February is Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) Yet, supporting individuals with disabilities is a year-round priority for The Associated network.

Here are some of our stories.

Together, they formed a strong relationship. The ELC was great at coordinating services from outside providers to support Benji in the classroom. They also helped him acclimate and build his social and communication skills.

Lindsay, who is a special educator herself, understands the value of strong early intervention. And the preschool really understood what a family goes through, she says.

Speaking to other parents of preschoolers with disabilities, she wants them to know this about the ELC team. “They are wonderful communicators who have an appreciation of what a family with a child with a disability goes through. They really want to form a partnership.”

The group, formed within the past year, is now one of the few dedicated spaces in Jewish Baltimore focused specifically on the grandparent experience, a role that is often emotionally complex and rarely centered in conversations about disability and inclusion.

Sheryl and Eric, who have three grandchildren, including a five-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter with special needs who lives nearby, describe the group as both practical and deeply personal.

Sheryl brings decades of professional experience working with people with disabilities to her volunteer role as a freelance American Sign Language interpreter and former Towson University professor.

“People with disabilities are just people,” she said. “They don’t want to be looked down on, and they don’t need pity. They need resources, support, accommodations and access.”

Each month, the group meets to share stories and explore topics like navigating family dynamics, strengthening bonds with grandchildren and supporting adult children.

Learn about our services and check out our JDAIM events at associated.org/disability.

During JDAIM, The Associated network is hosting a number of events to support individuals and families of individuals with disabilities. One of those events, hosted by the Jewish Library of Baltimore, is a conversation between two Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community high school students who have siblings with disabilities. One of them, Ava Perlin, wrote a children’s book based on her sister.

We asked Ava about the book and her sister.

What has growing up with a sibling with a disability taught you?

Growing up with a sibling with a disability taught me patience and empathy in ways that felt very real. I learned early to be attentive and protective, especially in spaces that are not used to having people who are different. That perspective has followed me into young adulthood and shapes how I listen and show up for others. 

Why did you write One in a Millieon?

I wrote One in a Millieon because I wanted siblings to see themselves reflected in a story. So much of the focus is rightly on the child with the disability, but siblings are having their own quiet experiences too. I wanted to capture the love, protectiveness, and everyday moments that shape those relationships, as well as the unique opportunity we have as siblings to advocate. This book came from wanting something honest that I wish I had myself.