Building Inclusive Communities
We guide, train, and support Jewish community leaders and educators to provide purposeful, enriching, and inclusive opportunities for people with disabilities and their families.
Who We Are
Changing the Landscape of Disability Inclusion
Matan was created in the year 2000 to address the lack of Jewish educational opportunities afforded to children with special needs. Originally created as a “direct service” organization for children in the New York metro area, Matan’s efforts now support professional educators, lay leaders, clergy, administrators and others in addressing the needs of individuals with a wide variety of learning, developmental and mental health challenges. Matan focuses on helping communities understand their inclusion needs, enabling them to establish and meet goals, and training Jewish communal leaders and educators in inclusive practices.
Stats
- The U.S. Department of Labor reports 1 in 4 Americans have a disability.1 in 5 American adults live with a mental health condition.
- 1 in 44 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- 15% of youth ages 3-21 receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Meet Cohort 13
Click here to meet the participants
The Matan Institute is Matan’s flagship training program for Jewish professionals. Matan works with various cohorts of educators, including Education Directors, teachers, youth group and camp professionals. Each cohort engages in multiple in-person training days (35 hours) and on-line learning, and every participant works with a Matan mentor on specific inclusion goals for the entire length of the Institute (usually 10 months). Based at Matan’s offices in New York City or a specific geographic region, professionals from throughout North America participate.
Crafted by Cornershop