Rebecca Gaida – Jewish Studies Teacher

A more inclusive society

I recently had the honour of attending a forum at Jewish Care with Jay and Shira Ruderman from the Ruderman Foundation. Jay and Shira are social activists working to change attitudes towards people with disabilities with the aim of making our society more inclusive. They said that 20% of the world’s population has a type or form of disability of some description, whether it be depression, Alzheimer’s or any kind of disability. Given that it is likely that someone we know has, or might develop in the future, some kind of disability, building an inclusive mindset will help shape a society that is accommodating and inclusive.

Here are some top tips shared by Jay and Shira for building an inclusive mindset:

1. Remember that not everyone’s brain works the same as yours. You may need to find ways of including everyone in your social world, even though people think and act differently from you. 
2. Reflect on your actions and words – are they inclusive or might they exclude others inadvertently? Are you inviting everyone or just some people to be a part of your world? Are you willing to go out on a limb to help others with less than you?
3. Do you donate to charities that are inclusive or exclusive? Are you part of organisations that include everyone or just some people? And if you are part of an organisation that excludes some people, what can you personally do to make it more inclusive?
4. According to Jay and Shira, many people who have children with disabilities can feel excluded by Jewish organisations that don’t cater for their needs, which can turn them away from Judaism as they seek help from outside the community. You can personally help shape synagogues, Jewish youth movements and other organisations to make them more inclusive and friendly to all families.
5. Try to “Seek first to understand and then to be understood”- if you can’t understand why someone is acting in a certain way, perhaps be straight up and ask them questions to better understand their point of view. That way you can get a better picture of what went on in their brain when they acted in a certain way and you can respond more appropriately.
6. Leave your ego at the door and give your time and attention to the people with you.

I think having an inclusive mindset is the way of the future and that each of us has a part to play in creating a more inclusive society. It is not enough to simply be anti-bullying. By being proactive in one’s inclusion of others and people with disabilities, we can all work towards Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) and make our society a more welcoming and inclusive one.

To find out more about the Ruderman Foundation and their projects please visit www.rudermanfoundation.org/