Dear COLlive readers,
I am posting this video to show everyone what beautiful inclusion Bnos Menachem Day Camp in Crown Heights had this summer.
It was my daughter Mussia’s first time in a new camp, with all new girls, and the counselors did an outstanding job in showing what the essence of inclusion is.
When I thanked the counselor, she mentioned that she herself had a friend in her class who used a walker and she was included in everything.
Specifically, when it came to dance in production, they always made sure the dance was mostly with their hands instead of their feet to include her friend.
So, she said, she paid it forward in the biggest lesson she can teach her campers.
What a beautiful lesson, and how amazing it is that she is teaching the next generation, what someone taught her!
Many thanks to the incredible counselors and staff and campers in her camp. We’ll always remember this!
Special thanks to the director Dini Simons, the production head Fruma Herscovic, as well as her counselors Tsippy Brasilera, Rochel Leah Mizrahi and Mushky Turk for teaching the campers such beautiful values.
Chaim and Nechama Hershkowitz
This is incredibly uplifting! I’m sure parents of special needs children everwhere will feel encouraged when watching this video and reading the supportive comments here, Thank you!
Perhaps this is the greatest example of Inclusion?! The shidduch system is hard and challenging for most people – why should he be any different?! 🙂 These parents sound like they have given their son every opportunity to succeed which is should be done for all of our children – disabilities or not – iy’h when he finds the right girl and this current hurdle has passed, hopefully their choices will have proven correct. Your overall point is important and shidduchim and intimacy in the disability community is a real and serious discussion and does need to be spoken about… Read more »
The boy’s parents did wonderfully for him and did everything a parent should do for a child with special needs. This young man is at a new crossroads in life in which he and others wanting to marry need to know that they marry someone who is RIGHT FOR THEM as in all shidduchim. What needs to be made clear is that It doesn’t matter if the person will have special needs developmentally, physically or not. Each person should iy’h find who is the right one in the right time. NO! These parents should not doubt for one minute that… Read more »
While it’s heartwarming to read this and see the video, realistically on a practical level, how far do the supporters of the inclusion movement think inclusion should go? Yes ahavas yisroel is vital and everyone should be nice to everyone else (if only!!!)… But take this real life example of inclusion (this is a real story and happened to real people). A Downs syndrome boy was mainstreamed all his school years, including mesivta, yeshiva,shlichus. His parents were exemplary in fighting to ensure he gets the same opportunities as his normal peers. Now his class and friends are entering shidduchim and… Read more »
Thank you so much for sharing.
Decades before the term Inclusion existed!
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/3589628/jewish/The-Rebbes-Perspective.htm
I have heard that one of the hardest parts of being parents to special needs children is the endless fight they face day after day to dispel the discrimination and stigma so that their children can have the same opportunities as their peers. It’s clear in this post and the comments here how we can each help to change this ,at least a little, in our area of influence. Wherever it may be.
Which will bring Moshiach Now!
I think this link portrays your point;
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fl1NZ4AiRkw#
Thank you to these girls-campers and counsellors- for helping to change the world, keep it up!
The way I see society moving, I believe in a few years time specialist schools will be hard to find. The expectation now is that special needs children are mainstreamed. So it’s a good idea for those schools who still refuse to accept such children to change now while they still have a choice.
Just like many years ago it was common for special needs children to live in special homes rather then their families from very young yet today that’s b”h very rare.
Yes please learn from these staff. While it’s understandable that teachers are human and may have tough days, I think the point is to be aware of how easy inclusion can be as this video shows. And also how vital it is to ensure our mosdos are inclusive. Just look how many priceless life lessons our children gain!
It is amazing to see that the girls schools in CH accept children with disabilities. Does Ohelei Torah and Lubavitch yeshiva accept these special children too?
Some learning disabilities can’t be seen and the child hides it very well. Yet those children also need caring teachers like these to reach out to them with understanding and love.
It’s very sad that because of such ingrained discrimination some Lubavitch children who have additional needs are being denied their right to learn in the Rebbe’s mosod and reap the brachos that come with that.
