#disabled jews

[magnetothemagnificent]

Shout out to disabled Jews!

Shout out to Jews whose disability impedes them from fasting.

Shout out to Jews who can't eat traditional Jewish foods because of their disability.

Shout out to Jews who rarely attend synagogue because of their disability.

Shout out to Jews who struggle with the Asher Yatzar and Morning Brachot prayers.

Shout out to Jews who can't hear the shofar, Torah, and Megillah being read.

Shout out to Jews who can't read from a typical Siddur, whether due to vision-related disabilities or learning and cognitive disabilities.

Shout out to Jews who can't perform certain Mitzvot because of their disability.

Shout out to Jews who aren't sure if their disability is enough to exempt them from certain Mitzvot.

Shout out to Jews who wish their community was more accessible.

You are valid in your disability and your Jewishness. You are part of the Jewish family and you belong here.

[scrumpster]

Jewish Resources (Assorted)

Since my last post seemed to be helpful to a lot of people, I thought I’d make another to share some additional resources. This list includes a bunch of stuff, meant for Jewish people in general. I would definitely encourage you to explore them! There’s a lot of useful stuff here. Goyim are welcome to reblog, just please be respectful if you’re adding tags or comments. Jewish Multiracial Network, an organization for multiracial Jewish families and Jews of Color Sefaria, a free virtual library of Jewish texts Sephardic Studies Digital Library Museum “The SSDC includes key books, archival documents, and audio recordings that illuminate the history, culture, literature, politics, customs, music, and cuisine of Sephardic Jews all expressed in their own language, Ladino.” (from their website) The SMQN, an organization for LGBTQ+ Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews Keshet, a group for LGBTQ+ Jews JQY, a group for LGBTQ+ Jews with a focus on those in Orthodox communities  Queer Jews of Color Resource List (note: this list is way more than just resources, there’s a LOT there) JQ International: “JQ celebrates the lives of LGBTQ+ Jews and their allies by transforming Jewish communities and ensuring inclusion through community building, educational programs, and support and wellness services, promoting the healthy integration of LGBTQ+ and Jewish identities.” (from their website) Jews of Color Initiative, an organization dedicated to teaching about intersectionality in the Jewish community, focuses on research, philanthropy, field building, and community education Nonbinary Hebrew Project: It’s hard to describe, but they’re working to find/create/add suffixes that represent nonbinary genders in Hebrew. If you speak Hebrew/another gendered language, you might know what I mean about gendered suffixes. Jewish Mysticism Reading List  (These are related to our closed practices, goyim should NOT be practicing these things) Ritualwell (you can find prayers and blessings related to specific things here, I personally like that they have blessings related to gender identity)  Guimel, an LGBTQ+ support group for the Jewish Community in Mexico. The site is in Spanish. I’m not a native speaker, but I was still able to read a little bit of it.  SVARA: “SVARA’s mission is to empower queer and trans people to expand Torah and tradition through the spiritual practice of Talmud study.” (From their website) TransTorah is definitely an older website, but there are still some miscellaneous pdfs and resources up on the “Resources” page. Jewish Disabilities Advocates: “The JFS Jewish Disabilities Advocates program was created to raise awareness and further inclusion of people with disabilities within Jewish organizations and the larger Jewish community.” (from their website) Jewish Food Society (recipes, have not spent a lot of time browsing here but maybe I should in the future) Jewish Blind & Disabled, an organization that operates mainly in providing accessible housing and living. Jewish Braille Institute International: “The JBI Library provides individuals who are blind, visually impaired, physically handicapped or reading disabled with books, magazines and special publications of Jewish and general interest in Audio, Large Print and Braille formats.” (from their website) Their services are free!)

[date-a-jew-suggestions]

I desperately want to convert but I am chronically ill and I am afraid I cannot live up to the standards. I am afraid I can't keep holidays or keep kosher even though I really want to. Do you know if it's possible to be Jewish even if you can't do it all the way? I feel such a strong sense of love and reverence for Judaism and I have felt drawn to it since I was 15(I am 21 now) but I became disabled at 19 and have lost so much in the way of being able to be present or consistent.

Short answer: yes absolutely 100% you can be Jewish, and if it’s something you feel would bring you happiness, you should pursue conversion.

