Linda Zimmerman, Executive Director of The Amit Program shared a wonderful article from Exceptional Parent Magazine. The article shares wisdom from an amazing group of leaders in Jewish Special Education.

The article titled: Programs of Acceptance and Inclusion In The Jewish Faith begins with a quote from a Jewish teacher who lived during the 1st century B.C.E., Hillel. The quote says:

If I am not for myself, who is for me?

If I am for myself, what am I?

If not now, when?

Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Fathers)

The authors of the article go on to look at the need to provide inclusive Jewish education through the lens of the quote. The article is a wonderful resource for parents who have questions about including their children with disabilities.

The article is Co-written by:

Shelley Christensen
Dr. Sara Rubinow Simon
Debbie Gettes
Linda Zimmerman
and Arlene Remz (Check out the links!)

The article offers the perspectives of five women who are in the forefront as leaders in the field of Jewish Special Education. The collected wisdom in the article is invaluable,

A big THANK YOU to Linda for sharing the article! I hope readers gain insight and food for the journey.

All of our traditions call us to The Golden Rule.

People from all over the religious spectrum and all over the world have come together to draft The Charter for Compassion. Read more about it and get involved here.

What are you thoughts as you read about the project and watch the videos?

Reading and then meeting Dr. Nancy Eiesland brought about a transformation of thought and a transformation of possibility for me. She was a wonderful mentor, conversation partner, and friend. I am most grateful for her prophetic advocacy in the classroom, from the pulpit and in the larger world. She was capable of painting a picture of the already and the not quite yet for people with disabilities with equal measure of hope, grace and urgency. She did not shy away from inviting G-d into the fray or to request an account of the church’s failure to respond to the gifts and the needs of people with disabilities.

(Ret.) Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaks about the concept of ubuntu. Watch Tutu speak about ubuntu:

I understand ubuntu because of Dr. Eiesland. I would not be who I am apart from her contributions as teacher, writer, mentor, and friend. I assume that many people who met, heard and interacted with Nancy felt similarly.

Nancy’s books The Disabled God and Human Disability and The Service of G-d (Edited with Don Saliers) provide some of the most well conceived scholarship at the intersection of theology and disability even though it has been more than a decade since their publication.

Nancy will missed, but she leaves a hundreds of students and friends who will work to carry on the conversation in her absence.

Nancy’s words, deeds and friendship transformed the world for people like me, who were privileged to spend time with her. I ask that I may be an agent of that continued transformation so that Nancy’s legacy might live many years past her time here on Earth.

Nancy’s husband Terry and her daughter will remain in my prayers.

If you would like to attend a memorial service in honor of Dr. Eiesland there will be one held in the Cannon Chapel at Emory University on Sunday, March 22, 2009 at 2 PM.

Links to other pieces written about Nancy:

Update: A memorial to Dr. Eiesland from the Emory Wheel, Emory’s student newspaper

Update: A link to a nice memorial from the New York Times

â??My son is very fond of his junior church leader and she has done loads of little things to keep him included. Even though some of them donâ??t work, I am really heartened by her willingness to be creative and think of my son and want him to be happy in the group and to be able to contribute. He often is offered a musical instrument and is the person she asks to draw the curtains and switch off the lights. She accepts a certain level of noise from him and encourages me to contribute to the group overall. He often starts his prayers at night with thanking God for her. â?¦.It is helpful to have people who are willing to learn and understand and treat us both like human beings with feelings. Someone asked me for what they could do to make it easier for him when we went for a picnic together, and that individual approach really
helps.�

This is an example of one of the many quotes offered by people who live on the autism spectrum and their family members in Welcoming Those with Autism and Aspberger Syndrome In Our Churches And Communities. The document was published by the Anglican Diocese of Oxford.

One of the things that impresses me most about the document is the multiplicity of ways that the voices of people living on the Autism Spectrum show up in the document.

Please download the document and review it. I believe it presents may helpful tips for welcoming people on the Autism Spectrum and their families. Tips like:

The Order of service â?? really clear instructions for us e.g. where to sit, when to stand and sit, what to say at each point? Either write it down, or get someone to be with us to quietly say what to do, please. (This also helps those new to church). Different colour paper may help some to read service sheets, e.g. light blue paper rather than white.

What do you think?