Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, m’shaneh habriyot
.בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם מְשַנֶּה הַבְּרִיּוֹת
February is Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), and here is a prayer, which like all like all things about JDAIM, is perfect for the whole year. This is one of my very favorite Jewish prayers, and one of the least well-known.
In essence, the prayer means, “Blessed is the Creator, who makes creation varied, (or) who makes creatures different.” It is a blessing to be said when something unusual, potentially off-putting, or possibly frightening happens. It reminds us not to judge, not to be biased, or to exclude people who are different and to remember that we are not all meant to be the same. We should notice differences and appreciate them.
The traditional Jewish community, in both Eastern and Southern Europe, was quite restrictive in its insistence on conformity to social rules and had clear expectations of what was considered appropriate behavior. At the same time, Jewish blessings and folk stories constantly promote the idea that we shouldn’t judge people by the way they look or act. Elijah the prophet, a magical character who heals and sustains those who invite him in, often appeared as a vagabond and a beggar, testing those around him to see whether they could be charitable and welcoming even if he didn’t conform to those social rules. Don’t judge the book by its cover, or as the original Hebrew says, don’t judge the contents of a jug by its exterior. In this way, you could receive Elijah’s blessings.
JDAIM, Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (February), is a great reminder to check our biases and judgments, along with how we respond to those around us. After all, the person we just don’t like could be Elijah…
I am very grateful to Kehilat Sukkat Shalom for the ongoing dedication to this work, and for the events that we are helping to sponsor this year for JDAIM. I hope that many of you will join us for our second event with Prof. Samuel Levine on Sunday, Feb 21 at 7 PM in the Sukkat Shalom zoom room to explore even further our own preconceptions about ability, disability and the vast room between those two words.
To register for this event, contact info@SukkatShalomColumbus.org
Joanie Calem
Education Chair
Kehilat Sukkat Shalom