National Disabilities Employment Awareness Month

AJFCA member agencies work every day to support persons with disabilities through a myriad of services including advocacy, vocational assessments and training, work experience, and job search support.

Held each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a national campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. The theme for 2014 is "Expect. Employ. Empower."



NDEAM's roots go back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to "National Disability Employment Awareness Month." Upon its establishment in 2001, ODEP assumed responsibility for NDEAM and has worked to expand its reach and scope ever since.

This year, Simchat Torah is a little "later" than usual in our Gregorian calendar (are Jewish holidays ever "on time"?). For many of us, when we awake in the morning it is still dark, and as we ready ourselves for the new day, we glimpse the first signs of light of the new day. Similarly, as we conclude, and then begin again our annual Torah reading cycle, it is an opportune time to think about the opening words of Torah and the transition implied therein. As a child, and probably many years beyond, I saw the opening Hebrew words of B'reshit translated as: "In the beginning, God created ...." In more recent English translations, the opening verse begins: "When God began to create heaven and earth."

  

The second translation certainly gives a different feeling to the text. Instead of a clear demarcation between nothingness and the creation of the world, there is a sense of time that suggests an ongoing process. As we observe each day the gradual emergence of light from the dark, this image of creation as a process resonates with our experience. And, when in the third verse of B'reshit, God creates light and day emerges from the night, we know from our experience that this was not a sudden total illumination like turning on a lamp in a dark room, but rather a gradual dawning of the day.

  

When we are trying to grasp a novel concept, or teach our children a lesson, or help our clients gain some new understanding, it would be nice to think that this could happen with the proverbial light bulb going on. But, realistically we know that it is much more like the story of creation - a gradual emergence of light from the dark. The light will come; we just need to keep moving forward for it to be fully realized.

  

Chag Sameach and Shabbat Shalom.

Each October Jewish Family Service & Children's Center of Clifton-Passaic's Project S.A.R.A.H. runs their "Many Voices/One Message" campaign. Join Outreach Coordinator, Rabbi Michael Bleicher and domestic violence professionals for a 60 minute discussion surrounding the orthodox community, how they fit into the rest of the Jewish community and how JFS&CC works with the orthodox through "Many Voices/One Message." Click here for more details.

  

Reaching Out to the Orthodox
Tuesday, October 28th, 2pm ET - REGISTER HERE