The longer answer is that while our customs and traditions are important, we believe that human life is more important. Part of what that means is that Jewish tradition should not come before your physical OR mental health. If your chronic illness is preventing you from going to synagogue, that is okay. Most synagogues livestream their services now too, which makes it a lot more accessible for some people!! It’s also not the end of the world to miss a service. And having to alter the rules a bit or not keep kosher for health reasons is very common. I know a lot of Jews who just choose not to keep kosher.

My advice would be to talk to the rabbi of the synagogue you decide to join, and ask them what accommodations are available. They should be able to help, and hopefully they can work with you to figure out what would be best for you.

I am physically abled, so there are probably things I’m missing on this post. If any disabled Jews have anything to add, please feel free 💙

[will-o-the-witch]

Alternatives to Fasting for Holidays

People fast for a number of different spiritual reasons. It's a big part of many holidays. That said, many of us have difficult relationships with food or health concerns where we really, really shouldn't go without eating. It's 100% okay to prioritize your health, the point is to be challenging, not harmful, but it can still feel really isolating. We can feel "locked out" of a shared moment.

Oftentimes, fasting is less about the food itself and more about working through the discomfort. It's about becoming aware of our usual privilege, forgoing worldly comforts/pleasures, grounding ourselves, elevating our spirit through these things. Here are some non-food alternatives which can help capture the essence of the fast while prioritizing our health and well-being. Find what works best for you, your needs, and your life.

Technology. No more doom scrolling, no more instant information, no more artificial light, no more constant noise. Unplug everything. Find new ways to fill your time.

Speaking. That includes texting/posting. We don't need to insert our voice into everything. Take time to make yourself listen.

Water for non-hydration. We don't want to dehydrate, but we use so much water for so many other things, and not everybody has the privilege of near-unlimited access.

Extra noise. No music, no instruments, no white noise, no podcasts, etc. How many things do you use to avoid silence in a day?

Tastes. If you want something a little closer to home, see if you can get sustenance for the day with as little personality as possible. We can eat but avoid getting any joy out of the food when others beside us aren't eating at all.

Coziness. Not everyone has access to blankets, couches, bedsheets, hoodies, etc. You could even sleep on the floor instead of your mattress.

Outward expression. If you're usually a bold person, try going a day with no makeup, no statement clothing, no jewelry, nothing we use to project ourselves outward. What happens when we put our ego aside for a moment and navigate JUST as a member of the society around us? (Pairs well with the verbal fast!)

[mental-mona]

This is aimed at Reform synagogues, but 90% of the advice applies to synagogues of ALL denominations.

[returntothewilderness]

On Community Teshuva

This Elul, I would love to see Jewish spaces acknowledge that they have ostracized disabled and chronically ill community members. Teshuva is a vulnerable, often times painful reminder that we do fall short in areas of our lives. No one enjoys being in the wrong, no one wants to admit their actions had consequences that harmed vulnerable people, no one wants to hear that their beliefs are based in bigotry. Yet that’s what teshuva will require of those who want to be better allies to disabled community members.

It begins with a genuine understanding that regardless of how you see yourself, your actions and inactions have directly impacted disabled people around you. It’s acknowledging that accessibility can look completely different from what you expected, and to question biases and frustrations that may come up. It’s holding yourself and those around you accountable for addressing needs, even when you hit roadblocks and want to quit. It’s doing this tzedakah because you know it means the difference between disabled Jews being present and being left behind.

What can Synagogues and organizations do to create community teshuva?

Hold monthly meetings to discuss updates on accessibility and new access needs.

Read books and articles by Disability Justice leaders.

Have periods of time where Tzedakah go towards meeting access needs.

Check-ins on disabled community members who are isolating.

What else do you think Jewish organizations need to do to work on ever present ableism?

