Op-Ed
Ian Lurie
go on to study in Israel, learn side-by-side, and one day, will teach their own children about the importance of full inclusion. Another monumental challenge for individuals with special needs is finding a job. Some young adults attend day programs, others work part-time for just a few hours a week, while many sit at home wishing they had a meaningful way to contribute to the world around them. Together, we can provide ways for this to be achieved. Someone with special needs can be a valuable asset to a company, providing office assistance, interacting with customers, designing a company’s website, and the options are endless. It takes vision and dedication, but as a community, we can truly redefine the quality of life for those around us. I believe, that it will be only when we recognize that those
Sensitivity is a requisite for inclusion, but not a substitute. social skills workshops, and trips to sports games. Friendships and memories are being created and the label of “disability” is becoming less and less important. I believe social inclusion is the first step in achieving full and complete inclusion for those with special needs. The next steps that we collectively take will determine whether our children, relatives, and friends with special needs will truly feel a sense of belonging. Education and vocation are two pressing areas of need. I spent Pesach in the tri-state area and learned about many of the resources available for students with disabilities in Jewish day schools. The standard in New York and New Jersey schools is to have resource rooms, individualized attention for students requiring extra help, and parallel tracks in the elementary and high schools for individuals with special needs. The implementation of such a program sends a powerful message: we as a community want every child, with or without special needs, to have a Jewish education, no matter what. If each child can receive a quality Jewish education along-side typically developing Jewish students, the effects will be felt immediately. Friendships will build from a young age between a child with special needs and one without. Children will quickly realize that having a disability is not the sum total of the person. That child will graduate elementary school with his or her best friend who has a disability, but is not defined by it. Together, they will
with special needs have the same needs as everyone else, desiring to connect with G-d in shul through prayer, or wanting to be part of a Jewish school and classroom with Jewish friends, having a fulfilling job, and feeling that they are wanted will we achieve full inclusion. I am confident that working together, B’Yachad, we can accomplish this. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but if we look into the mirror and asks ourselves, “How can we ensure a brighter tomorrow for everyone?” we will be heading in the right direction. As a community, we have many needs but we do not have limitless resources. Or do we? Our relatives and friends with special needs have much they wish to contribute to our community, if only we will let them. Ian Lurie is currently the Director of Yachad Los Angeles, overseeing both the City and Valley Yachad chapters, after serving as the Assistant Director for the past three years. He received his B.A. in history from UCLA in 2012.
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Growing up, I attended preschool with twin sisters: Ariella was a typical girl, and Tali had Cerebral Palsy. Although at the time I did not fully understand what it meant to have a disability, I was old enough to realize that one sister was “typical” and the other was “different.” Despite our differences, in our class, we were all students. We were all friends. Most importantly, in our eyes, we were all equal. The atmosphere in which I was raised promoted inclusion for all, disregarding superficial differences. Unfortunately, so much of the world assumes that having a disability disqualifies someone from being treated equally and fairly. Twenty years later, the fight for the full inclusion of those with varying abilities and disabilities is still being fought. Society today is far more sensitive and tolerant of difference than it was even just a decade ago. It is now inappropriate to use the word “retarded” to describe someone with special needs, while years ago, this was commonplace. The progress achieved is noteworthy and an important part of an even bigger picture. When we are sensitive, others feel less threatened and more loved. But, there is an important distinction between sensitivity and inclusion. Sensitivity is a requisite for inclusion, but not a substitute. Today, I work as the Director of Yachad LA, a local chapter of an international organization committed to fully including those with special needs in our community. Our weekly social inclusive programming has changed families and brought friendship to thousands of participants. Having grown up in the Yachad family throughout high school, taking over as the full-time director this year was a dream come true. But more than a dream, it was an eye-opening experience. I meet with families, parents, and individuals with special needs weekly and constantly hear about their yearning for a
more “sincere and welcoming” community. The shabbatons (weekend retreats) provided throughout the year by Yachad and other local organizations provide respite for the families and a great social experience for the participants, but what about the next step? Where are the individuals with special needs after we say hello at a local restaurant or shake hands on Shabbat? This is the struggle for inclusion. The Los Angeles community has arrived at a crucial juncture. Locally, social programming for individuals with special needs is thriving. There are weekly events,
The Jewish Home
Do You Want To Be Sensitive Or Inclusive?
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