Judaism is clear that God's House should be open to all, not only
those who can walk into the building, hear the prayers, see the Torah,
or have a learned discussion about the Torah's deepest meanings.
The Inclusion Committee of Beth El is committed to removing barriers
of architecture, communication, and attitudes that exclude people
with disabilities from full and active participation in our synagogue.
Beth El Values Inclusiveness
As Abraham welcomed the stranger into his tent, Beth El welcomes
all people with warmth, respect and understanding. For those with
physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral or other challenges who
need or would benefit from special accommodations that would enable
their full participation in any aspect of community or religious life,
Beth El makes a good faith effort to remove barriers.
The mission of the Inclusion Committee is to facilitate the accommodation
and appreciation of individual differences, so that all members of
the temple community can participate in all religious, educational
and life cycle events and acts of loving kindness to all humanity.
As an inclusive community Beth El offers the following:
Worship and Community Participation
- Recorded DVDs of services provided for homebound members
- Plans to provide worship services, educational programs and events streamed on our web site
- An ASL interpreter upon request, for services, meetings and educational opportunities
- Assistive listening devices for use during services and community events
- Page magnifiers
- Wheelchairs available for members and guests
- Lightweight copies of High Holiday prayer books
Education
- A religious school that welcomes children with special needs and makes every effort to provide necessary accommodations
- Individualized B'nei Mitzvah preparation
- Educational plans for children with special learning needs
- Sensitization education and programming to increase awareness, acceptance and inclusion;
including an 8th grade elective: signing of Jewish prayers via American Sign Language
- Regularly scheduled Inclusion Committee meetings open to all
Our continuing goals are to address physical barriers in our building,
focus on educating our congregants and religious school students regarding
acceptance of all, and ultimately, welcoming all who come through
our doors so that they can participate to the full extent of their
desires and abilities.
If you would like to help, Beth El has an Inclusion Fund. Whether
increasing awareness through educational programs, improving access
via architectural projects, or contributing towards future inclusion
goals, your giving can help ensure that Beth El programs and worship
services are fully accessible to all. Please consider making a contribution
to the Inclusion Fund.
For information about the Inclusion Committee, or for assistance
or accommodations, please contact Cantor Sharon Steinberg (SSteinberg@bethelhebrew.org) or Julienne Bramesco (jwbramesco@gmail.com).
Useful Links
-
The Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning (PJLL) connects people
with disabilities and their families to Jewish programs and resources.
- The Jewish Social Services Agency (JSSA) provides a comprehensive
range of supportive services to individuals of all ages with chronic
mental illness, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities,
and hearing impairments. JSSA understands that a disability affects
not just the individual but the entire family, and its programs address
the needs of each family member.
- The Jewish Information and Referral Services (JIRS) provide comprehensive information about Jewish resources locally, nationally and internationally.
JIRS staff is able to assist families seeking information about special
needs services and resources.
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