In thee days of elul, what can be more inspiring than children learning to reach out and to care about another classmate! and what a difference it makes in the life of the little girl in the whaeelchair! Kol hakavod to the counselors and staff.. a real life lesson!
nechama heber
So wonderful to read such a positive post!
If only there were more similar ones to help counteract all the sad news
Just in time to share at school staff meetings right before school resumes. Thank you!
Raising a child with special needs is extremely challenging and draining. Both physically and emotionally. It is not always easy to be so public about the fact your child has special needs like this. Yet the lessons learnt are priceless. Thank you to the parents for taking the time to share this.
If he’s the same guy who does Mitzvah Blvd, Wonders of Hashem and Bella Brocha… then maybe he can do a video for kids (and adults!) on inclusion?
i know it is the right thing to do but it is not so easy to always do the right thing if I am under stress, impatient, etc…I have to learn from their example
BS”D Beautiful I ask those blowhards trying to push secular education on the Yeshivss when parents who want it can go other places-what can you education add to girls like these
Look at how simple and easy it can be to make a child feel included and loved! Please think of more ways this can be done for a child in your class who can use a bit more TLC.
Its wonderful to see!
Lessons for all of us here!
Although it’s surely inspiring to read about how people overcome their disabilities, I think the real message here is to the staff, how they can be positive role models of ahavas yisroel and inclusion and then hopefully the children and young adults will also follow suit.
I’m very glad to hear how some CH schools are being inclusive b”h, sadly however, I know of several Lubavitch schools (early childhood and elementary)- both in CH and beyond- who refuse to accept children with special needs. We have alot to learn from this post and video.
Her name is Tsippy Rabinowicz
I’m very proud of my daughter and all the other counselors that are following the Rebbes way and giving the kids a good summer. Go Tsipi.
B”H B’nos Menachem is very good about that. My niece, who also goes to Bnos Menachem, broke her foot just before the junior high did their production, and had to be in a wheelchair. One of the girls moved her chair back and forth as necessary, just like the girls did here!!
get last months edition of Zman magazine.
great article about people overcoming their physical endurances
The Brazilian counselors were amazing!!!
Rochel Leah we are very proud of you!!
My daughter in BCM has a girl with down syndrome in her class. At the siyum alef beis and siddur party she had a part like everyone else. She is included in everything and is considered one of the class. The girls dont flinch and really love her. The teachers nowadys do a wonderful job!
Beautiful,and every girl was having fun.and the hands say more.Beautiful.Great job to all the girls.
So nice to see the ahavat isroel in this generation!
Thanks for sharing. so nice to see.
This is OUTSTANDING!!!!
That an incredible example of how Inclusion changes our community in every way! Not only for the child being included, but look at the effect it had on the counselor and all the kids around her- this is one of the most important values we can bring to our children. So beautiful to see this in our community!
Chaim,
In zechus of all you are doing for ‘unzere’ kinder, you should be zoche to tremendous Yiddishe, Chassidishe Nachas from your daughter and all your family gezunterheit!
I received a clip of this dance of my granddaughter in this performance. I am moved to tears by the real inner beauty emanating from this performance. What a potent lesson to the children and to all of us of the true meaning of Ahavas Yisroel. Thank you to the counselors involved, We need these kind of mechanchos with caring hearts in our moisdois.
Simie Schtroks
Surrey, BC
Worth watching again even though I already saw it on Facebook.. So special and what great life lessons they were taught! Kol hakovod!!👍👍
When it’s natural for adults to be inclusive, it will be natural for your children!!
This is Chinuch!!
Really enjoyed watching this!
Just beautiful in every way. Kol hakavod!
so emotional and moving how all these lovely girls have such ahavas yisroel in a true way. Halevay we adults should be so accepting and warm! Your daughters are beautiful!!! Much Nachas!!
It shows how kids can do very well when they are
given a chance no matter what.
wow that’s unbelievable