Circles of Support
Most of us have several circles of support we have built our entire lives. While individuals with disabilities may have well-established circles of support among family and service providers, their circles of support among friends and within the greater community are often less robust. For this reason, JFS Jewish Disabilities Advocates and our JDA Partner Organizations will focus on Circles of Support throughout 2024. Our goal is to provide avenues to support individuals with disabilities and their caregivers.
Circles of Support Handout describes how our Jewish organizations can become a strong Circle of Support for individuals with disabilities and caregivers.
Lesson plans for youth and teens. These lesson plans focus on the importance of social connection, especially for students with disabilities who may feel isolated and alone, and how build support among peers.
JDAIM Community Learning Event
The JFS Jewish Disabilities Advocates Collaborative was thrilled to welcome Rabbi Julia Watts Belser as we kicked off Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) on February 1. Rabbi Belser spoke with us about disability wisdom; creating communities of familiarity, interdependence, and care; and dismantling ableism. Following our discussion with Rabbi Belser, we entered breakout rooms to exchange ideas, lessons, and strategies for supporting individuals with disabilities in our organizations and across our community.
View the recording of our discussion with Rabbi Belser and breakout sessions about accessibility, community care, and advocacy.
This Purim Handout describes how communities can create a brave space for members to reveal challenges, how to make asking for support a community norm, and how to organize ways to offer support. A Purim Matching Game allows children and families to explore similar ideas.
This Passover handout encourages us to create caring and supportive spaces so that individuals with disabilities and caregivers have the freedom to enter community as their authentic selves. It also provides several suggestions for hosting an accessible Passover Seder.
An Adult Bookmark offers specific suggestions for supporting individuals with disabilities and caregivers, who frequently struggle to get the support they need.
A Family Bookmark offers four ways kids can support their peers with disabilities, who may not have strong support from the community, classmates, or friends.
This High Holy Days handout provides guiding questions to reflect on the support we would like in the new year, as well as the support we might offer or seek within our Jewish communities.