The mission of Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) is to unite Jewish communities worldwide to raise awareness and champion the rights of all Jews to be accepted and included in all aspects of Jewish life.
Looking for ways to fuse inclusion with Judaism? Start here
To participate in this effort, communities may:
- Include individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in all aspects of Jewish communal life.
- Urge Jews to welcome individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the community.
- Advocate for the rights of individuals with IDD.
- Support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to make their own decisions about how they want to belong to their Jewish community.
Take Steps Toward Inclusion
Sometimes it’s as easy as saying hello or offering help before it’s asked of you. Find out what else you can do to make people with special needs feel like they are part of the group.
Judaic Learning & Engagement
Learn and engage with Judaism using resources that are accessible to all types of learners.
- High Holiday and B’nai Mitzvah (courtesy of Matan)
- Jewish Braille Institute
Start Conversations
- Bring conversations about inclusion to your school or synagogue.
- Get ideas on how your synagogue or school can participate.
- Learn about and implement inclusion program models from one of the American Jewish movements:
- Spirituality of People with non-speaking Autism Dr. Karenne Hills
- What Led Us to Become Disability Inclusion Advocates Gabby Kaplan-Mayer and Shelly Christensen
- What the ADA Means to Faith Community Advocacy Aaron Kaufman
- Disability Employment Month Deborah Fisher PsyD
Voting Becomes Inclusive
Last year when voters went to the polls, they were introduced to a new voting model to include people of all abilities. As the LA County website describes, “The final concept…ballots.” This accessible, modernized system incorporated feedback from individuals of all abilities and gave more people the ability to easily participate in the voting process.