Disability Awareness & Advocacy

Silhouettes of diverse people in front of a colorful cityscape with rainbow arcs overhead.

Too many groups and individuals have historically been marginalized in Jewish spaces, including people with disabilities. We know that 1 in 4 people have a disability and while our Jewish community has made great strides in disability awareness, acceptance and inclusion, there is much work to do around access, reducing stigma and full belonging. We hold that communities must do more than welcome; they must be open to true transformation.

Latest Rituals

“those who dance as they hold as they dance through all life; those who reach up from a wheelchair; out from a walker; or wobbling, out from a cane.”
Close-up of a Torah scroll with Hebrew text and a yad (pointer) following the lines.
A ritual of grief, rage, and sacred transformation for when a disability progresses
Watercolor illustration of dandelions blowing seeds in the wind over green grass and a blue sky background.
This releasing hametz ritual is for disabled Jews, chronically ill Jews, Unhoused Jews and anyone whose body or circumstances make traditional Pesakh preparation.inaccessible.
Close-up of a burning candle, with melted wax dripping, against a dark background.
This ritual creates an accessible mikveh experience for home-bound people.
Minimalist bathroom with a white freestanding bathtub, wooden caddy, towels, and large frosted windows.
“Then how Aaron cradles the blossom for you…”
Close-up of a white strawberry blossom with a yellow center next to a green bud, set against a blurred background.
A reinterpretation of the mikvah ritual to perform when full immersion is not possible.
A person holding their hands in water.
“whether we sit, rise, bow, or sway, the Divine perceives the murmurs of our hearts”
Circular stained glass window with a blue Star of David, set in a brick wall.
Joanie Calem shares music about disability inclusion.
an image of people with disabilities and non-disabled people enjoying a park
Rabbi Emily Aronson created this powerful new blessing based on Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Benediction.
image of people including someone using a wheelchair on a rainbow
This blessing honors the soul present inside every human.
People gather around a boy holding a Torah scroll, engaged in a joyful interaction.

The Reconstructionist Network

Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement

Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis

Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues

Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives

Discover how Jewish folklore and personal memory can spark new poetry—join this creative immersion with poet Susan Comninos. 

Give voice to your own stories through the timeless power of myth and writing.

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The Reconstructionist Network