Hopefully by now you know a little bit about Matan’s Dvar Torah Project. We are sharing a weekly dvar torah (word of torah) on this blog that links the parasha (torah portion) to disability [...]
Sometimes building something backwards is the most logical choice. In education, teachers often design their exam first and then create lessons that will guide students to learn the correct [...]
No Torah portion stresses the potential of each human being’s contribution to the community more than Vayekhel. Filled with details of the desert Tabernacle’s trimmings, embellishments, and [...]
We never had a plan for how or when we would tell R that he was on the autism spectrum. It was not something we spent a lot of time considering because it almost seemed beside the point. R was [...]
I have always considered myself to be an “out of the box” kind of person. As a very young child I was constantly in the midst of engaging, creative and active play. I never really sat down. I was [...]
Like many people who are committed to inclusion, I like to share success stories. I like to talk about synagogues working to make their buildings more accessible or share stories about rabbis who [...]
If you’ll indulge me, I’d like you to take a minute and think about the different communities in which you participate. Consider your book group, your synagogue or your child’s school. Think [...]
Professor Ze’ev Maghen, chairperson of the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at Bar-Ilan University, in his book: John Lennon and the Jews (2011) imagines a scene of two lovers about to be [...]
My older sister Laura—and favorite person on this earth—has Down syndrome. She is blessed, and has truly blessed my family, with the most wonderful life. Laura met her boyfriend Darryl (who also [...]
Many buildings are only partially accessible and making needed renovations can be a long-term project. However, there is often much we can do in the short term to make the most of a partially [...]