Striving to remove barriers that prevent us from building Vibrant, Diverse, Inclusive, Accessible Communities!
The article reports a clear finding: a new study by the disability-inclusion nonprofit Matan — released on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities — shows that Jewish organizations are **lagging behind** secular ones on access. The study calls the gap “very solvable,” yet warns that failure to act continues to push people out of community life.
Based on surveys, interviews and focus groups across 15 U.S. communities from 2018–2025, the study found that in each community 20–25% of people identified as having a disability, but supports in Jewish settings are thin. Less than one-third of Jewish schools employ a learning specialist, and about 70% of early-childhood and congregational schools cite inclusion “efforts” without formal policies — evidence of structural shortcomings, not a lack of need.
The article describes how inclusion work is often siloed or left to one lay leader, so momentum collapses when attention shifts. The report urges leaders to stop treating inclusion as charity and instead embed it in core operations with budgeting that does not “fall by the wayside” and, where possible, permanent staff.
The article also names the contradiction between teachings and practice: missions that invoke kavod habriyot (honoring human dignity) and b’tzelem Elohim (every person created in the image of God) are not being followed in daily operations. The study notes that, unlike public schools, many Jewish day schools are not required to provide services such as Individualized Education Programs — but that legal context does not excuse the gap. The call is to act now in line with stated values and make access non-negotiable.
Read the Full Article: New study shows Jewish groups lagging behind secular community on disability inclusion.
By: Jay Deitcher
