BS”D

Dear Rabotai, esteemed Rabbis, scholars, educators, colleagues, and honoured members of the Jewish community:

In her article “Opening The Gates of Torah: Including People With Disabilities In The Jewish Community” Lenore Layman notes the perpetual constancy and recurring theme with which people with disabilities is discussed in the Torah as well as in Rabbinic literature.  Even Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses), who was the greatest spiritual leader known in all of Judaism had a disability – he had a lisp (Layman, 98). This idea will be discussed at greater length later on in the speech.

My name is Cassandra Wein and I have been asked to speak to you this afternoon to present a personal perspective on the importance of inclusion as a person with a disability.

I have Cerebral Palsy. This affects my lower limbs only. As a person living with a disability, I will hopefully be able to provide you with an insider’s perspective on what it is like to live daily life having a disability, and to educate you, so that you will hopefully be able to change your perceptions of people who have disabilities. I would first like to thank you all for coming to the film event today. Your support is the first step toward creating an environment of inclusion awareness.

The Hebrew word “Itanu” is most commonly translated as “with us.”  It is my opinion that the Inclusion Committee chose this as their Hebrew name because it serves two purposes. The first is to portray general society’s current perception of people who live with disabilities. The second purpose is to envision the hope that in the future, society will learn to view people who live with challenges as individuals first, and their challenges, second. In this way, these individuals will be able to be defined by their unique personalities alone, and not by constant challenges that these individuals face in day-to-day living.

It is important to remember that each individual is created “B’Tzelem Elokim” – in the “Image of G-d” (Genesis 1:27).  If we remember this, then perhaps, it will be easier to afford each individual the respect that they are worthy of, especially those who have challenges.

I would like to take a few moments now to share with you some personal thoughts about the emotional film which you just experienced in connection to creating an environment of inclusion awareness. I will start by giving you some background as to how my parents view my disability, in regards to how raised me. My parents have an extremely positive attitude toward my disability in that they raised me as they would any “normal” child, who does not have a disability.

Despite the fact that I have mobility challenges, and I use a wheelchair to get around, I never allow my challenges to get in the way of my goals. If I want to accomplish something, I always find a way. For example, during the recent strike at York University, Wheeltrans could not come onto campus because they are unionized and they are not allowed to cross the picket line.  For those of you who don’t know, Wheeltrans is a bus service run by public transportation that allows people who have challenges to get from place to place.  Instead of relying on Wheeltrans to take me to where I had to go, I took the regular public transportation, which does not drop you off at exact locations. This means that I needed to know my bus routes well, and to pay attention to where I was travelling to, but I succeeded.

Most public transportation bus routes in Toronto have ramps installed on the buses, so that they can be easily accessible to people who use wheelchairs to get around, as well as mothers who have children in strollers. I emphasize the fact that I use a wheelchair instead of that I am in a wheelchair because I want people to see me beyond my wheelchair.

I felt very emotional when I saw the film “Praying With Lior” because I felt an instant connection to Lior.  Although Lior’s challenges differ greatly from my own, we share many commonalities, which I would like to discuss briefly.  Similar to Moses,  Lior had challenges with his speech because he could not always speak properly. Having no one else to turn to that would understand him in his time of need, Lior turned to Hashem. He knew that G-d understands all people, whether or not they can speak clearly.  Lior was commonly referred to as the “little Rebbe.”  As aforementioned in my introduction, I am a ba’al teshuvah.  I have become more religious over the last few years.  I think that there is some kind of special connection between spirituality and physical limitation. Perhaps, people with challenges understand the world in a different sense that people who do not have any challenges. The idea of inclusion was practiced very strongly in Lior’s community.

The prayers at Lior’s shul were centered around him.  Despite the fact that Lior’s community raised awareness of and implemented inclusion, no one is perfect. Lior’s father is quoted in the film, at one point, as saying that “Lior is not a rebbe, he is not a conscious spiritual teacher, he is just a loving child” - Rav Mordechai Liebling.  This quote struck me as strange because they are questioning Lior’s conscious abilities.  Just because he has Down Syndrome, doesn’t mean his abilities are limited. This made me question my own life.

Lior and I want to be able to achieve some of the same common goals. For example, these include driving a car and getting married.  This film made me realize other people’s negative perspectives of people with challenges.  As mentioned before, perhaps Lior really was on a higher spiritual level than others in his community. If people really do view people with challenges in this way, then how many obstacles do I have yet to face in my future?  Please help us to eliminate these negative perceptions from our community, and please view the person as an individual without the challenge, for it is only when we eliminate these negative perceptions, can we truly focus on the individual as unique and valuable to the Jewish community, regardless of whether or not they have the challenge.

Lior’s classmates are quoted in the film as saying that Lior being in their class, is a “test” for them by Hashem, as well as a test for Lior.  According to the traditional, Orthodox viewpoint of the world, everything in this world is put here for a purpose. It is believed that Hashem wants to see how they will react toward Lior, if they are able to respect Lior, despite his challenges. It is our achrius (responsibility) as individuals to find our tachlis (mission and purpose) in life. By coming to see this film, all of you are testifying to the fact that you are willing to be an important part of this tachlis. By telling others about Itanu Toronto, you are contributing to a greater good.

I envision the day where there will no longer be a need for an inclusion committee, and that including people who have challenges in our community will simply be a natural occurrence. I am now asking you one thing to take away with from this event. Please spread the word about Itanu Toronto, and help us to raise awareness regarding inclusion. Please also work on yourselves for the better. If there is someone in your neighbourhood or shul with challenges, please make it your goal to speak with them, and help them to feel included within your community. Please do not make it seem like a personal project and that you are including these because I am asking you to do so. Rather, inclusion should come naturally to all people.   If practiced enough, inclusion will hopefully, one day, be a natural everyday occurrence, practiced without any effort.

Lenore Layman interprets Isaiah 56:5 as “My House shall be a house of prayer for all people" (Layman, 100).  Leviticus 19:18 states, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”  The Rabbis interpret this phrase to mean that all Jews are responsible for one another (Babylonian Talmud 39a).  Please help us by eliminating negative perceptions regarding people who live with challenges.  Please separate the individual from their challenge.  In this way, you will be able to see that each and every individual regardless of the fact if they have a challenge or not, they are unique. Each and every individual has the right to be valued as a contributing Jew to our community.  By bringing awareness about inclusion, and by implementing inclusion in our community, we are all taking on the achrius of being responsible for one another and thereby practicing the mitzvah commandment of Tikun Olam (Improving the World) and helping to make Hashem’s House, a house for all people.

Thank you once again to everyone who came today.  Your support has been greatly appreciated.

Cassandra Ashley Wein (Cassie)