This year is the 14th anniversary of Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), founded in 2009 to raise awareness of the lives of people with disabilities and to support their right to be included in all aspects of Jewish life. 

We look forward to seeing you at this month’s many opportunities to celebrate JDAIM, including Jewish Disability Advocacy Day on Feb. 15. Learn more below and here.
Jewish Disability Advocacy Day National and Local Jewish Organization Sign-On Letter

In honor of Jewish Disability Advocacy Day 2023, the Religious Action Center, The Jewish Federations of North America, and The Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies are collecting signatures for a letter to members of Congress, urging them to prioritize policies in the 118th Congress that promote inclusion and accessibility while empowering people with disabilities to lead lives of greater independence and economic stability. This letter is open to all Jewish institutions and organizations. You can read the letter and sign on here.
Celebrate JDAIM with these Opportunities
Unpacking Key Health, Mental Health, Disability, and Long-Term Services and Supports Achievements in the Recently Enacted Omnibus Appropriations Package and What’s Next?
Thursday, Feb. 2 | 12-1 p.m. EST | REGISTER   
Join the Jewish Federations of North America and the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies as we dive deeply into the health, mental health, disability, and long-term services and supports achievements in Congress’ 2023 spending package. We will learn how these new policies and investments will help Jewish human service and other agencies care for people in our communities. For questions, please contact Elizabeth Cullen, Associate Director, Health Policy, Jewish Federations of North America and Washington Representative, Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies. 
The Intersection of Race, Disability and Religion:
A First-Person Experience  
Thursday, Feb. 2 | 5-6 p.m. EST | REGISTER 
Join The Branch and webinar speaker Asha Chai-Chang, who will talk about the growing community of Jews who identify as Jews of Color at this event co-sponsored by The Network. Born on Long Island as the Jamaican/Cuban/Chinese/Jewish daughter to immigrant parents, Asha is an Actuary by trade turned award-winning director/writer with invisible disabilities. Asha will create an open dialogue about being a person of color with multiple disabilities and speak about the intersectionality of being a Jew of Color with disabilities. She will also explore ways Jewish communities can increase visibility and create safe spaces for Jews of Color. Attendees will learn informative statistics and factual findings, have an opportunity to connect within the webinar and walk away with new tools and best practices. 
Jewish Disability Advocacy Day 2023 Virtual Kickoff  
Wednesday, Feb. 15 | 12-1 p.m. EST | REGISTER   
Please join the Jewish Federations of North America, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies for a day of action. We’ll begin with a virtual community event and will feature both a Jewish organizational sign-on letter to the 118th Congress and individual action opportunities.  
 
We also invite your agency to sponsor JDAD 2023 at no cost! We ask only that you promote the event using our toolkit. To add your organization’s name, click here and access the JDAD 2023 marketing Toolkit here. For questions, please contact Elizabeth Cullen, Associate Director, Health Policy, Jewish Federations of North America and Washington Representative, Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies, or jdad@jfna.org. 
RespectAbility NETTalk  
Tuesday, Feb. 28 | 2–3 p.m. EST | REGISTER 
RespectAbility is a diverse, disability-led nonprofit that works to create systemic change in how society views and values people with disabilities. Their mission is to fight stigmas and advance opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of the community. RespectAbility joined The Network in 2020. During the NETTalk you will learn about the many ways your organization and RespectAbility can work together.