JERUSALEM (JTA) – Thirty deaf and hearing-impaired students from across Israel celebrated their bar and bat mitzvahs in Jerusalem this week as part of a program developed by Young Israel in Israel’s Judaic Heritage Program for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired, the Jewish Agency for Israel and World Mizrachi.
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The program, which included a sign-language interpreter, began at the Beit Knesset Nitzanim in Jerusalem’s Baka neighborhood, with the boys donning their tefillin and being presented with a tallit and siddur. The girls received candle sticks designed by famed Israeli artist Emanuel and a book of tehillim (psalms).
The youths, who study in special schools that address their hearing challenges, traveled to Jerusalem from across Israel.
Rivka Morowitz, a mother of eight children, including three with special needs, accompanied her son Meir, who is deaf and has Down Syndrome.
Rabbi Doron Perez, chair of World Mizrachi, said: “The beauty of Jewish life is that it is immersive and engages all people, including those with particular disabilities. We as a community are committed to ensuring that these young men and women will be able to experience the special transitional moments of the bar and bat mitzvah in a way which takes into account their unique needs.”