Thank you to the Klein family for allowing me to share Danny’s story. May his memory be for a blessing.

I often get asked by my speaking audiences: why do you speak? As a future Rabbi and busy college student, why do you spend time recording podcasts, emailing synagogues and posting on LinkedIn about disability inclusion in the Jewish community?

A simple answer is it is a passion of mine. I am good at communicating on this topic and I think it is important. But, why me? Why trust a college student with no degree to give advice on building inclusive spaces?

On paper, disability inclusion seems nice but not essential. As Matan pointed out in a recent report, Jewish spaces like inclusion; they like the idea of the Autistic student being invited to the lunch table or earplugs being provided at a B’nai Mitzvah, but, being pulled in so many directions, disability inclusion isn’t the highest priority. With rising antisemitism, growing assimilationism and fundraising goals, disability inclusion is an afterthought for too many. 

But it should be. It must be. Because it saves lives.

In June of 2015, my father passed away. This is difficult for any eight-year-old, but it was especially hard for me. I had few........

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