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GABRIELLA N. BURMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
W
hen Melvin Eisen-
berg, a, member of
_ the congregation of
Young Israel of
Southfield, receives an
aliyah (call to the Torah)
on Simchat Torah, he must
be helped on to the bimah
by a few good men. Mr.
Eisenberg, like 43 million
stock #127906
Americans, is disabled. He
uses a wheelchair, and
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MASTER
DEALER
DENCATED TO
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To. all of our friends and customers ..
our sincerest wishes for a healthy
and happy Passover
(1)
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must be lifted up in his
chair onto the bimah to
come close to the Torah,
because there is no ramp
for him to use.
Unfortunately, most syn-
agogues and temples in
metropolitan Detroit have
yet to revamp their sanctu-
aries, so as to welcome all
those who wish to enter,
worship, and participate.
The national Organiza-
tion on Disability, based in
New York City, and found-
ed in 1982, was established
in part to expand the
opportunities for disabled
Americans to participate in
all aspects of life. They
have recently published
"That All May Worship: An
Interfaith Welcome to
People with Disabilities," a
handbook which implores
religious leaders and con-
gregations "to welcome
people with disabilities
into all aspects of worship
and religious life." The
organization aims not only
to remove the physical bar-
riers to full participation in
religious life, such as nar-
row doorways„ stairs, inad-
equate restrooms,, and
print in prayerbooks too
small to read, but also to
teach humanity to able-
bodied members of congre-
gations who are ill-at-ease
around disabled people, or
adhere to old stereotypes.
The interfaith guide out-
lines a complete approach
to welcoming people with
disabilities, including the
training of ushers, who
should seat new people in
their preferred locations,
offer large-print prayer-
books, and open heavy
doors for those with mobili-
ty impairments. It also
calls for the arrangement
of transportation to ser-
vices and speakers, and the
integration of children with
disabilities into the main-
stream religious education
programs. The handbook
especially stresses asking
disabled members to
assume leadership roles,
planning events and activi-
ties. Most importantly,
before any physical
changes are made to a con-
gregation, including addi-
tions, the disabled mem-
bers must be consulted. I
After all, only they know
what is truly needed.
Lawrence Wesley echoes
this point. A teacher and
member of Beth Achim in
Southfield, Mr. Wesley
says it is imperative that`
the mobility impaired be
included in decisions
affecting the structure of a
temple, synagogue, or
church, because sometimes
"they just get contractors
who do lousy jobs instead (,
of talking to someone in a
wheelchair." While wheel-
chair users are unable to
A recently
published
handbook implores
religious leaders
and congregations
"to welcome
people with
disabilities into
all aspects of
religious life."
have an aliyah at Beth \
Achim, Mr. Wesley com-
mends the synagogue for
its growing awareness. A
new ramp and a recently
installed handicapped
restroom, he says, help /
people "feel more part of
the shul."
Temple Israel has just
completed extensive
remodeling of its facilities
to better accommodate
members. While there has
not been much request for
Braille prayerbooks, the
temple has responded to
the needs of the hearing-
impaired by providing
infrared hearing devices
which the ushers carry.
Ushers are also stationed <
at the front entrance to
assist the mobility
impaired into the building.
DISABLED page 12