A Different Spirit: Creating Meaningful B’nai Mitzvah for Children with Disabilities
(Originally published by Behrman House.) A first-of-its-kind anthology, A Different Spirit offers perspective and practical guidance to help pre-teens with neural or physical disabilities and challenges celebrate a joyful transition to Jewish adulthood.
No one can overstate the courage it takes for a child with disabilities to confront the public milestone of b’nai mitzvah. A Different Spirit provides the support to start all considerations with “yes.”
A Different Spirit is a collection written by experts from all over the world, including the most expert of all—people with lived experience of disability who share the story of their b’nai mitzvah, offering a compelling body of wisdom and encouragement that is utterly adaptable to individual needs.
In chapters organized not by disability but by challenges such as nonverbal, mobility, learning difference, vision, or hearing, contributors share strategies, techniques and reflections from the vantage point of each individual author. Gateways is proud to have our staff contributing two of the chapters in the collection: one by Educational Specialist Rebecca Redner and another by Founding Executive Director Arlene Remz.
Throughout, editors Howard Blas and Ilana Trachtman have sprinkled vignettes in sidebars as supplements, drawing from forty years of experience working with students , families, and clergy around b’nai mitzvah.
A Different Spirit is named for Caleb, the biblical character who is sent by Moses with eleven others to scout the Promised Land. Ten of the twelve returned with alarmist news, spreading fear that the land is unconquerable. Only Caleb and Joshua report the land’s beauty and that its challenges can be overcome, causing God to respond with praise, saying Caleb is ‘imbued with a different spirit’ (Numbers 13:30-14:24). We all have things to learn from children with ‘different spirits’, who may show the way to a kinder, more interesting, and more inclusive world.
This book is for:
- Parents, who will hear from other parents who have found the best way for their child, family, and community to mark b’nai mitzvah.
- Clergy, who will discover real life examples of ways synagogues of all denominations have marked b’nai mitzvah for people with disabilities–from Shabbat morning in the main synagogue to celebrations on other days and in other venues. You will read personal stories of clergy who have disabilities themselves and children who have celebrated their milestone.
- Educators, who will find tools for working with many learning styles and disabilities.
- Students with a disability who might be nervous and unsure, who can learn how others in similar situations got through this process–and felt good about it.
What readers are saying:
Opens unimagined paths toward full spiritual inclusion and communal membership.
A call to conscience, a wellspring of practical wisdom, and a celebration of every child’s sacred worth.
This immensely accessible, useful book is an invaluable resource.