In his forthcoming book The Triumph of Life, Rabbi Yitz Greenberg presents his compassionate theology of creation, in which peoples’ partnership with God sets a framework for human behavior. He emphasizes that the core Jewish belief baked into Bereshit (Genesis), that each person is created in the image of God, results in three lessons regarding human dignity:

1. The infinite value of each human life – each human being possesses a fraction of the infinite value and dignity of God. Therefore, every human being is of infinite value.

2. The equality of each person – as an image of God, each person is inherently equal to every other.

3. The uniqueness of each person – each human being reflects the infinite image of God in their own distinct way. This diversity should be treasured and supported.

Transposed into school communities, this reads as a Divine imperative for educators to analyze their settings for evidence of these dignities. For most schools, the infinite value of every student and the equality of each learner are a given. In the day-to-day stresses of the work, it can be hard to keep them front and center; most educators have an understanding of what it looks like and they can return to these understandings as a re-set. Upholding the uniqueness of each learner can be more challenging. Most mainstream schools are created with an image of the “typical” student. The structures, expectations, culture, and programming tend to represent the neurotypical. Navigating the uniqueness of each student, with a focus on neurodiverse students (10-20% of the student body), means revisiting assumptions and getting curious about how the school structures, instruction, and routines impact each student. (View an exploration and definitions of neurodiversity here.)

There is no better time to focus on recognizing and upholding the uniqueness of each student than February, which is Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). JDAIM is a worldwide effort among Jewish organizations to raise awareness and foster inclusion of people with disabilities. Returning to the Genesis narrative, JDAIM is a helpful reminder that the year-round work to expand our understanding and deepen practices that promote the dignity of every student in our school are holy and imperative acts.

Here are three different ways to explore uniqueness:

Zooming in on Autism Spectrum Disorder – A Narrative Approach

If music and a dramatic narrative motivate you, you might want to see the musical, How to Dance in Ohio. It tells the story of teenagers who participate in a social skills group for young people with autism. The group is designed to support both their day-to-day interactions as well as their larger life transitions. The play is a joyful, hopeful, and, at times, painful exploration of living in a world that was not designed with autism in mind.

The seven main characters (played by Autistic actors) have different strengths, challenges, and unique personalities. The opening scene ends with the following quip: “You know what they say, once you have met one person with autism… you have met one person with autism.” This simple line, if internalized, is a powerful guiding principle for teachers and school leaders. (If you can’t attend a Broadway show, the original documentary, with the same title, is available on HBO.)

The Personal Touch: Learning from a Student

Rafi Josselson, a 16 year-old Jewish day school student, is an Autism advocate who speaks at various organizations. He also blogs for his website and Jewish Disability Inclusion News. When discussing his experiences, he stresses that schools have tried hard and that they are doing great work, often with limited resources, but they also still have a lot to learn. In other words, he has both positive and negative experiences in day schools. He suggests:

1. Self-advocacy is important and it is stressful
   Each year, Rafi introduces himself to teachers via email and opens up a conversation about his Autism and how it impacts him as a student. Rafi explained that mandatory attendance at pep rallies is often announced in front of the entire student body. Students who become overstimulated by noise, lack of structure, and lots of physical activity might not have the language to self-advocate in a public setting. When he has stepped out of these kinds of events, he is often approached by adults who try to coax him back into the room. What if there was more than one option for pep rallies or a Rosh Chodesh chagigah (the Jewish new month celebration) so that students don’t need to choose between dysregulating discomfort or staying home? Some examples are working on a chesed (goodwill) project or creating decorations for any upcoming holidays that month.

2. Communicate in advance
   When educators know that a change is coming, it is important to share the information well in advance, even if they don't have all of the information. To maintain a sense of calm and agency, many students need significant lead time to manage change.

3. Request accommodations to support passion and manage challenges
   During Covid lockdown, Rafi needed to relieve some stress from his academic load. His point person at school suggested that he audit his Tanakh (Bible) class. Rafi participated in classes but wasn’t required to submit assignments. He credits his current passion for text study to this experience. He was able to engage in challenging intellectual growth while not feeling stressed by tasks. In contrast, for Hebrew, he was in a beginner class that was not challenging for him. He struggled to engage and is still trying to make up for that lost learning.

Inclusion Framework

You can view a sample inclusion framework here that can help individual teachers and school leaders identify their approach to inclusion and explore additional options.

Thinking about all of the needs in a classroom or school can be overwhelming. I hope that as we approach JDAIM in February, educators will become more curious about at least one neurodiverse learner in their classroom. As they explore their curiosity, shed assumptions, and deepen their understanding of each student’s unique strengths and challenges, teachers can think about what they need to enter this holy partnership to learn more about which academic, social, or behavioral supports best enhance each student’s dignity.

Judith Talesnick, founder and director of education at Empowering Educators, creates and facilitates differentiated professional development for Yeshiva/Day School faculties in the NY area. She also coaches school leaders across the country.