Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month

This is a special post written by Charles Warren, Curriculum Developer at Triangle. Charlie is also a member of Triangle’s Racial Equity Task Force. As part of our commitment to the work of our Racial Equity Task Force, we will be sharing more information with you on subjects related to racial equity and disability justice. This post continues our series dedicated to calling attention to the contributions of people with disabilities to American history.

Did you know that May is Jewish American Heritage Month? This week, we are highlighting Jewish Americans who are focused on increasing awareness and empowerment for Jewish Americans with disabilities.

Shelly Christensen – Speaker, Author, Consultant

Shelly Christensen is a pioneer in the interfaith disability inclusion movement.  She is the founder of Inclusion Innovations, and directed the Minneapolis Jewish Community Inclusion Program for People with Disabilities for 13 years. Her new book is called From Longing to Belonging – A Practical Guide to Including People with Disabilities and Mental Health Conditions in Your Faith Community where she shares her unique journey and the theological insights that led her to where she is today, along with many best practices, helpful checklists, and guidelines for people and organizations looking to become more inclusive.

Rabbi Ruti Regan – Disability Rights Advocate

Rabbi Ruti Regan teaches adults, children, and educators how to approach disability in new ways. She is a disability advocate and the first openly autistic person to be ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary.  Currently, she is the rabbinic disability scholar in residence at Matan, an American organization that educates Jewish leaders on how to create learning environments that support children with disabilities.