[jewish-vents]

being an anti-zionist jew is so exhausting and isolating… i’m always afraid to share my thoughts or have discussions with anyone else in my temple or community as far as i/p is concerned. being trans and disabled already made me the black sheep of my family and community, and my pro-palestinian beliefs really exacerbate that. i just wish it was easier to find more anti-zionist jews, either near me or online (there is no active jvp or if not now organizations near me) ;-; it really really hurts to feel more at home with some goyim than many of my fellow jews. i’m tired of being called “not a real jew” or a “self-hating jew.” i don’t hate myself, and i am incredibly proud of my jewish heritage… i just believe never again means never again and tikkun olam does not mean the ethnic cleansing of the palestinian people.

hi anon, thank you for sending an ask to this blog. I only have one thing to say, please be wary of JVP, they're an antisemitic extremist group cosplaying as a Jewish organisation.

since this is the first ask made by an antizionist jew, I'd like to remind everyone that this blog is a neutral jewish space, therefore both Zionism and Antizionism don't break the blog's rules, as long as they aren't antisemitic or hating on/wishing harm upon an individual or a group. personally attacking anon, especially in the ways they described, will not be tolerated.

[challahbeloved]

to prepare for pesach, is to exhaust all my spoons

[rebelwheelssoapbox]

A Good Jew (a poem)

A Good Jew by Michele Kaplan / Rebelwheels NYC

Pt 1 Wednesday, Los Angeles, white supremacists same old rhetoric spewing, lies antisemitic, oozing, while, Zionist Jews in Israel, play theft again, in Palestine, these, violence unjust and I feel fucked up, unsure, walking this high wire, delicately balancing poorly stacked and trembling plates & china of various sizes pondering what is my place, my lane, my right, my responsibility in this As an activist, a person of Jewish ancestry, this history that I awkwardly dance with awkwardly unsolicited two cents, as people tell me how I should be. If I am to be “a good jew” (if I am not to cause harm) as if speaking out against the occupation, especially during attacks from anti-Semites - causes harm has me questioning if and how and when I should speak? this identity, that I don't  list in my bio, for it would somehow feel fake as if I somehow haven't earned enough points to declare it, and yet whip out strategically, like a card in my wallet when it comes to politics for I know of it's value, of it's weight & and at times privilege Dear Senator, I write to you as a Jewish constituent. It's been decades but I remember going with my mother temple too warm, small child drowsy, rabbi speaking, drones on and on, slow near monotone, and I am, disconnected from the meaning, not understanding, attending out of some weird obligation, expectation that somehow came with my birth, and why? forget that it was often in another language that I did not understand (nor yet appreciate) sometimes I'd drift off day dreaming, mid sermon, of those after service cookies served in the basement that never really felt worth it nor were they ever that good. and yet every Thursday night on repeat I remember, small child, inquisitive, inquiring But if god is everywhere, why do we have to pray in temple? For I was told that good Jews go, that god favors those, who attend but the women in the two back rows, always gossiping I said even if they're not even paying attention? Yes, even if someone prays in the forest sincerely, he is less favored? Yes and it didn't make sense Don't ask so many questions. Why can't you be more like your peers? Who ask nothing (they are good) and although still a child, it all just felt like bullshit that Jewish was just this thing you go along with without really knowing why & so by 13 “I did my time” and got out. L'Chaim. Pt 2 I recall, late teens, paternal, grandparent's Oldsmobile (boxy with no power steering), grandfather (typically passive) parked in the jersey driveway when the Queen Matriarch (my grandmother) turns to me, asking if I was yet dating, and I was, but she said “Well, when you're serious, he'll be Jewish.” For years I'd always inquire “Why?” “It's tradition” without fail she replied “But why is it tradition?” but tradition, presented as infallible and was not to be questioned. (why must you ask so many questions) until one day, 19 years, late teens, backseat. Oldsmobile, boxy with no power steering, in frustration “But why. is it. tradition?!” This expectation to follow without reason And she, rooted in Zionism & trauma (and the intersections of) said OK, you're old enough to know... Spoke of my duty as a “pure blooded” Jewish woman a what? To marry, to mate with a pure blooded Jewish man and your pure blooded – she said again – Jewish children will be part of a collective army, so when – not if but when the next Holocaust comes, this time, we. will. be, ready... Stunned and silent but with the blaring awareness that pure blooded was a term was Hitler had used against us and what the fuck? But at the time I dared not utter a word because she was the queen matriarch, and respect, an elder with a free pass And I dared not utter a word  because the women in my family were raised to be subservient to the men, who were then underfoot to The Queen (this also never made sense) I dared not utter a word because we had led very different lives not that this justified what I was hearing but I, who never had to escape by night, by boat, as a child from Russia so what right did I have to speak my mind? To tell her how to deal with her trauma? (a word that was never used, but influenced most things in my family) I remember at the party DJ playing Hava Nagila (mandatory but welcomed) and everyone danced, loose & drunk-like, floppy though sober but not my grandmother. She, who moved with intention and purpose. With pride like a form of protest. In ways I did not comprehend at 13, why so serious (for no one really talked about the past, and you knew not to ask questions) but in that moment, she danced for all the times in Russia, she and her family could not Their culture, their religion, their existence, persecuted to no end I wish I was told more as a child, so I too would not have taken it for granted. Pt 3 I don't remember ever hearing the word Palestine in Hebrew School. Nor seeing it on the maps they had us color in as kids But as I got older, I learned of it's existence, And the actual history, the hypocrisy, falsely justified as if those who were oppressed, could never become the oppressors. As if our history justified it all – it does not. I saw Zionists twist the term anti-Semite to mean anyone who criticized the occupation, even when valid, watering down the meaning of the word I saw a video of Palestinian people who could not even wave their own flag without persecution. and I could not help but to notice the similarities I saw Zionism exploiting the trauma of the holocaust, perpetually jabbing the wound, insisting “you need this to keep you safe!” but always failing to do so. And when I spoke up, making art and poetry that points this out. I was yelled at, all caps, put down told to not ask so many questions, that I am bad, a self hating Jew but I am not & nor am I alone I've marched with Jewish groups protesting conservative Zionists who had teamed up with white supremacists on the topic of Israel – and what?! I've met Jewish activists in solidarity with Palestine, who cry out “not in my name” taking a stand because “If Not Now, When?” teaching the history of Jewish rebellion & good good trouble I've seen protest signs carried that read “Zionism is not Judaism” (because that needs to be said) I've seen temples, boldly religious but not as in controlling, oppressive - restricted as in joyous, inclusive, ask the questions! as in love, community, as in growth, as in connection, this that was healing this that I wish younger me could have seen because then I would have known there were other people like me because then I could have separated the wisdom from the trauma and acknowledged and learned from both and Jewish would've been in my bio along with Queer and Disabled and writer and nerd and all the things I declare with pride. Monday, New York City, white supremacists same old rhetoric, spewing, lies antisemitic oozing, while Zionist Jews in Israel, play theft again, in Palestine,

