HaYidion: Cover of the Nurturing Faith issue
Fourteen years ago, while working at an overnight Jewish summer camp, I (Dori) met a boy named Josh. Josh was 8 years old and struggled with learning disabilities and attention issues that impacted his interactions with other people. Although he loved camp and tried hard to fit in, Josh was asked to leave eight days after he arrived. Months later, I called a friend of mine who was a teacher at the Jewish day school Josh attended. When I asked my friend how Josh was doing, he responded that he didn’t know: Josh had been asked to leave the school. Where would Josh’s committed Jewish family turn next? Would they even remain a committed Jewish family?
The Learning Disabilities Association of America reports that 15% of the population has a learning disability. 1 in 110 individuals—of that, 1 in 70 boys—is diagnosed with autism. Approximately 988,000 children in the US are Jewish. Although the Jewish community has not done a full census for this information, it is safe to assume that the Jewish population mirrors the general population; minimally, 150,000 school-aged Jewish children grapple with some form of disability. People say that change in the Jewish community will only occur once a critical mass has been reached. As professionals who are completely committed to the Jewish future, we all must look at these numbers and understand that the critical mass has indeed been achieved. For Jewish educators, the tipping point is here.
As secular American educational institutions are making leaps and bounds in their efforts to accommodate students of diverse learning capabilities, our Jewish educational settings lag behind. Faculty lack specialized training, background knowledge or the tools to best serve students with special needs. Our Jewish educational institutions bend under the pressure to provide high quality education to the majority of students. The needs of the many trump the needs of the few. Families are turned away again and again from a Jewish education they so desperately want and their children deserve. This far-too common occurrence is unacceptable and is avoidable.
Conversations about including children with special needs in Jewish education often quickly turn into a discussion about money. How can we possibly afford inclusion? With the previously cited percentages, we would argue that the real question is, how can we afford not to include these children and their families? While we recognize that there is a financial component to having the proper resources in place to accommodate all learners, we feel strongly that the major barrier has much more to do with attitude. As a community, we must reach the point where we all see the absurdity in picking and choosing which types of children are entitled to a Jewish education, which families are welcomed into the fabric of Jewish life and which ones are relegated to watch from the sidelines. So how do we get there? Here are several suggestions for the consideration of day school leadership.
In parashat Shemot, G-d charges Moshe with leading the Jewish people out of Egypt. In turn, Moshe responds (loosely translated!), “G-d, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I don’t speak so well. I have a stutter, and being a public figure might not be the right job for me.” G-d tells Moshe, “Yes, I am aware of that because I created you this way. In you, I see all of your abilities, not simply the things you struggle with.” G-d recognized Moshe’s unique abilities and did not define him by his disability, and that is how the Jewish people came to view him as well.
With the proper support, determination and belief, individuals with special needs will surpass your expectations. Could Josh have been the next great Jewish leader? What Jewish institution is going to say yes so that he—and all those who come after him—won’t be lost to us? ♦
Dori Frumin Kirshner, Executive Director of Matan, holds a master’s degree in Jewish education, is a former day school and Hebrew school teacher and Federation professional, and is the parent of a day school student. She can be reached at dori@matankids.org.
Meredith Englander Polsky, Special Needs Coordinator, co-founder of Matan and parent of a day school student, holds master’s degrees in special education and social work and has extensive experience in formal and informal Jewish education. She can be reached at meredith@matankids.org.
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