Celebrating a bar or bat mitzvah is an exciting time for 12- and 13-year-old Jewish children — a tradition which marks their transition into adulthood. However, for children with special needs and disabilities, this rite of passage can pose unique challenges.
This is why the Masorti Conservative Movement in Israel has a dedicated program, called Adraba, to ensure all Jewish children can participate in this milestone.
“Every person is made in the image of G-d and every Jewish person deserves the opportunity to be called to the Torah and have a bar or bat mitzvah,” said Rakefet Ginsberg, Masorti Movement’s CEO.
Adraba is the only national initiative in Israel that helps children with special needs from all denominations — from secular to Orthodox — study for and celebrate their b’nai mitzvot.
“Having these children and their families take part in an egalitarian inclusive service, that almost every Jewish child in Israel has the ability to do, is crucial,” continued Ginsberg.
For the last 30 years, the Adraba program has pioneered the use of alternative communication devices, cognitive accessibility tools and communication symbols for teaching Jewish subjects. Guy, last name withheld for privacy, celebrated his bar mitzvah with the aid of a technological device that translated his eye movements into words.
“[Guy] was born with a complex and severe mental disability. [During his bar mitzvah] I had the privilege of watching my son pray and experience the whole room waiting in silence while the machine read what my son was saying with his eyes,” said Guy’s father. “That’s when I understood that this program is not just about religion, it’s also about the core principles of Judaism: acceptance, human dignity, and derech eretz (ethical behavior).”
This year, 100 students with differing abilities in the Masorti Movement’s program will have their b'nai mitzvot.
"As a secular person, I was wonderfully taken by Masorti,” said the parent of Aviva, names were withheld and changed for anonymity. “The very idea of making Judaism accessible to all and in such an egalitarian and inclusive way, opens my heart immensely."
Many of the program’s participating families did not believe this foundational Jewish experience of a bar or bat mitzvah was possible for their children due to various systemic accessibility issues. And for parents, like Shira’s – last name omitted for privacy, the Masorti Movement has provided their children and their families with a memory that will forever be treasured.
“We are happy that Shira’s brothers were able to see her on her special day, like any other bat mitzvah girl,” said Shira’s parents. “Her grandparents still speak about how special it was to meet Shira’s needs."
In addition to Adraba, the Masorti Movement offers various initiatives aimed at fostering Jewish life through an Egalitarian lens: community-building events, educational programs, and religious services for families and individuals, including at the Western Wall.
Helping these efforts is the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, which allocated $60,000 to the Masorti Movement over the past three years, as part of its broader commitment to promote Jewish pluralism and expressionism.
“I want to thank the Jewish Federation for supporting our projects and programs,” said Ginsberg. “It is essential for our work here, and essential to bring egalitarian, traditional Judaism to Israelis around the country.”
Through partnerships with organizations of different denominations in Israel, the Jewish Federation strives to create an Israel where every individual is respected, valued, and given the tools to succeed and connect with their Judaism.
“Our commitment to funding organizations, like the Masorti Movement, reflects our dedication to uplifting the multitude of ways people can cultivate their Jewish identity,” said Dr. Kelly Romirowsky, the Jewish Federation’s chief strategy and impact officer. “We strive to ensure that programs are open to all, allowing every member of our diverse community to fully participate and build their Jewish identity regardless of background or ability.”
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Since 1901, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has mobilized resources to support the community’s most pressing needs to Care for Those in Need Locally, Support Israel and Global Jewry, and Secure a Vibrant Jewish Future. Visit jewishphilly.org/impact to learn more about the work of the Jewish Federation.