may it be known & without apology - these, violence unjust

author’s note: this has been on my mind for awhile. may this poem be as healing to others who don’t quite fit into the mainstream, as it was for me.

[genderdoe-sly]

There is no shame in not fasting for Yom Kippur for medical reasons. It does not make you a bad jewish person. Full stop.

[jakekochina]

Friendly Reminder

[magnetothemagnificent]

What we can learn about disability from the Burning Bush

Hashem speaking to Moshe at the Burning Bush is arguably the turning point of the Exodus story. There are many miracles that take place at the Burning Bush- Hashem turns Moshe's staff into a snake, Hashem gives Moshe's hand Tzara'at and then heals it, and of course the bush itself burns but isn't consumed.

But you know what Hashem doesn't do?

He doesn't "cure" Moshe's disability.

Moshe was disabled. He had a speech impediment, one that prevented him from communicating clearly. When Hashem tells him to go speak to Pharaoh, Moshe says that he can't, that he has a speech impediment and he's afraid Pharaoh, or anyone, won't understand him.

Now, Hashem can do anything.

He just transformed a staff into a snake and then back into a staff again.

He just gave Moshe's hand Tzara'at and then healed it.

He just told Moshe that He can turn the Nile into blood.

But when Moshe protests that he can't fulfill Hashem's mission for him because he's disabled, Hashem doesn't "cure" him.

Quite the opposite.

Hashem tells him:

"מִ֣י שָׂ֣ם פֶּה֮ לָֽאָדָם֒ א֚וֹ מִֽי־יָשׂ֣וּם אִלֵּ֔ם א֣וֹ חֵרֵ֔שׁ א֥וֹ פִקֵּ֖חַ א֣וֹ עִוֵּ֑ר הֲלֹ֥א אָנֹכִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃"

"Who gave humans speech? Or who makes them mute, or deaf, or sighted, or blind? Behold, I, G-d!"

