Tikvah Spotlight by Dr. Bonnie Schwartz, Tikvah Director

This month is Jewish Disabilities and Inclusion Awareness Month. Since the first Tikvah program was established at Camp Ramah in New England in 1970, each summer has become an opportunity for our typically developing children and young adults and those with differences to share in the magic of camp – to sing, swim, dance, play, celebrate Shabbat together, learn from each other, and create new friendships and understandings.As Tikvah has continued to grow and evolve, Ramah has created a continuum of support for individuals with varying levels of accommodations and the inclusion and programming continues to expand. At CRNE, we can all be proud of the rich history of Tikvah, the model it has become, and the community that we have created together.However, Tikvah extends beyond camp. We hear wonderful stories of our campers connecting with each other during the school year. In addition, our staff creates year-round programming to continue to share the joy of Shabbat and strengthen relationships created at camp.

This year, we have continued our Shabbos Is Calling program that brings together interested Tikvah campers and staff every Thursday evening for a video conference. They share stories about their week, learn about the parsha and holidays, and sing songs together, all while being able to see each other on their monitors. Adina Golob, who has been facilitating these weekly calls this past year, shares her experience here.