Committee on Inclusion and Disabilities

COMMITTEE ON INCLUSION AND DISABILITIES

Al tifrosh min hatzibur (Do not distance yourself from the community)
--Pirkei Avot

Federation’s Committee on Inclusion and Disabilities (CID), Co-Chaired by Razi Zarchy and Susan Abrams, meets regularly to improve awareness and develop outreach strategies related to those in the Jewish community with disabilities. CID came together as a grass roots effort to celebrate Jewish Disabilities Awareness Month (JDAM). Since the February 2011 JDAM weekend, this committee has continued to pursue their dedication to work toward disability awareness and inclusion in the Sacramento Jewish community.

Our Committee is composed of individuals with a wide range of experience working with disability issues, including parents/family members, professionals who work with the disability community, and advocates.

Mission

To promote positive attitudes and support tangible activities leading to more inclusive Jewish communities throughout our regions -- communities where people with disabilities/special needs, and their families, are welcomed and encouraged to fully participate in Jewish educational, spiritual, communal, family, social, and recreational activities.

Four Key Elements of Inclusion*

Inclusion represents a continuum of services and settings appropriate to the needs of the individual which enable that individual tobenefit from and find satisfaction in his/her meaningful participation in the Jewish community. The four key elements of an inclusive Jewish community are:

Accessibility— Ensuring that people with disabilities can access Jewish institutions in our communities and all of the activities held within them.
Acceptance— Understanding that each one of us has a role to play so that all people are welcome and can participate in meaningful ways.
Accommodation— Adapting and modifying the environment or programming to allow people with disabilities to actively participate.
Welcoming— Treating people with disabilities and their families with respect and dignity and celebrating diversity while creating a sense of unity within the Jewish community.

CID continues to promote inclusion each Febraury through Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) awareness and activities throughout our region, in partnership with area congregations and Jewish organizations.

*As approved by Jewish Federations of North America Human Services & Public Policy Disability Committee, April 18, 2013.

The Jewish Federation’s Committee on Inclusion and Disabilities (CID) improves awareness, support, outreach, and inclusion of people with disabilities in the Jewish community. One of CID’s goals is to establish a Resource and Referral Network to provide information or support in specific areas. This database of individuals, family members, professionals, and organizations will support Jewish individuals, families, and organizations in our region. Please become a Resource in our community! For more information, click on the button above.

Resource & Referral Network

In partnership with the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region, the Committee on Inclusion and Disabilities includes a CID Resource & Referral Network. The R&R Network is a data-based resource network to promote information, resource-sharing, support, and connections among Jewish individuals, families, and organizations in our region interested in disability-related issues and inclusive Jewish practices. This database of individuals, family members, professionals, and organizations will support Jewish individuals, families, and organizations in our region. Please become a Resource in our community!