[Shemot 4:11]

Hashem tells him that He made him disabled, just like He makes people abled. He doesn't "cure" Moshe because he doesn't need to be cured.

In fact, Hashem instead tells him that his brother, Aharon, will be his interpretor. Hashem doesn't offer to "cure" Moshe, instead He makes his world more accessible by giving him an interpreter.

And I think we can learn a lot from that.

Hashem made humans have all kinds of diverse body types and abilities. Being disabled isn't a disease, because if it was, Hashem would have "cured" Moshe of it, just like He cured him of the Tzara'at skin affliction. But Moshe didn't need to be "cured" of his disability.

Disabilities don't need to be cured.

[hazel2468]

Look-

Anyone who tries telling you that both parties are the same and there is no point in voting? Has a fucking agenda, and it's a nasty one.

Do the Dems disappoint me? Yes, constantly. Do I have gripes with Biden? 100%.

Do I also recognize that he has GOTTEN SHIT DONE and that those things are like. NOT talked about by people my age because it feels better to be angry and constantly demanding better while being unwilling to put up with Average Joe who is ACTUALLY doing things that progressives have been asking for for AGES (putting caps on medication prices, working to cancel student and medical debt, investing in infrastructure and going after inflation, started working on protecting reproductive rights after Trump put in place the shitty judges who wrecked Roe, is trying to go after how weed is scheduled and pardoned all federal offenses, et-fucking-cetera).

Not only do I actually LIKE some of the shit Biden is doing? If Trump gets back in office? People will die. He and his have been OPEN about the fact that they want to go (somehow) even MORE fascist.

Fucking vote. Anyone telling you not to has your worst interests at heart. Be as pissed off as you want, but fucking VOTE. Because we have a chance of continuing to push a president like Biden towards the change we want to see. We have ZERO chance of that with Trump, or someone like him.

[uncanny-tranny]

At this point, talks about "mutilated bodies" tell me everything I need to know about people's politics. I truly don't believe you can combine the idea of mutilated or degenerate bodies with anything even slightly progressive in terms of autonomy. If you believe yourself to be progressive or anything left of an unapologetic fascist, you frankly cannot truly entertain the idea that some bodies and people are inherently mutilated or degenerate. It is an inherently fascist idea.

[mental-mona]

D’var Torah for Jewish Disabilities, Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month

By Yossi Kahana

Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) is a unified effort among Jewish organizations worldwide to raise awareness and foster inclusion of people with disabilities and those who love them.

JDAAIM is observed each February. But the truth is, while it brings the issues of disability inclusion to the forefront, inclusion is something that we must keep focused on all year long.

In our quest to include every member of our community, we would do well to pay attention to the following ancient examples of accommodation:

The Torah begins by telling us that we are all created in God’s image. If everyone is created in the image of God, then we have the responsibility to make sure that everyone – even if they are differently abled — has equal opportunity to participate and feel accepted.

In the Book of Exodus we read about Moses, our greatest leader and a man with many abilities, and numerous challenges.  We know he had some sort of speech impediment. 

A famous story about Moses is the one with the burning bush.  When asked to lead the Israelites, Moses initially objects, saying, you got the wrong guy!  He is “heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue”— a phrase that has led many rabbinic interpreters to assume that he spoke with a stutter or lisp. In response, God affirms Moses’ many capabilities and notes that his brother, Aaron, can offer any support that Moses needs to fulfill his responsibilities.

The message is clear: Moses did not seek a miracle, a distraction from his true predicament. He dug his heels into the reality he occupied, and presented himself honestly to God. “I am heavy of mouth and tongue.” Perhaps, he speaks on behalf of every man or woman who possesses a disability. “These are the facts; we have everything to give—if society can learn to move past nature’s constraints and facilitate our abilities.”

Throughout the year we see an emphasis on inclusion.

