JDAIM: Disability Education is Year Long

Many Jewish spaces are not “doing” JDAIM (Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month) the right way. They think, “oh, let’s hold an event in February and that will be that”. But that’s not enough, JDAIM is the start, not the end. While this month brings disability, inclusion, and neurodiversity to the forefront, it often fades away. JDAIM is supposed to open the conversation, prompting communities to reflect on their culture vis-a-vis disability. If you are a person or a community trying to do JDAIM better this year, let me take you through the questions I think you should ask yourselves this month.

Is Empathy at the Heart of What We/I Do?

At its heart, I believe all disability work starts with empathy. Many well-meaning people sometimes misunderstand the severity of a situation that I am in. They ask – “Is it really that hard?” or “Are you sure you can’t push through it?” 

I think of a story from a few years ago when, despite my objections, my mom pressured me into attending a Grateful Dead cover concert. I was adamant that I would experience a sensory overload. She insisted that since it was outside, it shouldn’t be an issue; plus, I could always leave. She was wrong, of course. Not only did the noise affect me but so did the interesting smell of the marijuana the concertgoers were smoking. I wish in this case she had stood in my shoes and looked at the situation from my perspective. 

Situations like this rarely occur between the two of us but we are prone to slip-ups. Therefore, building up characters of empathy to avoid situations like this is critical. That’s why February is just the tip of the iceberg. We’ve got to work on this year-round. This story happened in June, and afterwards, my mom had to work on her empathy. 

Building such empathy starts with active listening. It’s about “imposing” yourself in the opposing situation, and yet, at the same time, recognizing you cannot fully comprehend what the other person is going through. Through this exercise, you become more open to changing your response. If my mom had recognized this in the previous story, that the concert was not the right fit for me, and pressured me into this situation which would inevitably end poorly, this crisis could have been averted. 

Are We/Am I Prepared to be Dynamically Inclusive in All Situations? 

When empathy is at the heart of how we move, we then look to develop dynamic spaces that adapt and change to each individual. Noticing, off the bat, that inclusion is individualized, that what works for one will not necessarily work for all, is crucial. Then one should look both at individual and communal strengths and weaknesses, utilizing the former and addressing the latter. From there it is time to develop methodology to address challenges, both long-term and short-term.

For long-term challenges we have time to deliberate. Take, for example, a student who needs academic support. We can look at what has and hasn’t worked for that student and students like them in the past. If they are a visual learner, we adapt their study materials accordingly. When doing this, recognizing institutional or individual constraints is an important step – are they necessary, or do we have the ability to push beyond them?

We don’t have that luxury for short-term problems. This could be an “in the moment’ concern – such as a student having a sensory overload for the first time. We want them to successfully and safely return to class; so, while in the future, we can develop strategies, for now we need to address their present needs. This relies on the quick wit and knowledge of an individual. Perhaps the student could be brought to a quiet place or a school counselor could walk them through breathing exercises. 

Other short-term problems are “one or done”. If you are planning a Shabbaton and you are going to bring in a musical act for Motzei Shabbat (Saturday Night), you have one shot to get this right. So thinking about the situation, you could provide earplugs or a quiet corner in the room to participants, and you could emphasize that this musical act is optional, so no one feels pressured to be put in a difficult situation. You have time to plan, but little room to pivot, thinking through every scenario, and leaving breathing room for the inevitable challenges that will come up in the moment is critical.

Do We/I Reflect on our/my Awareness and Acceptance?

Inclusion cannot come without awareness. This includes both disability education and self-advocacy. This isn’t something to consider once in a while, but should be a constant presence. To do this, go above the bare minimum. Bringing in a presenter like me who tries their best to give an introduction of the most important considerations is a start. But I can’t cover it all. In fact, even as an “expert” I am constantly learning more about the field and my own needs. Constant reexamination and recalibration is critical. This brings us back to listening, not just to the people we are trying to help, but from the field as a whole. I’ve encountered experienced educators who are shocked to learn how ableism has adapted to influence their students. Even the most seasoned professionals must stay attuned to these dynamic circumstances.

This culminates with acceptance, a lofty goal, quixotic even as we are all victim to our own biases and constraints. So while we may never fully live up to true acceptance, it should be the goal we chase anyway. JDAIM, therefore is a good way to reorient ourselves towards acceptance. We may fall into the trap of routine, not recognizing the true impact that our action or inaction has. Reminding ourselves of the power of acceptance, what its presence or absence can mean for people can inspire us to do better.

In that spirit, let’s make this JDAIM not the end but the beginning of a new chapter. And hey, as a bonus, if you’ve read this blog in JDAIM 2026 and book me for a speaking event (not in February) using Promo Code: Blog26, you get 26% off! Thanks!