Jewish Special Needs Program at Mishkan Shalom Grows

Mishkan Shalom’s Celebrations!, an initiative offering Jewish programming to children with special needs and their families, has produced a comprehensive curriculum featuring two years of programs designed for children with different abilities.

Last January, Mishkan Shalom – a Reconstructionist congregation serving Philadelphia and surrounding areas – received a $20,000 Ignition Grant from the Covenant Foundation for Celebrations!. Part of the grant went to producing the curriculum, which features worksheets, specially created books, and articles for parent discussions, in addition to Shabbat and holiday lessons.

Three local synagogues—Ohev Shalom of Bucks County, Old York Road-Beth Am and Beth Or in Spring House will be hosting Celebrations! programs in their community, beginning this fall. In addition, Congregation Beth El in Sunbury will also begin a Celebrations! chapter.

“We are excited to be able to share the years of work that went into creating our program with other communities. Each community can adapt the curriculum to make it work uniquely for their congregation,” said Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer, director of the Celebrations! program at Mishkan Shalom.

Celebrations! is designed for students with cognitive, learning or developmental disorders - including autism, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome – and is open to families throughout the community.

The Ignition grant also allows Mishkan Shalom to apply the successful Shabbat model to Jewish holidays. After hosting a successful sensory-friendly Purim carnival last spring, they will also host a community-wide sensory-friendly Simchat Torah celebration on October 12. This celebration will allow children to hold and dance with Torah scrolls in a quieter setting than most traditional Simchat Torah services.

The grant also allows Mishkan Shalom to expand its own Celebrations! program. Starting in October, Mishkan will host a program for 18-30-year-olds with special needs called “Mitzvah Menshes.” Taking place on Saturday nights, Mitzvah Menshes will allow young adults to socialize and also engage in a mitzvah project designed for their developmental skills.

“While people with special needs often become someone’s mitzvah project, Mitzvah Menshes changes those roles. The program allows young adults with special needs to give back to the community. It’s all about finding ways that everyone can serve, despite disabilities,” Kaplan-Mayer said.