We begin the Passover Seder by opening a door, ha lachma anya, or inviting in the hungry, the needy, and the enslaved. We offer the matzah as part of that welcome—it is a beautiful message offered freely and inclusive to all. We read about the four sons, each representing a different type, a cross section of the Jewish nation. What links the four together, despite their very different personalities and levels of observance, is the fact that they are all an intrinsic part of the Jewish people. During Passover, we celebrate with them, as they collectively join us at the Seder table.

At Shavuot when God gave the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai before the nation: It didn’t matter if a person was young or old, male or female, abled or disabled. Mt. Sinai was and is for everyone, and if one member of the Jewish nation would not have been present at Mt. Sinai, the Torah would not have been given.

During Sukkot, we celebrate this unity in an even more concrete way, as we join together joyously in Sukkahs, which include and embrace Jews of every kind, and perform the mitzvah of the Four Kinds (lulav and etrog), symbolizing the fact that despite differences in Torah knowledge and observance, we are all bound together by our souls’ Jewish identity and core connection to G‑d.

Finally, we arrive at Shemini Atzeret. On this day, we express Jewish unity not in a passive sense (standing together in prayer) or even a symbolic sense (shaking a lulav); we demonstrate it through an experiential, concrete act that encompasses our entire being, from our head to our feet. We do it through the act of dancing, and more specifically, dancing in a circular formation, as is customary in Jewish tradition.

The inclusion of all Jews is the backbone of a flourishing Jewish community, and in the spirit of Jewish unity that the holiday of Shemini Atzeret so embodies, it is a ripe opportunity to shine a light on the importance of ensuring that every Jew, including those with disabilities, feels welcome in the festivities of the holiday.

So let’s ensure that every Jew feels welcome and included in the celebration of our most precious gift: our connection to God, to the Torah, and to the entire Jewish nation.

Yossi Kahana is the director of Jewish National Fund’s Task Force on Disabilities, an umbrella and coordinating body for the various JNF programs and partners for people with disabilities in Israel.

[returntothewilderness]

i listened in on an online sermon this shabbat and resonated with the idea that it’s not on one person singularly to enter a community. the community needs to be receptive and welcoming to foster new connections, to care for people beyond immediate networks. to be like abraham & sarah, inviting the hungry into their home for dinner, never once considering it an interruption to their prayers.

but then, i was disappointed with the end of the sermon. after all this talk about fostering welcoming environments and reaching out to do the work to make people feel part of the community, they took an ableist turn. they said that there’s a magic to being together in person that cannot be replaced by screens and that if you can’t make it that’s fine, But that’s not where the magic of connection happens.

i was glad to see *some* people masked in the livestream, but is that where the work of being welcoming ends? why would someone so focused on discussing community and how the shul could be better about it turn around and be so cold to disabled, chronically ill, and immunocompromised people who cannot be “in the magic”? can you even call it magic at that point? the magic of connection, in religious and secular environments, cannot fully exist until everyone is included in that definition. if people joining through zoom aren’t experiencing the full impact, why is that? how can you incorporate that into your overall goal of being welcome? why is this concept of magic so limited in scope? how can we collectively push past abelist ideas of what creates a spiritual space and connection?

most people live by these abelist ideas that make full accessibility seem like “too much work” or “ruining the spirit of togetherness” (think: companies wanting employees in office for “morale” when there’s a pandemic). i wish these self-proclaimed progressive people and spaces would stop and consider how much magic they’re lacking by not opening their minds and expanding their idea of what community looks like. how much more liberating, caring, and compassionate torah could exist if we abided by our alleged morals. how can someone invoke the act of sarah and abraham stopping their dinner prayers to let someone they didn’t know join them for dinner because they were hungry, when they themselves turn away those who don’t show up in a way ideal to them? are you as righteous and kind as sarah and abraham if your disabled congregants aren’t Able to be present at your dinner table? hungry for connection, exhausted from living in a world made without them in mind, looking for a spiritual home to feel seen and included in everything they are embodying? absolutely not. you’re not even close to the basic act of human dignity the ancestors showed to their guest.

would sarah and abraham have shut the door if the hungry man couldn’t walk, see, hear, eat certain foods, talk, or communicate in ways they were used to? i like to think that would have made no difference. that man would have always been present at the table. so why are you shutting the door on disabled congregants? we need to move beyond inspirational words and do more tangible work to make this full table, full of magic and accessibility, actually happen.