Inclusion, Diversity and Accessibility
Every person who seeks to journey with us is welcome and entitled to full and meaningful participation in Jewish and congregational life. Our goal is to celebrate each person’s individuality, creativity and unique contributions.
Beth El is open and inclusive to all. We joyfully welcome you!
People from many different backgrounds — Jews by birth and Jews by choice, people still deciding whether to become Jewish, white Jews and Jews of color, interfaith households, people with limited prior Jewish learning, people with extensive Jewish experience, and even atheists — are part of the Beth El community. We are two-parent and single-parent families, couples and individuals of all ages, and families formed by adoption (including transracial/transnational adoption) and by birth. Our membership includes LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples, multiracial families, people of varied education and socioeconomic levels, and people living with physical, developmental and mental health challenges.
We seek the active involvement of all our members in worship, learning, the social life of the congregation, repairing the world, and in congregational leadership at every level. We believe that:
- Every person is created in God’s image, and has equal value and dignity no matter who they are.
- Our community is enriched by diversity in all its forms.
- We benefit individually and as a community when we recognize that every person’s identity is a complex mix, and no one is defined by a single story.
- Our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging requires ongoing learning, reflection, action, and personal and institutional transformation.
Beth El’s Progress
We continue to make progress toward achieving diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
- In 1975 we created the country’s first egalitarian, gender-neutral prayer book which, in updated form, we still use today (now with English transliterations).
- Our clergy performed its first same-sex spiritual wedding in 1992, twelve years before same-sex marriage was legally recognized in Massachusetts and 23 years before it became the law of the land in the United States.
- Members canvassed door-to-door for Massachusetts Question 3 in 2018, which preserved civil rights for transgender people in Massachusetts.
- Our Antiracism Working Group is working to embed a racial equity lens into all aspects of congregational life.
Accessibility
Embracing full inclusion at Beth El has meant making improvements to our building, enhancing our prayer life, and designing accessible programming. It has also set in motion a process of examining our personal and communal values and practices. These are some of the things we’ve done and are continuing to do.
- New bathrooms accommodate visitors of all gender identities
- Automatic accessible doors have been installed at exterior entrances
- A blue tab on the right-hand side of our website’s home page offers display options for readers with limited vision
- A beautifully designed wooden ramp leading from our sanctuary to the Gan Hadorot (Garden of the Generations) makes our beautiful garden accessible to all who want to pray, socialize or relax outdoors.
- Our adjustable amud (Torah table) can be raised and lowered to accommodate anyone who wishes to read Torah
- Reading glasses, large-print prayerbooks and augmented listening equipment are available to assist with visual and auditory needs
- A section of the sanctuary is designated as “fragrance free” during services
- Focus tools can be helpful for anyone who tends to “fidget” in services or during other gatherings
- A guide to inclusion for families of b’nai mitzvah students
- Congregational partner in the Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion Project
- Live streaming, Zoom broadcasting, audio and video recording of services and programs
Our work is never complete and we sometimes miss the mark. We are continually learning how racism and social and economic injustice remain prevalent in and outside Jewish life. We recognize that just by saying we are a welcoming community doesn’t make it so, and we strive at all times to do better. We warmly welcome you to join us in this journey.
For more information, please email Inclusion Committee chairs Maxine Haron or Carrie Fuchs.
Education and group activities
Festive events like Hanukkah can be overwhelming and confusing for some children as well as young people and adults. Children may respond differently to loud noises and large groups of people. This is especially true for those with sensory processing difficulties. They might be able to manage initially, and then need to take breaks in a quieter space.
Reading simple “social stories” before a big and/or unfamiliar event can help a child know what to expect and help them prepare by reducing anxiety about what’s about to happen, especially if it’s an unfamiliar event.
Useful resources:
- jkidACCESS — more ideas and information about inclusion in Jewish communal and educational settings for kids with disabilities
- Books and binders of social stories for Shabbat, High Holidays, and now Chanukah are available for loan on the rainbow-colored bookshelf below the tallit shelf as you enter the Beth El sanctuary
Learn more
- Practice the golden rule — Treat everyone as you would like to be treated. Think of the person first, not their disability. Don't shy away from people with disabilities — relax and be yourself!
- Always ask before giving assistance — Just because a person has a disability, they don't necessarily need or want your assistance. Never help someone without first asking them.
- Think before you speak — Avoid using labels when you speak - they might be offensive to everyone, including people with disabilities. Always use ‘people first’ language when writing about or speaking to people with disabilities or ask someone how they might want to be referred. For example, don’t refer to a person, as an autistic person, or a deaf person but, rather use, a person with autism, or a person with deafness.
- Avoid showing pity or being patronizing — People with disabilities aren't victims. When you talk to a person with a disability, don't use pet names, such as "honey." It is also very disrespectful to pat people with disabilities on the head or talk down to them as though they were children.
- Interacting with people with disabilities — When you interact with people with disabilities, talk directly to them, not to their companions, aides, or interpreters.
Here are some ways to interact with people with specific types of disabilities:
- When you interact with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing, remember that some individuals may be able to hear, some may be able to lip read, while others prefer to use sign language or assistive technology. Ask them how they prefer to communicate.
- When you interact with someone who is blind or visually impaired, always introduce yourself and let them know when you are leaving. You may offer your arm or elbow as a guide if they request assistance but never push, pull or grab the individual.
- Don't pet or distract a guide dog. The dog is responsible for its owner's safety and is always working — it is not a pet!
- When you interact with someone who uses a wheelchair, do not push, lean on, or hold the person's wheelchair. Try to put yourself at eye level when talking with someone in a wheelchair.
- When you interact with someone with a cognitive disability, speak to the person in clear, simple sentences. Be patient with them and give them time to communicate with you.
- When you interact with someone with a speech impairment, allow them as much time as they need to communicate. Be respectful and avoid trying to finish their sentences.
- “Inclusion as a Priority,” a piece by Beth El member Roberta Unger in JewishBoston.com
- “Hiding My Disability Kept Me from My Fullest Life” by Rabbi Ruth Adar in Reform Judaism
