Sha’arim expands Darkaynu program for young adults with disabilities
By ERIN ELLIOTT BRYAN /Â Community News Editor
For young adults with developmental disabilities, graduating from high school is an important milestone in their lives. But while their peers are going away to college or moving on to create new chapters in their lives, these young adults may not be able to find a place for themselves in the greater community — or the Jewish community.
That’s where Sha’arim’s expanded Darkaynu (our way) program comes in.
“When kids go to school, whether they’re typical or atypical, schools are a forced community; once that forced community comes to an end, a lot of parents say, ‘Well, what’s next?’” said Chana Shagalow, program director of Sha’arim. “We can no longer worry about these Jewish children when they’re in a defined setting. Once they graduate, there’s still a need for Jewish interaction, Jewish programming, Jewish education.”
St. Louis Park-based Sha’arim, a partner agency of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, offers individualized educational support to children with special needs. For K-12 students, Sha’arim provides special education instructors in its eight partner schools.
The original Darkaynu program is designed for K-12 students who have very specific needs and are unable to attend mainstream Jewish educational programming alongside typical peers. The program has now expanded to include post-high school students, who come together for one hour on Wednesday nights at the Sabes JCC.
The overall goal of the program, which was created with the help of Sabes JCC inclusion coordinator Anita Lewis, is to keep these young adults part of the local Jewish community.
Staff and students of Sha’arim’s newly launched program for Jewish young adults with disabilities pose with their Shalom sand art creations. Adult Darkaynu is held on Wednesdays at the Sabes JCC and is run in collaboration with the JCC’s Inclusion Program. (Photo: Courtesy of Sha’arim)
Staff and students of Sha’arim’s newly launched program for Jewish young adults with disabilities pose with their Shalom sand art creations. Adult Darkaynu is held on Wednesdays at the Sabes JCC and is run in collaboration with the JCC’s Inclusion Program. (Photo: Courtesy of Sha’arim)
“The reality is that right now, there is not a lot offered for young adults, young Jewish adults, with disabilities in terms of programming,” Shagalow said. “Most of these young adults with disabilities, they want to continue with Jewish programming, Jewish activities; they identify very strongly as Jews and as part of the Jewish community, and there really wasn’t a next step for them.”
Currently, the Wednesday night class is in the second of four sessions. It includes learning about the weekly Torah portion, Jewish holidays and Hebrew words, creating an art project, and a time for recreation and socialization — which all works with the participants’ unique way of learning.
Aliza Koval is Sha’arim’s director of student services and teaches the young adult Darkaynu class. She said the class is often the only time the young adult participants can come together with their Jewish peers.
“We had one of our boys come in and he had such a smile on his face,” Koval said. “He was making a party to celebrate his three years in a group home and he said he was so excited ‘because I have a group of Jewish friends that I can actually invite to my party.’ He had invitations that were written out with each of their names on it and it was so heartwarming, his excitement.”
Koval said the group continues to grow and she was expecting nine participants at the next class.
“There is no one who has said, ‘This is not for me,’” Koval said. “They feel like they’re a niche and a group, and it’s great. They’re sharing in each other’s lives.”
Shagalow said Sha’arim will continue to expand to meet the needs of local Jews with special needs.
“We’re going to work with them to stay socially integrated and a part of the Jewish social scene, wherever Jewish education is available for them or created for them,” she said. “There’s no magical age when Jewish education ends. We’re all lifelong learners.”
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The young adult Darkaynu program is open to participants 18 and older, and the cost is $30 for each six-class session (scholarships are available). For information and to register, contact the Sha’arim office at 952-303-5276.
(American Jewish World, 11.27.09)
