Join us to launch Jewish Disability Advocacy Day 2023!

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 15th at 12 PM ET. Registration is officially LIVE!

We are switching things up this year! This year's JDAD will be a virtual Day of Action, which we will launch together on Zoom from 12-1 PM ET. Jews with disabilities and their allies come together to celebrate our wins in 2022 (including passage of the ABLE Age Adjustment Act, a longtime JDAD legislative priority), learn from featured members of Congress and disability advocates, and launch our advocacy in the 118th Congress. On this Day of Action, we will show our power as a community-calling, emailing, and contacting our elected officials through other methods-to urge Congress to prioritize helping people with disabilities flourish by removing barriers and increasing opportunities to achieve greater independence and economic stability.

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 15th for this virtual event. Learn more and register now.