A first-of-its-kind resource guide for inclusive b'nai mitzvah celebrations.
For too long, teens with special needs have been on the margins of the Jewish community. As for any child, their b'nai mitzvah should be a joyous time as they transition into adulthood and affirm their commitment to their community.
A Different Spirit: The Essential Guide to Creating Meaningful B'nai Mitzvah for Children With Disabilities is designed to help clergy and families navigate creating a meaningful and inclusive celebration for all. This collection of essays includes inspiration and practical guidance on planning a celebration, managing accommodations and settings, and teaching children with special needs, as well as personal stories and a deep understanding of the concept of inclusion.
Edited by Howard Blas, the director of the National Ramah Tikvah Network which provides inclusion and vocational training programs support for young adults with disabilities in camps, and Emmy-award-winning Ilana Trachtman, director of the acclaimed documentary Praying with Lior.
This resource discusses planning for teens with:
Autism
Anxiety and other mental health issues
Visual impairment
Deafness and hard of hearing
Non- and minimally-verbal speech
Mobility needs
Learning differences
Featuring contributions by Jacob Artson, Daniella Bardack-Tarrab, Meir Yishai Barth, Rabbi Allison L. Berry, Shelly Christensen, Rabbi Menachem Creditor, Wendy Elliott-Vandivier, Meredith Englander Polsky, Jennifer Fink, Elaine Hall, Dr. Sheldon H. Horowitz, Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer, Matan A. Koch, Serena Leigh Krombach, MA, MSEd, Rabbi Darby Jared Leigh, Jessica Leving Siegel, Batya Sperling-Milner, Dr. David Neufeld, Rebecca Redner, Arlene Remz, Rabbi Rebecca Schatz, Pamela Rae Schuller, Dr. Stephen Shore, Rabbanit Aliza Sperling, and Rebecca Wanatick.
Overview: A Different Path
CHAPTER 1
Accepting All: Creating a Culture of Inclusion and Belonging
Shelly Christensen
How inclusion elevates the spirit of the Jewish community and creates a sense of belonging.
CHAPTER 2
Created in God’s Image: The Message of Our Tradition
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
How b’nai mitzvah for children with disabilities is an affirmation of the essential Jewish tenet.
VOICES
My Bar Mitzvah Led Me Home
Dr. Stephen Shore
A reminiscence about autism, a bar mitzvah, and a gift decades later.
Part 1: A Different B’nai Mitzvah
VOICES
The Two Best Days of My Life
Jacob Artson
Reflections from a minimally verbal man about his bar mitzvah and his neurotypical twin sister’s.
CHAPTER 3
Beyond Physical Access: Creating an Inclusive Synagogue Community
Rebecca Wanatick
Guidelines for adapting physical structures and changing attitudes to create a fully welcoming environment.
CHAPTER 4
It Takes a Community: Building Support for the B'nai Mitzvah Journey
Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer
Tips for parents on assembling a b’nai mitzvah planning and support team.
CHAPTER 5
Start With a Dream: Services, Celebrations, Guest Lists, and More
Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer
Ideas to inspire families planning a unique milestone celebration.
CHAPTER 6
Envisioning the Experience: A Checklist for Getting Started
Rebecca Redner and Arlene Remz
A planning checklist for clergy and educators to use with families.
CHAPTER 7
Sibs in the Spotlight: Remembering the Needs of Siblings
Jessica Leving Siegel
How to create a welcoming, uplifting b’nai mitzvah experience that includes the other children in the family.
CHAPTER 8
A Happening: Invoking the Arts to Express the Soul
Elaine Hall
Arts-based practices to help children learn and connect with their b’nai mitzvah experience.
CHAPTER 9
By a Lake or in a Tree: Celebrating in a Camp Setting
Dr. David Neufeld
The hows and whys of holding a b’nai mitzvah at summer camp.
CHAPTER 10
B’nai Mitzvah or Not: When It Should Be Off the Table
Rabbi Allison L. Berry and Matan Koch
Are there ever reasons not to pursue b’nai mitzvah for a child with disabilities?
VOICES
Wrestling with Theology, Pedagogy, Disability, and My Parents
Yishai Barth
A doctoral student with multiple disabilities reflects on his bar mitzvah.
Part 2: Different Teaching
VOICES
What If I Bark on the Bimah?
Pamela Rae Schuller
Reflections on her bat mitzvah from a woman with Tourette syndrome.
CHAPTER 11
New Ideas for Your Toolbox: Being the Great Teacher You Already Are
Meredith Englander Polsky
Techniques to make differentiated instruction work for every child.
CHAPTER 12
Reading Challenges: A Multisensory Approach to Teaching Hebrew
Rebecca Redner and Arlene Remz
Strategies and support to help children with diverse abilities learn to read Hebrew.
VOICES
Reflections on My Anxiety-Filled Bat Mitzvah
Jennifer Fink
Yearning to feel empowered, not anxious, by my bat mitzvah.
CHAPTER 13
Connecting the Dots: A Bat Mitzvah for a Braille Reader
Batya Sperling-Milner and Rabbanit Aliza Sperling
How a blind teen read Torah at her bat mitzvah.
CHAPTER 14
Opening Channels: Working With Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
Rabbi Darby Jared Leigh and Serena Leigh Krombach
Best practices for identifying and accommodating students’ communication preferences.
CHAPTER 15
A Perfect Storm: B'nai Mitzvah, Mental Health Challenges, and Being Thirteen
Dr. Audra Kaplan
How parents, clergy, and educators can help foster positive self-esteem and connection.
CHAPTER 16
Teaching Their Torah: Beyond the Traditional B’nai Mitzvah Speech
Rabbi Rebecca Schatz
Inspiration for alternative ways to share what they’ve learned.
CHAPTER 17
Learning Disabilities: The Diagnosis Does Not Define the Child
Dr. Sheldon H. Horowitz
Supporting children with learning, language, attention, and behavior disabilities.
VOICES
Say Something
Daniella Bardack-Tarrab
Reflections about her bat mitzvah from a woman with speech impairment.
CHAPTER 18
No Talking Required: Preparing Minimally and Nonspeaking Students
Rebecca Redner and Arlene Remz
Two case studies and the possibilities for working with and using assistive communication devices.
ABOUT THE EDITORS
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
GLOSSARY
INDEX
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