This past Summer, I was honored to have the opportunity to present a workshop for my colleagues called, "What does it mean to be an Inclusive Community? A day of Jewish Special Education Learning". We shared resources, strategies, and stories to empower forty of our colleagues in their work as Jewish Educators. I was pleased that the day was very well received and that the feedback was both wonderfully positive & productively constructive. Little did I know that an off-hand suggestion would be the greatest gift of the day.
As we walked back from lunch, a close colleague said to me, "I have a very good friend named Ellen, and she writes a blog about her son, Max. It's called "Love that Max". You should check it out."
I'll be honest...Summer came & went with vacations, camp, and the typical start-a-new-school-year work, and it wasn't until the holy days were upon us that I finally took the time to read Ellen's blog. And this is the article that was front & center: Love That Max: Why is it so hard to find a place of worship that ...
Some would say it was bashert (Hebrew for meant to be). My heart broke as a I read her words. I wanted scream out that this is exactly what I do, that of course what she wants is possible! I wanted to comment and say, "Come to my place!" I wanted to call all of the synagogues in her area and offer my services as a consultant. And I started thinking that maybe it really was time to start my own blog. Maybe my posting this now is bashert...maybe the right person in the right congregation is reading.So here I am sharing her post because it still gets to me. I am frustrated on her behalf. I am bewildered by how many families are told, "no" by their faith communities. And I am here to help make a difference.
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