Including People of All Abilities
Our Jewish community can only be whole when we welcome and include everyone who wants to participate. We’re striving to make Greater Boston where people of all abilities feel cared for, welcomed, and encouraged to participate in meaningful Jewish life.
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Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), developmental, psychiatric disorders, or other disabilities received intensive supports through the Stabilization & Recovery Services program at Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JF&CS), supported by CJP.
The Fred and Gilda Slifka Family Day School Inclusion Initiative, a program of CJP, sucessfully completed its second year at the Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston and a third year at the Metrowest Jewish Day School. This initiative welcomes diverse learners and models inclusion for the entire school community: students, parents, teachers, and administrators.
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people with disabilities developed employment skills, such as effective communication, problem solving, organization, and time management in the Pathways to Employment program supported by CJP at Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JF&CS).
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calls were fielded by the Disabilities Resource Network, which is powered by CJP funding. This program provides free referrals to supportive housing, advocacy, educational or vocational resources, and connections to spiritual life.
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synagogues are actively involved as members of the Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion Project (RSIP) to date. RSIP is a partnership between CJP and the Ruderman Family Foundation that supports inclusion in synagogue communities through access to inclusion experts, consultations, and opportunities for congregational communities to teach, network, and share best practices.
30,000+
RSIP regularly publishes a Points of Impact report to demonstrate how many people participate and benefit from the program. The most recent report states that more than 30,000 people have engaged with RSIP in a variety of ways since the program launched in 2014.
COVID-19 RESPONSE SPOTLIGHT
Yachad’s dedicated staff used a $20,000 grant from the CJP Coronavirus Emergency Fund to create and mail 400 art kits to people of all ages who have a disability. “We want to thank you for the lovely package we received in the mail! It’s been really rough for [my sister] with all the isolation. We greatly appreciate your thinking of her. It goes beyond the items in the box — you have no idea how much it means to us.”
— Leah, sister of 39-year-old Yachad participant
Read more about our grants through the CJP Coronavirus Emergency Fund.
