No one is more welcome at Congregation Or Ami than you!
Or Ami awarded as an Exemplar Congregation!
We proudly announce that the Union for Reform Judaism, representing 900 synagogues throughout North America, has recognized Congregation Or Ami as an exemplar congregation for inclusion. Click here to read more.
Access to Judaism for all people (and especially children) with disabilities has been a hallmark of Congregation Or Ami since Rabbi Paul Kipnes first joined our congregation in our second year of existence. The first policy he asked to be put in place was clear and simple:
“Any child of a member who works to the best of his/her ability has the right to a Jewish educational experience. Also, any child of a member who works to the best of his/her ability has the right and privilege to become a Bar/Bat Mitzvah at Congregation Or Ami.”
Today, access involves such things as individualized bar and bat mitzvah training for children with disabilities, support group for parents of children with disabilities, large-print prayer books, an Education Intern who acts a liaison for disabilities families within the Mishpacha program, and increasing sensitivity to the scope of needs within each community.
In conjunction with the Union for Reform Judaism’s Department of Jewish Family Concerns and the Jewish Federation/Valley Alliance’s Mercaz Center (one-stop program for Jewish families with children with disabilities and developmental disabilities), Congregation Or Ami strives to create and enhance inclusive environments and accessible spaces to ensure that everyone is included. Every congregant has a right to a rich Jewish life in a welcoming environment.
Many families with children who have disabilities or challenges struggle to find a home in the Jewish community. We say: you are not alone. Congregation Or Ami, our Rabbis Paul Kipnes and Julia Weisz and Cantor Doug Cotler and our Reform Jewish movement welcome you. Congregation Or Ami is already proud to be a home congregation for many individuals and families with disabilities, and we welcome you to share in the warmth of our community. We invite you to begin a conversation with Rabbi Kipnes to share your hopes or questions about being a family with disabilities at Or Ami.
You may be wondering about…
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Services: Because you have been blessed with this child, we at Or Ami strive to ensure that the Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience is welcoming to all members of your family. Your child will have a REAL Bar/Bat Mitzvah service! Rabbis Kipnes and Weisz, Cantor Cotler and our B’nai Mitzvah Teacher Diane Townsend work with each family to create an individualized learning process and a service which takes advantage of your child’s unique gifts. You all will participate fully in the service, from the ceremony of passing Torah down through the generations to standing up at the Torah during the aliyah (Torah blessing) to the opportunity to bless your child. Our creativity allows your child to shine during your simcha (joyous moment). We invite you to begin a conversation with Rabbi Kipnes about your family’s questions about Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
Educating Children: Families with children with disabilities may be especially interested in our Mishpacha Family Alternative Learning Program. (Mishpacha means “family” in Hebrew.) An alternative to our wonderful Monday-Wednesday drop-off Religious School, our Mishpacha program allows parents and children to study together twice monthly on Sunday mornings. Often adults spend time alone with Rabbi Kipnes while children learn in multi-grade groupings with our fine faculty. Everyone learns the same material at age-appropriate levels. Then parents and children interact through projects, games, trials and round robin activities to explore the beauty of Judaism. This program is especially helpful for families with a child with disabilities as it allows for greater individualized attention and the presence of a parent onsite ensures that your child has the additional support he/she needs to find success. Additionally, one of our Mishpacha Coordinators will call you before each session to review the day’s plan, to determine how best your child’s needs are accomodated, and, if necessary, to come up with suggestions of how the lesson plan can be altered to meet your child’s needs. We invite you to learn more about Mensch-ify (family learning), Kesher, and HUB (our new teen program). Feel free to speak with Rabbi Julia Weisz who oversees them all.
Adults with Disabilities: Or Ami is proud to welcome Chaverim, a social-recreational club for adults (18-80 years old) with developmental disabilities, into our synagogue family. Chaverim is a program of Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles. Learn more about Chaverim, or contact Gerry Dicker, Chaverim Program Director (or call 818-464-3360).
Support for Parents with Children with Disabilities : Programs bring parents together to share ideas, resources and support related to raising a child with disabilities. Supervised childcare provides you with peace of mind as your child is taken care of elsewhere in the synagogue. You can sit back, find support, gather resources, and enjoy the blessing of being part of a Jewish community that “gets it!” We invite you to begin a conversation with Michael Kaplan (parent of a child with disabilities, Or Ami past president and disabilities support program founder) to learn more.
Rabbi Kipnes’ Blogs on Inclusion: Rabbi Kipnes recounts Congregation Or Ami’s deep commitment to inclusion by describing our philosophy, experiences, mistakes and moments of simcha (joy). Read here.
Resources for Families with Disabilities
In case you were interested in more…
- HaMercaz (The Center), the central resource for Jewish families raising a disabled child. HaMercaz connects parents to the programs they need and the services they want. Sponsored by the Los Angeles Jewish Federation, the Bureau of Jewish Education and others.
- Union for Reform Judaism’s Disabilities Resources, including links to other websites of interest.
- Camp Simcha, Family Camp for children with Disabilities
- Bar/Bat Mitzvah with a Child with High Functioning Autism. Next year a child with high functioning autism is supposed to celebrate a bar mitzvah. I have taught him how to read Hebrew, but I need to prepare him for “something” for his bar mitzvah… (from a parent in another synagogue).
- Eight Techniques for Helping Students Succeed. Offer these suggestions to your child’s teacher or principal so your child can better succeed.
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Shma: An Online Journal of Jewish Responsibility, Issue on Jews and Disabilities – December 1999 Edition
Brandon Kaplan Honorary Special Needs Fund
To celebrate the awesome experience when our member Brandon became a Bar Mitzvah, we have established the Brandon Kaplan Honoray Special Needs Fund of Congregation Or Ami. The Fund serves to:
- Train or subsidize teachers/aides to assist such students in educationally-sound ways;
- Support the training of an HUC Education Intern who will have special responsibility within Mishpacha to work with disabled children, families and teachers;
- Develop or expand educational programming experiences for disabled children/families including:
- Support Group for Parents of Children with Disabilities (expand to twice monthly, with facilitation and trained child care)
- Creation of IEP-like Independent Study Plans (which adjust Religious School or Mishpacha goals and/or create new tutoring options)
- Differential Bar/Bat Mitzvah training (to tailor our program to needs of individual disabilities students)
- Disabilities Shabbat (honoring/supporting parents of children with disabilities and highlighting Or Ami’s commitments)
- Provide dues subsidies to such families to make membership attainable, in keeping with Or Ami’s “Open Door” policy (that every Jewish individual/family who so desires may become a member without regards to their ability to pay).