COMMUNITY NEWS
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financial and volunteer resources to address the
communities’ most critical priorities locally, in Israel and
around the world.

Jewish Disability Awareness & Inclusion Month
Is Going Virtual and Staying Strong
WHEN GABRIELLE KAPLAN-MAYER’S ELDEST SON, George,
was diagnosed with autism at 3, she realized inclusivity is more than
just a welcoming spirit. Now 15 years later, the mom of two and the
Co-Interim Executive Director of Jewish Learning Venture (JLV) is a
major proponent of creating a more accessible Jewish community.

Through the years, she has come to learn disability inclusion requires
understanding specific needs and implementing them into a system not
set up for people like her son.

“Before my son was diagnosed, I really didn’t understand what the
experience of parents and families who had children with disabilities
was like,” said Kaplan-Mayer, who heads JLV’s Whole Community
Inclusion initiative that supports families raising Jewish children with
disabilities. “That’s really inspired me to make sure that we can make
our Jewish community more aware of issues around disability.”
February is national Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion
Month (JDAIM), which has provided a platform for disability advocates
to bring exposure to these issues on a local level.

Each year, JLV’s Whole Community Inclusion and the Jewish Special
Needs/Disability Awareness Consortium of Greater Philadelphia plan a
month of events focused on disability inclusion.

This February is no exception. However, the month’s programming
JDAIM is underway for a month of virtual disability awareness and inclusion programming.

will be conducted virtually due to the pandemic, a reality which has
Courtesy of Whole Community Inclusion family program
created its own set of accessibility challenges.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, a member of the
Jewish Special Needs/Disability Awareness Consortium, is addressing
the pandemic’s impact on the disability population with “Making the World
to this call to action.

More Accessible in the Time of COVID” on Feb. 15 at noon.

Regina Levin is one of the speakers that Kaplan-Mayer has connected
During this virtual event, the Jewish Federation’s Jewish Community
synagogues with to share her story about being born with a hearing impair-
Relations Council (JCRC) will have a conversation with Kaplan-Mayer of
ment. A congregant and the chairperson of the Inclusion and Special
JLV and Stacy Levitan, executive director of the Judith Creed Horizons for
Needs Committee at Temple Sholom in Broomall, Levin has been a leader
Achieving Independence (JCHAI), a multi-faceted organization that helps
in advocating for institutionalized changes in Jewish spaces and changing
young adults with disabilities achieve independence. Kaplan-Mayer and
perceptions of invisible disabilities like hers. Ultimately, Levin believes that
Levitan will discuss their agencies, both of which are supported by the Jewish
true inclusion will come when those with disabilities no longer need to ask for
Federation, and how they have responded to the needs of their communities
accommodations. during the pandemic.

“If we have to keep asking for something then we’re not being included,” said
“Our Jewish community is diverse, and there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach
Levin, who needs a front row seat at events to read lips. “Just because you’re
to Jewish life. That is why it’s so important to support organizations and commu-
willing to give me something doesn’t mean you’re being inclusive. Inclusive
nities that are welcoming individuals with disabilities,” said Rachel Berger,
means that when I or someone else with a disability shows up at a function that
the Jewish Federation’s director of Jewish life and learning. “I’m so proud of
our needs are already met.”
the organizations that we work with who are making Jewish life accessible,
While there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to achieve this goal,
welcoming and joyful for all members of our community.”
both Levin and Kaplan-Mayer have noted that the Jewish community has made
Another important aspect of JDAIM is not just its work to raise awareness
strides in the last decade.

with community members, but also with congregations and Jewish institutions.

“What we’re creating through Whole Community Inclusion are things that
JDAIM will have events tailored for clergy, including a training on Feb. 10 at
did not exist when my son was a young child, so this is incredible. It makes me
9:30 a.m. for rabbis and cantors. The workshop will be led by Rabbi Darby Jared
feel like my family is being seen,” reflected Kaplan-Mayer, who thanked the
Leigh of Congregation Kerem Shalom in Concord, Massachusetts. Leigh is an
Jewish Federation for a five-year grant that enabled JLV to make sensory-friendly
acclaimed disability rights activist and the second deaf rabbi to serve a hearing
options for their jkidphilly programs. “Professionally, what I see is there’s so
congregation. much desire and we’re not having to convince anyone to make these changes.

Local synagogues also have been invited to be a part of “JDAIM Shabbat
This is an important issue.”
Across Philadelphia,” where they will dedicate one Shabbat service in February
For more information about local JDAIM events, please visit:
to focus on disability inclusion. Thus far, about 20 synagogues have committed
jewishphilly.org/jdaim. 24
FEBRUARY 4, 2021
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C ommunity / mazel tovs
ENGAGEMENT B I RT H S
VERBIT-TENENBAUM LEVI REESE MILLER
Raymond and Teena Verbit
of Wynnewood and Evelyn
Portnaya and
Roman Tenenbaum of Blauvelt, New
York, announce the engage-
ment of their children,
Daniel Verbit and Irene Tenenbaum.

Daniel is a graduate of York College of Pennsylvania and
received his MLIS from The University of Alabama. He is a schol-
arly communications and digital initiatives librarian at Jefferson
University. Irene is a graduate of Barnard College and received
her MBA from Cornell University. She is an associate director
working on payer market access at Merck.

The couple met at a Shabbat dinner at the Old City Jewish Art
Center in 2019. They reside in Philadelphia and are planning a
spring wedding.

