Join us for virtual Jewish Disability Advocacy Day 2022

The Religious Action Center is excited to continue our partnership with the Jewish Federations of North America as hosts of the annual Jewish Disability Advocacy Day (JDAD) on February 23and 24, 2022. Registration is officially LIVE!

This year's JDAD will be a two-day, virtual event where Jews with disabilities and their allies from organizations and communities across the nation come together to learn about relevant disability policy, raise awareness on disability inclusion, and advocate for current legislative priorities with their elected officials.

On February 23^rd, we will kick off JDAD with an opening ceremony, hearing from prominent disability rights advocates and individuals with disabilities. On the second day, we will explore the barriers individuals with disabilities face to economic security and discuss the ways we can break down these barriers through activism and policy. This year, we will be empowering participants to schedule virtual lobby visits with their members to take place throughout the week.

Advancing the civil rights of people living with disabilities remains core to the Reform Movement's work of building a world of compassion, justice, and wholeness. Jewish tradition is explicit about the importance of creating a world that is accessible for all people. Leviticus teaches us, "You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind" (Leviticus 19:14). Yet many individuals face stumbling blocks and barriers in various forms, including unequal access to or subpar education and employment opportunities, lack of accessible housing and transportation, and discrimination and exclusion in both Jewish and secular spaces. Policymakers must dismantle these structural barriers to security and opportunity faced by people with disabilities.

JDAD occurs against the backdrop of Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). Every February, the North American Jewish community recognizes JDAIM as an opportunity to examine our community and evaluate our successes and shortcomings in being open and inclusive to members with disabilities.

We hope you will join us on February 23^rd and 24 ^th for this virtual event. More information and a link to register can be found on the JDAD website.