The Union for Reform Judaism is committed to improving learning opportunities for all Jews. Below you will find resources concerning special needs from the URJ, as well as links to outside resources.
Dear Shana
Special Needs
Dr. Shana Erenberg*, special needs expert and consultant, has provided answers to the following questions posed by educators.
Converting Mitkadem to Braille We have a third grader who has been blind since he was nine months old and is fluent in English language Braille. The school is introducing Hebrew with the Mitkadem curriculum. Any ideas on how we could convert the curriculum into Braille so he can read it?
Learning Resources for the Blind I am writing this for someone who is converting at a Reform congregation. She is 41 years old and has multiple disabilities, including pseudotumor cerebri, which has taken a lot of her sight away from her. She wants to know if there is somewhere she can get a “talking Torah”...
Autistic Student in a Religious School Environment I have a child with autism in the school. I understand that these children need routines and consistency very much, but our schedule changes all the time...
Parent Communication Our school is committed to giving every child a Jewish education and making them a welcome and important part of our synagogue community. However, I find my biggest frustration is communicating this to parents and having them cooperate by sharing information about their child with the school...
Special Needs Assistants and Synagogue Liability We have a family that recently joined our congregation with a special needs student. They are asking for a one on one assistant to be with their son. We would like to help the family and I have a college student willing to assist, but I am concerned about liability and the need for a policy. Can you help?
Special Needs Bar Mitzvah Next year a child with high functioning autism is supposed to celebrate a bar mitzvah. I have taught him how to read Hebrew, but I need to prepare him for "something" for his bar mitzvah...
Early Childhood Intervention I have a new child in my early childhood program whom I think would benefit from professional observation and potentially early intervention services...
CHAI Curriculum Techniques for Helping Students Succeed This helpful resource includes tips for modifying your class to meet the special needs of your students to enable them all to succeed.
*Shana Erenberg, Ph.D.received her doctorate from Northwestern University. For 20 years, she served as the founding director of the Keshet Sunday School for students with disabilities in Northbrook, IL and is currently the Chairman of the Department of Education at Hebrew Theological College in Chicago. She also has a private practice and serves as a consultant.
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