Adapting Podcast: Creating Meaningful Experiences for Every Child—B-Mitzvah and Beyond
Listen on Apple or Spotify! The B-Mitzvah is a defining milestone in American Jewish life, and offers a powerful lens into how Jewish communal spaces can foster inclusion and belonging. In light of their new book, A Different Spirit: Creating Meaningful B’nai Mitzvah for Children With Disabilities
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The B-Mitzvah is a defining milestone in American Jewish life, and offers a powerful lens into how Jewish communal spaces can foster inclusion and belonging.
In light of their new book, A Different Spirit: Creating Meaningful B’nai Mitzvah for Children With Disabilities, Howard Blas and Ilana Trachtman join Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath in conversation about what it means to build truly inclusive Jewish experiences. Together, they explore how clergy and families can create meaningful B-Mitzvah celebrations for children with disabilities, and more broadly, what it takes to ensure that every individual feels a sense of belonging in Jewish spaces, from synagogue life to summer camp to Israel experiences with peers.
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Resources to recognize and celebrate Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month.
Mayim, our initial example of "Additional" Models, could be placed in a Multi-aged, Project-Based Learning, or Experiential Learning bucket. Mayim is a K-5 learning community in which depth of relationships and depth of learning are intentionally fostered and visible everywhere.
Temple Israel Center, White Plains, NY. In Havurat Torah each semester teens choose one va’adot (action committee), identify a real-life challenge, and build a project-based learning initiative around it.
Congregation Kol Ami White Plains, NY. Mesorah (tradition) is a choice-based model for 7th-12th graders that includes CORE learning and hands-on, experiential, project-based learning electives.
A conversation on bringing Chanukah to life through imaginative play.
Mayim offers experiential and project-based Jewish learning and community-building for children in grades K-5. Their commitment to project-based learning places the student at the center of the learning, with the teacher acting as a facilitator ( Design Principle 6). Project-based learning also