Jacob School for Girls and Yeshivas
activities at Emanu-El frequently
3archei Torah — special-needs services
include special-needs students, even if
for mild to moderately learning dis-
the student brings along a "shadow"
abled students are also provided by a
— a special assistant who works exclu-
private agency operating in Detroit
sively with that child.
since 1979, P'TACH. Translated as
Many synagogues offer flexible bar
open" in Hebrew, the letters of
and bat mitzvah programs. Several train
P'TACH stand for Parents for Torah
their own cadre of tutors and teacher
for All Children.
aides, with the help of the AJE's
Through P'TACH, students learn
NIRIM teacher education program.
\strategies for dealing with their disabil-
Temple Shir Shalom has been able to
ities; many go on to academic success
serve an increasing number of children
in college and to demanding profes-
with learning and emotional disabilities,
sions, said coordinator Bette Josephs.
said educational director Mindy
Both Opening the Doors and
Nathan. "We were able to find tutors
P'TACH provide
who were able to
specialists to tutor
make things work."
Opposite page: Lindsay Feldman
children and teens
The temple's
celebrated her bat mitzvah four years
with mild to mod-
program
will be
ago at Adat Shalom Synagogue. Now 17
erate attention
helped
this
year
and a student in the adaptive resources
deficit disorder,
because
it
has
affil-
program at Andover High School in
dyslexia and other
iated
with
Bloomfield Township, Lindsay, who is
perceptual prob-
Opening the
developmentally disabled has
lems. The special-
Doors.
continued her Jewish education with
ists also work as
Students with
Monday night classes at Temple Beth El.
consultants to
Parents Lindsay and Barry Feldman said more severe dis-
classroom teachers.
abilities present a
Lindsay's Judaism is very important to
At Yeshiva Beth
more extensive —
her. "She considers both Aclat Shalom
Yehudah,
and Beth El her second homes,"
and more costly —
P' TACH works
her mother said.
set of challenges.
with students in
We have some
the younger grades, while Opening
students who are very low-functioning
the Doors serves older students.
academically," Leibson said. "But if the
"There are students who, without
kids have severe problems — especially
these programs, would not be able to
severe emotional problems — we just
be educated in a day-school environ-
do not have the facilities to cope."
ment," said Rabbi Eli Meyerfeld, the
At Shir Shalom, this year's bar mitz-
schools' executive director.
vah class includes one child who is
However, P'TACH has been
what Nathan termed "high-function-
hounded by financial problems
ing autistic." His bar mitzvah will
throughout its 20-year existence, and
take place on a Thursday morning,
now faces a deficit of $60,000. The
which the temple reserves for smaller,
organization reorganized its volunteer
more intimate family ceremonies.
board last winter, with a three-person
However, whenever their ceremony is
presidium consisting of Jerry
held, all Shir Shalom b'nai mitzvah
Rosenberg, Harvey Lefkowitz and
students read a minimum of 10 lines
Reuven Meer.
of Torah in Hebrew, Nathan added.
All three are parents of P'TACH
"He was in our classroom program
-.students or former students.
for as long as he could be," Nathan
"P'TACH saved my daughter's
said. "But there comes a point when the
life," Rosenberg said.
least restrictive environment is tutorial."
At the other end of the Jewish spec-
Nathan is lukewarm about using a
trum, Educational Director Marilyn
shadow, or classroom aide, to pro-
Wolfe of the secular Jewish Parents
vide special assistance to one specific
Institute, said Opening the Doors has
child. "There are situations where it
provided two wonderful teachers" to
could be too distracting to him or to
augment that organization's Sunday
the other children.
—morning program.
"It tends to be another way to sin-
None of the area's Jewish institu-
gle that child out, to feel different,
tions wants to exclude special-needs
less. It also sends a somewhat different
students, when educationally feasible.
message to the other students."
"I think it's good for the child and
Two very successful programs pro-
for the other kids in the class," said
vide a once-a-week Jewish experience
Marcia Leibson, Temple Emanu-El
for students with more involved learn-
educational director. "It's a part of
ing disabilities.
Jewish life."
The AJE's Efshar program offers
Classes, field trips and youth group
Sunday classes in Judaica at the AJE

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Catc4 Mc Bost
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JAI etttertaimistemt

Detroit Jewish News

8/6
1999

11

