For eighteen years, Jewish Learning Venture has enabled Jewish communities to provide access to the full range of Jewish experience to individuals with special needs and their families. With Whole Community Inclusion, we prepare Jewish professional and volunteer leaders to embrace people of all abilities.
meet regularly to share their inclusion best practices in the Jewish Special Needs/Disability Inclusion Consortium of Greater Philadelphia
are supported by JLV
synagogues received consulting services provided by Jewish Learning Venture customized to make their educational programs more inclusive of special needs
February is Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM)!
participated in JDAIM Shabbat Across Philadelphia, reaching 1,500 members in its 3rd year, JDAIM Shabbat more than doubled in size!
were distributed locally and nationally to help children of all ages learn about disability and inclusion
111 people attended our second Mapping for Accessibility event, empowering members of the community to support individuals with disabilities, using
“As parents of a child who is easily over-stimulated, it means so much to me and my husband to have sensory-friendly programming to bring him to."
“You gave us so much insight into each of our personal learning and teaching styles, as well as what we can do better as an institution. I know we will be able to reach more students because of it!"
“TAP has changed how I view people with disabilities immensely…and how I view people and situations as a whole."
“The workshop made me think about the actual seder that I have and how we can better engage my son with special needs. I realized that we need to engage him as much as possible so he feels like he's truly a part of the seder."
“The training gave me tools for reframing learning challenges and also concrete takeaways to use with my students. I will now make space and time to engage parents on through the B'nai Mitzvah process."
“As both an agency professional and the chair of a local synagogue Inclusion committee, I have found belonging to the JLV Consortium invaluable. The connections I have made strengthen my work, focus my thinking, and help to bring all of us working in this arena closer together."
“Working with people who are different from me has helped me harness a great deal of empathy."
have been trained to support and advocate for students with disabilities in the Reta Emerson Fellowship/Teen Assistant Program since its launch in 2004
After launching B'nai Mitzvah Tutor Training two years ago – the first in North America – we have trained tutors from more than
participated in 8 sensory-friendly Jewish programs
taught parents to adapt Jewish rituals for their children's specific needs
participated in seminars or received personal consultations to connect with community resources and learn to serve as home-based Jewish educators for their own children
