2410"},"modified":"2010-02-02T17:09:51","modified_gmt":"2010-02-02T22:09:51","slug":"jewish-disability-awareness-month-true-challenges-true-opportunities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/267213","title":{"rendered":"Jewish Disability Awareness Month: True Challenges, True Opportunities"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"JDAM<\/span>Shelly Christensen is the Chair of the Disability Task Force and Program Manager of the <\/i>Jewish Community Inclusion Program for People with Disabilities<\/em><\/a>, a program of the <\/em>Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

This February marks the second annual Jewish Disability Awareness Month<\/b><\/a>. Our mission is to unite Jewish communities and organizations for the purpose of raising awareness and supporting meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities and their families in every aspect of Jewish life.<\/p>\n

The websites of both the Union for Reform Judaism<\/a> and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism<\/a> feature Jewish Disability Awareness Month pages that can serve as a resource to individuals and congregations and provide a forum for discussion on issues of inclusion of people with disabilities in Jewish life.<\/p>\n

Also this month, on RJ.org<\/a> and the RACblog<\/a>, you will hear from people who have disabilities who have traveled those difficult roads and made it in to become valued members of congregations. You will hear from a bat mitzvah who found inclusion woven in her Torah portion and from someone who has adapted teaching to meet the challenging needs of learners. We’ll also provide some food for thought as you go through Jewish Disability Awareness Month so that you leave February with plans for the other 11 months of the year.<\/p>\n

During Jewish Disabilities Awareness Month – and beyond! – you can:<\/p>\n