Sharing in the couple’s happiness are Irene’s sister Anna,
brother-in-law Alex and nephews Isaac and Theo, Daniel’s sister
Linda, brother-in-law Jeremy, nephew Nathan and niece Aviva.

Max and Randi Miller of Havertown announce the birth of their
son, Levi Reese, on Oct. 20, 2020.

Levi is the grandson of Susan and Elliot Miller of Elkins Park
and Amy and Ben Levitt of Crownsville, Maryland. Sharing in
the happiness are uncles Scott and Adam Levitt, and great-grand-
parents Marge and Clive Pinsker.

Levi Reese is named in loving memory of his maternal
great-grandparents, Sue and Milt Levitt, and paternal great-grand-
father, Maurice Berry.

Photo by Kris Kelley
Photo by Lori Eve Lovitz
Photo by Randi Miller
CORA BRYNN LOVITZ
Dr. Lori Eve Lovitz announces the birth of her daughter, Cora
Brynn, on Dec. 10, 2020, in Chicago.

Sharing in her joy are grandparents Arnold and Florence Lovitz;
aunts and uncles Dara and Josh VanNaarden, HopeAllyson and
Jeremy Dwiggins and Shannen and Jordan Lovitz; and cousins
Kovey, Annie, Becca, Noah, Joey, Eden and Tal.

COMMUNITYBRIEFS JFCS Introduces Virtual Cooking Series
JEWISH FAMILY & CHILDREN’S SERVICE of
Greater Philadelphia has introduced Nourishing
Community, a once-a-month virtual cooking series
featuring top area chefs, home cooks and cookbook
authors sharing recipes and kitchen tips, while raising
money to support JFCS food relief programs.

The program debuted Feb. 2 with Frank Olivieri of
Pat’s King of Steaks sharing recipes.

Upcoming sessions include Sara May, tasting room
manager and head chef at South Hill Cider in Ithaca,
New York, preparing a chocolate strawberry pie on
March 16; Amelia Meath, songwriter, musician and
home cook preparing borscht on April 27; Michael
Solomonov, James Beard Foundation Award-winner
and co-owner of CookNSolo Restaurants, and
Olivieri preparing lamb shoulder shwarma on May
11; and Tamar Adler, contributing editor at Vogue
and cookbook author, preparing scones on June 8.

Registration is required at jfcsphilly.org/events/
nourishing-community. Gratz first created an online master of arts program
in the field in 2012 and added a Ph.D. program in
2017. About 100 students have graduated with a
master’s degree or graduate certificate and about 120
students are now enrolled in the two programs.

The seven board members are Chair Antony
Polonsky, emeritus professor of Holocaust studies
at Brandeis University; Omer Bartov, the John P.

Birkelund Distinguished Professor of European
History at Brown University; David Engel, the
Maurice Greenberg Professor of Holocaust Studies
at New York University; Laura Jockusch, the Albert
Abramson Associate Professor of Holocaust Studies at
Brandeis University; Steven Luckert, senior program
curator for the Levine Institute for Holocaust
Education at the United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum in Washington, D.C.; Robert Melson,
emeritus professor of political science and a member
of the Jewish Studies Program at Purdue University;
and Stephen D. Smith, Finci-Viterbi endowed execu-
tive director of the USC Shoah Foundation.

Gratz College Announces Holocaust and
Genocide Studies Advisory Board
Gratz College announced the formation of an
advisory board for its Holocaust and Genocides
Studies Program.

The board will meet once a year to discuss trends
in Holocaust and genocide studies and to advise
Program Director Monika Rice on curriculum direc-
tion, research gaps and emerging subspecialties.

NMAJH to Screen Documentary About the
Late Ladino Singer Flory Jagoda on Feb. 10
The National Museum of American Jewish History
will screen online the 2014 documentary “Flory’s
Flame” about National Heritage Fellowship Award
winner and legendary Ladino (Judeo-Spanish)
singer-songwriter Flory Jagoda at 1 p.m. on Feb. 10.

The screening will be followed by a short panel
discussion and Q&A with Jon Lohman, a longtime
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM JEWISH EXPONENT
friend of Jagoda, who is director emeritus of the
Virginia Folklife Program and founder of the Center
for Cultural Vibrancy; and musician Susan Gaeta, who
apprenticed and toured with Jagoda for two decades.

Flory, who died Jan. 31 at 97, fled the Nazi invasion
of Bosnia as a young woman, leaving with only the
clothes on her back, her instrument and her songs.

She spent decades in the United States and performed
all over the world. She was awarded the National
Heritage Fellowship in 2002.

Visit nmajh.org/virtual-museum for details.

Mayor Kenney Joins AJC’s Mayors United
Against Antisemitism Initiative
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney signed on to the
American Jewish Committee’s Mayors United
Against Antisemitism joint initiative with The U.S.

Conference of Mayors.

“We, the undersigned Mayors, express our deep
conviction that antisemitism is not only an attack
on Jews but an assault on the core values of any
democratic and pluralistic society,” the statement
reads. “In a world of global communications, where
antisemitic ideas spread rapidly, a concerted and
principled response is required to raise awareness, to
educate, and to ensure decency prevails.”
The initiative statement affirms a core set of princi-
ples, including the condemnation of anti-Jewish
hatred in all forms, and pledges to advance the values
of respectful coexistence. l
— Compiled by Andy Gotlieb
FEBRUARY 4, 2021
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