Jewish Deaf Resource Center

A PASSOVER MESSAGE

4/2/2023

On Passover we celebrate our freedom…but will your guests have communication access to freely participate in the Seder? What does communication access look like around the seder table?

We have these tips for hosts:

Eliminate background noise.
Make sure that the Seder table has good lighting.
Scale back on decorations that block line of sight so that guests can see one another clearly.
Have guests take turns around the table.
Use the same Haggadah set for all guests.
Try a pre-printed scoreboard to help keep page numbers up to date.

We have these tips for the family and guests:

Face Deaf or Hard of Hearing person when speaking.
Keep your hands away from your mouth.
Tap the Deaf or Hard of Hearing person gently on the shoulder or wave to get attention before talking.
Use sign language communication, when possible.
Try out speech to text app (i.e. Otter.ai, MyEar, Live Transcribe).*
Try bluetooth previously paired to hearing aids on smartphones for easier listening.*

*for those comfortable using these options on Yom Tov

Do you have more tips to share? Email us at jdrclearning@gmail.com.

Happy Passover!

#communicationaccess #jdrc #jewishholidays

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MAKE COMMUNICATION ACCESS A REALITY

12/26/2022

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December 26, 2022

Dear Friends of JDRC,

We hope you had an enjoyable Hanukkah holiday.

As we usher in 2023, we are taking this moment to thank each of you for joining us in building communication access through education and partnerships.

Because of increased communication access in education in the wider Jewish community, no Jewish Deaf or hard of hearing persons will be left behind in Jewish life, learning, and spirituality.

We take pride in the ways JDRC and its partners have worked collaboratively to increase communication access. JDRC is stronger in its ability to serve communities nationally because of its programs, resources, and services.

In collaboration with the Jewish Deaf and hard of hearing community, their families, and the wider Jewish community, the JDRC has provided the following:

Guidance on ways to provide communication access
Jewish education and training programs for ASL interpreters, Deaf lay leaders, and Jewish Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals
Educational and spiritual programming together with organizational partners
A database of ASL Interpreters for life cycle events
Outreach to educate the wider Jewish community
And more

Please show your love for JDRC as we each continue to partner with the Jewish Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, their families and the wider Jewish community to increase communication access in education.

Make your gift as early as today at this link or copy/paste the following URL to your internet browser, https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/JDRC.

We wish you a happy new year filled with good health, goodwill, joy and peace.

With appreciation and gratitude,

Susan F. Cohen
President

Naomi Brunnlehrman
Co-founder and part-time Executive Director

Jewish Deaf Resource Center, Inc.
www.jdrc.org

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Accessibility and Equity

11/22/2022

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Dear Friends of JDRC,
The holiday season is here. We, at JDRC, want to wish you both a happy Thanksgiving and soon, a happy Hanukkah, as well!
As we approach the holidays, it is a time for making memories. All too often Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals struggle to feel connected due to communication barriers which lead to feelings of isolation. As you come together to celebrate the upcoming holidays, we ask you to take a moment, or two to consider the communication needs of Deaf/Hard of Hearing parents, grandparents, children, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who will be joining your holiday celebrations.
Here are some discussion points you may want to consider when beginning a conversation with your Deaf and Hard of Hearing family or friends about being inclusive:

For larger gatherings, especially those with speeches, consider hiring an ASL interpreter if it would be helpful to Deaf and Hard of Hearing guests.
For smaller gatherings consider using speech to text apps, such as Ava, Live Transcribe, My Ear, and Otter.ai, to aid in communication.
Consider turning background music off or setting it very low to reduce distraction and aid in communication.
Keep the area well lit to make signing and lip reading easier to follow.
When planning decorations, think of ways to keep a clear line of sight for all. Avoid placing tall flower arrangements and centerpieces in the middle of the table.
When speaking with Deaf loved ones who lip read, remember to speak normally without over enunciating. Gestures can also be helpful.
Instead of a set seating arrangement, offer Deaf or Hard of Hearing guests the opportunity to select seats that work best for them.
Consider games or activities that don’t require too much communication to bring the family together.

Equity of communication and accessibility are core values at JDRC. In our work to increase communication access, the JDRC is proud of its partnerships with the Academy for Jewish Religion and the Union for Reform Judaism, which have offered courses to over 79 ASL interpreting and Deaf/Hard of Hearing students studying Judaism in ASL. This Thanksgiving and Chanukah, consider donating generously to support this effort at https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/JDRC.

On behalf of the JDRC Board of Directors and staff, we wish you and yours a happy Thanksgiving and Hanukkah, complete with communication access and fond memories.

With much appreciation and gratitude,
Susan F. Cohen, President
Steve Weiner, Vice President
Steve Lovi, Secretary
Lorraine Gold Appel, Director
Rabbi Rebecca L. Dubowe, Director
Marcie Stern, Director

Naomi Brunnlehrman, part-time Executive Director and co-founder

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Accessibility in Incremental Steps

2/25/2022

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February 24, 2022
JDAIM 2022: ACCESSIBILITY IN INCREMENTAL STEPS
by Susan F. Cohen, President, Jewish Deaf Resource Center

History took place at this year’s NFL SuperBowl Sunday, thanks to the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) which has been on the forefront of advocacy on behalf of the Deaf community since 1880. In partnership with the NFL, NAD has been able to secure Deaf performers to sign in American Sign Language the national anthem each year.

This year, Sandra Mae Frank, from NBC’s New Amsterdam, was selected to sign the national anthem during Superbowl Sunday. For the first time, NFL featured Deaf stars Sean Forbes and Warren “Wawa” Snipes in its Halftime show. The Deaf community throughout the world swelled with excitement. Those who turned on the television to experience this historic milestone suddenly realized that the only way to see the Deaf performers was through the NBC Sports channel and app. The reactions of disappointed and frustrated viewers quickly went viral on Facebook. In the eyes of many, it was “separate but not yet equal.”

Through email correspondence, a friend, who advocates for inclusion through the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, agreed that the lack of visibility of the Deaf performers during the national broadcast was an issue. Still, it is a positive step forward.

These small, but important, changes, must also take place in the Jewish community. Small changes can lead to bigger, and more significant, changes. Every year, the time for these awareness related conversations takes place in February during Jewish Disability Awareness Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). These conversations help us share insights related to inclusion, frame our thinking, and discuss next steps.

What happens when these spotlights, JDAIM film festivals, speaker series and discussion sessions end? What incremental steps can your Jewish organization or synagogue make to be more open and welcoming of Deaf and hard of hearing individuals and people with disabilities?

As a first step, the Jewish Deaf Resource Center (JDRC) suggests that all Jewish organizations, synagogues, and Jewish spaces establish a written policy for responding to accessibility requests. Accessibility statements should be in all event announcements. The JDRC also recommends that requests for communication accessibility be emailed to a responsible individual who can follow up and act on the request. If an event is captioned or ASL interpreted, this information also needs to be mentioned on marketing materials.

As a national nonprofit organization, the JDRC is available as a resource for you. The JDRC builds bridges between Deaf and hard of hearing Jews and individuals and organizations in the wider Jewish community through advocacy, communication access solutions, inclusive public policy practices, and resources. JDRC also provides training programs for Jewish professionals, ASL interpreters, CDIs, Deaf lay leaders and members of the Jewish Deaf and hard of hearing community.

For more information and/or resources, contact JDRC at jewishdeafresourcecenter@gmail.com.

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Accessibility in Incremental Steps

A PASSOVER MESSAGE

MAKE COMMUNICATION ACCESS A REALITY

Accessibility and Equity

Accessibility in Incremental Steps

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