Nov. 1 0- 1 1
Frankel Institute
Symposium
Examines Jewish
Political Behavior

During the 2011-2012 year,
the Frankel Institute for
Advanced Judaic Studies and
head fellow Zvi Gitelman have
gathered scholars around the
topic of Jews & Political Life.
On Nov. 10 and 11, the Insti-
tute will hold a symposium to
examine facets of Jewish politi-
cal behavior in Europe, Israel,
and the United States. Among
the topics to be analyzed are
Jewish politics in Eastern
Europe, contemporary West
European politics and the Jews,
Arab Jewish relations in Israel,
the anomalies of Jewish voting
behavior in the United States,
and Jews as actors in the world's
political arena.
Sessions will be divided into
five sessions, and speakers will
include such noted scholars as
Sammy Smooha (University of
Haifa) , David Engel (New York
University), Sarai Aharoni
(University of Michigan), Sam-
uel Abrams (Sarah Lawrence
College), Sergey Lagodin-
sky (Berlin), Ken Goldstein
(University of Wisconsin-
Madison), Brian Horowitz
(Tulane University), Andrew
Sloin (Earlham College), Ger-
shon Bacon (Bar-Ilan Univer-
sity), Herbert Weisberg (Ohio
State University), Kenneth
Wald (University of Florida),
and Andrei Markovits (Uni-
versity of Michigan).
The symposium will be held at
the Michigan League, located
on the University of Michigan's
Ann Arbor campus at 911 N.
University. Sessions will be-
gin at 8:45am on Thursday,
Nov. 10, and will commence
at 5:30pm. Friday's panels will
open at 8:30am and finish at
12:30pm. Contact The Frankel
Center for a complete schedule.
All sessions are free and open
to the public. Reservations are
not required.

www.lsa.umich.edu/judaic/
judaicstudies@umich.edu
734/763-9047

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Fa

Jean &Samuel

Franke!
Center for Judaic Studie

©

2011 Regents of the University of Michigan

26

November 3 2011

Opening Doors

Students with disabilities or special needs
get to access Jewish education.

porary assistance to individual children
to help them function successfully and
fully participate in the classroom.
One parent explained, "The program
helped educate us to the unique needs of
our child. It helped identify community
resources to ensure our child's future
academic success." Without this pro-
gram, many children would not attend
Jewish preschool programs.
Another version of this program cur-
rently being tested is the Parent Pay pilot
program where, if a family can afford
Teens in the Madrichim Leadership Institute Program — Lexi Sittsamer,
to, they can pay for the para-educator's
Ariel Stollman, Sara Enfield and Sarah Moreno — had a private session with
service for the whole year. Currently, a
Elaine Hall (second from left), speaker and creator of Miracle Project, at last
para-educator is with the child for six to
year's Opening the Doors community conference. Through a Jewish Women's
eight weeks in the Doors to the Future
Foundation grant, the teens work one-on-one with special needs children.
program.
Efshar Circle, a collaborative part-
nership with Friendship Circle in West
Kate Wallace
ible with. He also would have assign-
Bloomfield, is a Sunday school that
Special to the Jewish News
ments prepped for him ahead of time.
enables students with more complex
Sometimes, if he was bothered, he might developmental learning or behavioral
pening the Doors is a nation-
leave the room to work in the hallway.
challenges to participate in a Jewish
ally recognized program of the
The madrich made Max feel impor-
education program that otherwise would
Jewish Federation's Affiance
tant and valued and treated him with
not be available in their congregational
for Jewish Education that allows Jewish
dignity. Reflecting on his experience,
religious schools.
students with disabilities and special
Max thinks that anything is possible
At the end of October, Opening the
needs to have the opportunity to receive
now. "I'm more confident and more
Doors held its annual meetings, the
a Jewish education. This umbrella pro-
brave," he said.
Anita Naftaly Family Circle Conference
gram serves more than 900 students
"It is wonderful how many families we
and the Day School Conference, which
annually at no cost to families.
impact positively,' said Maiseloff. "The
brought together educators, profession-
The program is offered at congre-
program is unique in comparison to
als and parents to provide awareness,
gational early childhood and religious
similar programs around the country."
understanding of special needs issues
schools as well as day schools and their
Opening the Doors places an instructor and to provide practical interventions
early childhood programs.
at each school to provide services rather
for directors, teachers and parents.
Opening the Doors is run under the
than having one community-wide special
Dr. Ray Levy Ph.D, a national speaker,
coordination of Ellen Maiseloff, associ-
education instructor.
psychologist, author and radio/TV per-
ate director of special education for the
One of the most recent additions
sonality, spoke at both conferences. He
Alliance.
to the program is the Madrichim
discussed cutting-edge approaches to
Essentially, Opening the Doors pro-
Leadership Institute, sponsored by
creating motivation and working with
vides master's degree-level special edu-
the Jewish Women's Foundation of
children and teens with challenging
cation in each of the Jewish schools. The Metropolitan Detroit. Now in its sec-
behaviors.
educators develop strategies and tech-
ond year, the institute provides teens
At the day school event, he was joined
niques to help students with academic
from congregations with specialized
by Rabbi Binyomin Ginsberg, dean of
skills; modify material and structure the training to work with younger children
Torah Academy in Minneapolis, who
environment to better accommodate the with diverse special needs in their own
spoke about classroom management.
students' needs and abilities; and even
congregations. The program empowers
Another exciting part of Opening
help in providing b'nai mitzvah training
teens to develop leadership skills and
the Doors is National Jewish Disability
adapted to students' strengths and chal-
to become positive Jewish role models.
Awareness month, which occurs every
lenges.
The children receiving the support ben-
February. Programs planned for that
For example, they work on including
efit with more self-confidence and gain
month help engage and empower people
students in the classroom as well as dif-
greater acceptance from peers.
with disabilities to participate in all
ferent behavioral techniques that can
One parent, whose son is autistic,
aspects of Jewish life. Programs are
help them in class.
said, "By helping others, the madrichim
planned in collaboration and in partner-
Max, a 15-year-old with Aspeger's
become more fulfilled, self-confident
ship with community agencies, hospitals
Syndrome, was introduced to Opening
and comfortable with who they are. It is
and clinics that provide services to peo-
the Doors in the fourth grade. Before
truly beautiful to see how this gift works ple of all ages with various challenges
that, he described Hebrew school as
in both directions."
and disabilities.
"horrible." Through Opening the Doors,
For more information about Opening
Max was able to continue in Hebrew
Other Doors Open
the Doors, contact Ellen Maiseloff at
school successfully. He was given a teen
Doors to the Future, a program in the
esm@jfmd.org. LJ
madrich (counselor) he was compat-
early childhood setting, provides tem-

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