I鈥檓 Jewish and I have disabilities. At Hillel, my two identities aren鈥檛 mutually exclusive.
鈥淔or me, disability is about making the world a better place, which plays into all of the Jewish values that apply to social justice: tikkun olam, tzedek tzedek tirdof, lo ta鈥檃mod al dam re鈥檈cha. The ideal Judaism that we all want is one that is inclusive of all identities, and that means that it also has to be accessible physically. Sometimes we forget that some people literally can鈥檛 get into the building. Maybe people aren鈥檛 coming to your community because they don鈥檛 feel welcome, because you have a sign on your ramp that says, 鈥楧o not use.鈥 In Jewish communities everywhere, they say, 鈥榃ell, there鈥檚 nobody with a disability in our community that we need to consider,鈥 but I subscribe to the model of 鈥業f you build it, they will come.鈥
鈥淚 have a chronic illness, which episodically impacts my ability to walk, and my Hillel was the only thing that could make me feel good when things were really hard. Hillel staff is so valuable in their ability to listen to students with disabilities and work together with them. Mollie Flink and Rabbi Anna Levin Rosen of UChicago Hillel have been the most wonderful and have really encouraged me to advocate for myself. What鈥檚 so helpful about having allies is that they push the culture for you so it鈥檚 not all on your shoulders to change an entire institution. I鈥檓 only there for four years; what鈥檚 that going to mean when the next person with disabilities comes after I graduate? With Rabbi Anna there, I know that person will be heard.鈥 鈥 Emily Knopf, University of Chicago
As told to Rudy Malcom, writer in the 黑料传送门 Writers Program.