1 May 2019

Saturday 11 May will mark the first ever Disability Awareness Shabbat, which is being organised by Jewish Blind & Disabled to coincide with the charity’s 50th anniversary.

It seeks to raise awareness of the challenges and issues that face people who are physically disabled or vision impaired and to start a process of considering what we can all do to help people in this situation become even more actively involved in our communities.

This particular Shabbat was chosen as most synagogues will read Parashat Kedoshim which includes the verses “you shall not place a stumbling block before a blind person” and “you shall love your neighbour as yourself”.

To encourage discussion and thought on these verses, and the general topic of disability, Jewish Blind & Disabled have produced a four page booklet that can be placed on seats for the Shabbat service and/or taken home by members. It

contains a message from Liberal Judaism’s senior rabbi, Rabbi Danny Rich.

Booklets can be posted to communities or picked up from the Montagu Centre. Digital versions are also available. To get yours, please contact Simon on s.rothstein@liberaljudaism.org

Danny says: “Disability Awareness Shabbat is another method of seeking to complete our communities, ensuring nobody is excluded.

“I fully support this fantastic new initiative from Jewish Blind & Disabled, a charity which this year is celebrating 50 wonderful years supporting our community.

“I hope Liberal Jews around the UK and Ireland take time on May 11 to find out more about the work Jewish Blind & Disabled does and all the different ways we can help to, in turn, support them.”

Disability Awareness Shabbat is taking place in synagogues of all denominations and is also supported by the leaders of Orthodox, Masorti and Reform Judaism.