Revolutionizing Belonging: Disability Inclusion and the Future of Jewish Camp
Part of the learning series, You Say You Want a Revolution: Jewish Encounters with Radical Change
Produced in partnership with the
With Dr. Abigail Uhrman, Director of The William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education and Associate Professor of Jewish Education, 91快播
And special guests: Howard Blas, Senior Consultant to the National Ramah Tikvah Network, and Elana Naftalin-Kelman, disability inclusion educator and former Tikvah Director at Camp Ramah in California
Jewish summer camps are bright centers of innovation in disability inclusion鈥攅xpanding access, investing in trained staff, and reimagining what true belonging looks like. This work is no longer operating at the margins: it has become a core identity of many camps, shaping the culture and experience of the entire community. When inclusion becomes central, everyone鈥檚 camp experience grows richer. Campers learn empathy and interdependence, staff gain deeper tools for leadership, and the community as a whole becomes stronger and more connected.
In this session, Dr. Abigail Uhrman will draw on current research and practice to explore how this shift at camp represents a revolutionary expression of Jewish peoplehood鈥攐ne that models equity, dignity, and shared responsibility as essential communal values. She will be joined by field leaders Howard Blas and Elana Naftalin-Kelman, who will reflect on how centering inclusion transforms the lives of individuals with disabilities, and drives broader cultural change within Jewish life. Together, we鈥檒l consider how the lessons of camp may hold the key to a more just, vibrant, and welcoming Jewish future.
About the Series
What does revolution look like in Jewish life鈥攕piritual, social, technological, or political? This fall, join 91快播 scholars for a provocative webinar series exploring transformative moments across Jewish history. From the emergence of monotheism to the Russian Revolution, from handwritten manuscripts to digital frontiers, from summer camps to the Talmud, we鈥檒l consider how Jews have sparked, resisted, and reimagined change. Each session invites reflection on what revolution means鈥攖hen and now.
