24 | FEBRUARY 23 • 2023
OUR COMMUNITY
A
few weeks ago,
Temple Israel
unveiled two
all-gender and accessible
bathrooms.
It’s a major step in inclusiv-
ity that Temple Israel’s Rabbi
Jen Lader says the congre-
gation has been “dreaming
about for years.”
“It was a pri-
ority of the con-
gregation and
something we felt
strongly about,”
she explains.
“Temple Israel
has been really committed
to the idea of inclusivity and
accessibility.”
The two bathrooms are
located near the temple’s
chapel for easier access,
which Lader says can be
especially helpful for mem-
bers with special needs or in
wheelchairs. One is a larger
and single accessible space,
and the other is a standard
bathroom with several stalls.
Both bathrooms have new
signs that designate them for
all-gender and accessible use.
“We’ve had feedback that
not only our non-binary and
trans congregants are thrilled
about this,” Lader explains,
“but also people whose part-
ners are in wheelchairs, and
because they’re different gen-
ders, they couldn’t accompa-
ny them into a bathroom to
help them.
“Also special needs kids
and older teens who might
need a little bit of help,” she
adds, “and for whom it was
difficult for their parents to
find a place to help them in a
comfortable way.”
Lader says two bathrooms
of different styles were
included to help give con-
gregants more options. The
single bathroom, she says,
is the only single bathroom
available in the building.
“If someone’s not com-
fortable using a bathroom
of either gender or sharing a
bathroom of either gender,
there’s a place that meets
their needs,” she says, “as well
as for people who need an
accessible bathroom.”
New accessibility features
that have been added to the
bathrooms include handicap
accessible buttons to open
the door inbound or out-
bound, rails adjacent to the
toilet, the removal of any
barriers to make it easier for
people to transition from
wheelchair or walker to toi-
let, and a lock to indicate if a
stall is vacant.
“We’re just so excited that
this is meeting so many peo-
ple’s different needs,” Lader
says.
While Temple Israel
declined to share the cost of
the project, the bathrooms
were created out of existing
male and female bathrooms.
One was gutted to open up
a larger and more accessible
single space, while the other
was transformed into an
all-gender bathroom with
multiple stalls.
“We want to make sure that
every single person in our
community feels comfortable,
safe, loved and supported in
our building,” Lader explains.
“We want to show people that
we are active allies, and we’re
willing to put in the work to
make sure our families know
this is a safe space.”
Lader says that all-gender
and inclusive bathrooms are
just one step that the temple
is taking to create a con-
gregation that’s welcoming
to all. There’s a brand-new
inclusion task force that she
explains is committed to
thinking about ways to make
the building, programming
and experience “better for
everyone.”
“We’re thinking about how
to make our sanctuary more
inclusive,” Lader shares as an
example.
“We’re talking about doing
an all-needs holiday service
so that people don’t have to
worry about kids being loud
or having sensory concerns.
We’re really looking at all
aspects of the temple.”
Temple Israel unveils all-gender and accessible bathrooms.
An Inclusive Option
Rabbi Jen
Lader
ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER