DR. ROBERTA LOUIS GOODMAN, RESEARCH CONSULTANT ED FRIM, INCLUSION SPECIALIST CONSULTANT 1 Chicago Synagogue Inclusion Project Inclusion of People with Disabilities 2015 FUNDED BY THE JUF BREAKTHROUGH FUND

“WE ARE ALL ONLY TEMPORARILY ABLE-BODIED AND ABLE-MINDED.” PERSON IN A HOUSEHOLD OF AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY “PEOPLE [WITH DISABILITIES] NEED TO BE ‘PART OF’ AND ‘NOT APART FROM.’” ALLAN BERGMAN 2 Synagogue Inclusion

20% OF PEOPLE (AND JEWS) HAVE A DISABILITY. THE MAJORITY OF JEWS WITH DISABILITIES DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN SYNAGOGUE LIFE. This project was conducted to answer key questions about barriers to synagogue participation for individuals with disabilities and their families. The data collected provided insights on what is needed to make synagogues more inclusive. 3 Purpose: Why was this project and research conducted?

TWO SURVEYS WERE DISTRIBUTED ELECTRONICALLY – ONE TO HOUSEHOLDS THROUGHOUT CHICAGOLAND AND THE OTHER TO 117 SYNAGOGUES FOCUS GROUPS WERE CONDUCTED FOR: SYNAGOGUE LAY AND PROFESSIONAL LEADERS, SYNAGOGUE MEMBERS, OTHER JEWISH ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP, AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES 4 What Did We Do?

1500 household respondents 56% were synagogue members 30% of households had a person with a disability 50 synagogues responded to the survey, 8 were Orthodox -synagogues identify children and the elderly with physical disabilities as people they want to help -among the households reporting a disability, half were age 23 – 64. (Synagogues prioritize those under 18 and the elderly) 5 Respondent Highlights *These demographics represent Jewish households. One person who considers him/herself to be Jewish constitutes a Jewish household.

#1 Households touched by a disability report feeling invisible, left out or perceived as disruptive #2 Congregations don’t know who has disabilities #3 Perceptions of a congregation’s inclusion efforts impacts membership decisions #4 Synagogue leaders rate inclusion efforts higher than household respondents #5 Synagogues are inconsistent in their approach and ability to be inclusive #6 Momentum exists for synagogues to move inclusion efforts forward 6 Key Findings *Synagogue and Congregation are used interchangeably

Finding #1: Households touched by a disability report feeling invisible, left out or perceived as disruptive “Our congregation has been wonderful to us. Our daughter has been welcomed, but it’s the work of a [single individual] who really makes things happen. Now that our daughter is over 18, there’s no programming for her. Very sad.” Synagogue member 61 households had a young adult with an intellectual/ developmental disability 7

“If we know who we know, there is an exponential number that we don’t know.” Synagogue professional [Challenge is…] “not knowing enough about individuals with special needs, as well as appropriate accommodations/modifications.” Individual with household member with a disability “One of the interesting questions that has come up in our discussions is whether we proactively do something even if we don’t know of a congregant who needs it.” Synagogue leader “We run into children with learning issues. Some parents don’t want to disclose because synagogue is the only place child can feel ‘normal.” Synagogue professional 8 Finding #2: Congregations don’t know who has disabilities

Finding #3 Perceptions of inclusion impacts synagogue membership Holds true for members, non-members, those without a disability and even more so for those with a disability 53% Somewhat/very positively influence decision to remain a member Members 60% Somewhat/very positively influence decision about synagogue membership Non- Members 9

Finding #4 Synagogue leaders rate inclusion efforts higher than household respondents 10 My synagogue does a good job of… % difference between synagogue members who mentioned a disability and synagogue leadership involving people with social, emotional, mental health needs -11 involving adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities -17 supporting children’s learning needs -21 accessibility bar/bat mitzvah experience -22 involving children with intellectual, developmental disabilities and their families -22

Approaches to inclusion vary from synagogue to synagogue Not all congregations are ADA compliant Frequent barriers to efforts include physical facilities, resources (human and financial) and synagogue capacity Congregations differ in their knowledge and use of local and national resources Less than 25% of congregations have an inclusion committee or work with other congregations Religious/Hebrew schools vary in the resources they have to support inclusion; overall they have more resources than congregationally based early childhood schools 11 Finding #5 Synagogues are inconsistent in their approach and ability to be inclusive

Synagogue leaders are interested in strengthening inclusion efforts, moving forward on a congregational level and in some cases, regionally or city-wide. “This is a high priority for us. It’s important to us to have an expert help us assess what we are doing well, what we’re doing poorly, and how we can improve.” 12 Finding #6 Momentum exists for synagogues to move inclusion efforts forward

REFORM, CONSERVATIVE, INDEPENDENT SYNAGOGUE PRIORITIES Creating a culture of inclusion (55%) Education for all congregants, training for teachers and staff Focus on families with children 0-18 and people with physical disabilities ORTHODOX/CHABAD SYNAGOGUE PRIORITIES Making day school accessible to all Knowledge of/access to resources and expertise and program models Focus on individuals with physical disabilities and young adults with intellectual/development or social/emotional/mental health disabilities 13 Denominations vary on how to move forward

FOSTER A CULTURE OF INCLUSION #1 Provide education/training for members, staff and lay leadership #2 Identify inclusion “champions” (in addition to parents of children with disabilities) and involve more self advocates – people with disabilities 14 Recommendations

NURTURE COLLABORATION #3 Create/Support regional collaboration among synagogues #4 Coordinate efforts to bring together professionals with similar inclusion roles, particularly congregational schools 15 Recommendations

RESOURCES #5 Increase awareness and use of outside resources, local and national #6 Develop new staff positions in Religious/Hebrew school and Early Childhood Education #7 Provide expertise to help synagogues plan for and secure resources to increase physical accessibility 16 Recommendations