Jewish Deaf Resource Center

Accessibility and Equity

11/22/2022

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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JDAIM 2022: Accessibility in Incremental Steps

Accessibility and Equity

Accessibility in Incremental Steps

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