20 | JANUARY 9 • 2020 

Jacob Blumenstein, center, with the help of his siblings, Reuben and Alana, started KidsRead2Kids.

Young Jews 
Making Moves:
Jacob Blumenstein

J

acob Blumenstein’
s 
educational path hasn’
t 
always been the easiest. 
“Growing up, I struggled 
heavily in school because I 
couldn’
t read,” 
Blumenstein says. 
“My teachers 
didn’
t understand 
dyslexia and I 
didn’
t even know 
I had dyslexia 
until I was 
diagnosed in fifth grade.”
With the help of his 
parents, Carol and Richard, 
and resources provided by 
his school, Blumenstein 
was able to realize his full 
potential.
“In the beginning, I felt 
humiliated and stupid,” 
Blumenstein says. “But 
as I grew up and learned 
how to take control of my 
dyslexia, I realized I could 
excel at many things besides 
reading.”

Blumenstein discovered 
many students were unaware 
of their learning disabilities 
or didn’
t have the same 
support system.
In 2017 with the help 
of his siblings, Alana and 
Reuben, Blumenstein 
launched a free educational 
nonprofit, KidsRead2Kids, 
designed to help children 
with learning disabilities 
learn to read.
“We use YouTube videos 
where we read abridged 
classic novels and decodable 
books chapter by chapter so 
anyone can follow along at 
their own pace,” Blumenstein 
says. “Because I was ashamed 
for being different, I wanted 
to be very open about my 
dyslexia on our website 
because I wanted our readers 
and listeners to know they 
are not alone.”
Blumenstein attended 
the International Dyslexia 

Association (IDA) 
conference in Portland, 
Ore., this year where he 
had applied for the Remy 
Johnson Certificate of Merit. 
He felt the award description 
represented him because he 
does not make excuses due 
to his dyslexia and doesn’
t let 
it define who he is.
Blumenstein unfortunately 
lost by one point but received 
a call from the CEO of the 
IDA, Sonja Banks, who had a 
different position in mind.
“She read my application 
and was upset that I didn’
t 
win the award,” Blumenstein 
says. “She was inspired by my 
story and wanted to offer me 
the position as president for 
the Youth and Young Adult 
Advocate Program that she 
was creating.”
Blumenstein accepted 
the role as president at the 
IDA Annual Conference in 
November. In this role, he 

is responsible for program 
development and educating 
students, parents and 
teachers about dyslexia.
“I have two goals for this 
position: My first goal is 
to spread my message of 
empowerment and to change 
the narrative of dyslexia,” 
he says. “The second part 
revolves around us acting 
as a consultant group to 
different businesses to help 
make technology easier for 
dyslexics.”
Blumenstein also gave a 
speech at the IDA annual 
conference where he shared 
his story.
“I may always have to work 
harder, but that’
s not such 
a bad thing,” Blumenstein 
says. “In fact, working 
harder has pushed me to be 
better and become a more 
compassionate person.” 

CORRIE COLF STAFF WRITER

Jews in the D

JACOB BLUMENSTEIN

Jacob 
Blumenstein

The Detroit Jewish 
Community Center is among 
eight communities and local 
organizations selected to par-
ticipate in the first strand of 
a three-part research project 
addressing the recruitment, 
retention and development of 
educators working in Jewish 
settings in North America. 

The research is led by CASJE 
(Consortium for Applied 
Studies in Jewish Education) 
and conducted by Rosov 
Consulting.
“Through our partnership 
with these eight communities 
we will gain deeper insight 
into the lived experiences 
of Jewish educators in the 

United States,” says Arielle 
Levites, managing director of 
CASJE. 
The local partner organi-
zations in each community 
will play a critical role in the 
study’
s first phase, known 
as On the Journey (OTJ), 
helping researchers connect 
with Jewish educators from a 

variety of sectors — includ-
ing day schools, supplemen-
tal schools, youth groups, 
camps, adult education and 
more. The partner organiza-
tions also will assist research-
ers in getting as accurate a 
count as possible of the total 
number of Jewish educators 
in each community. 

Detroit JCC Selected for Major Study on Jewish Education

