back to

JACKI'S 
BLOG
THOUGHTS

Neurodiversity, Neurodivergence, and the Significance of an Inclusive Community

I am honored to share this article I wrote for the newly launched Jewish Disability Inclusion News (you can check out their site here)

For the last few weeks, I have found myself mulling over a particularly painful incident that took place in Israel and made waves in the news and on social media. It involved a man and his ten-year-old son, who were rudely asked to leave a Beit Knesset in Tel Aviv because the child was autistic. The Rabbi had decided that his occasional vocalizations would “disrupt” prayers. He was adamant that they leave and spoke to them in a highly insulting manner.

When I saw a clip of the incident, my heart broke for both the father and son. I literally flinched from the wave of pain and anger that traveled through my body. I remembered all the situations where I had experienced something similar as a parent of an autistic child and his neurodivergent siblings. 

 I wished there was a way for me to explain to the child that he should try to disregard what the Rabbi had said because he had made a terrible mistake. Apparently, he had forgotten a few fundamental aspects of Judaism: we are all divine individuals that HaShem created as He wants us to be (therefore, no individual is superior to another, and everyone should be treated respectfully and equally), and the mitzvah of “ahavta l’reyacha c’mocha (love thy neighbor as thyself), which one says before prayers, and in essence, helps the prayers be accepted.  

The fact that such an incident can occur demonstrates that the Rabbi, and many other people I have encountered along the way, have some fundamental misconceptions about neurodiversity, spirituality, and community.

KEEP READING ON THE JDIN SITE

share this post on

Picture of Jacki Edry

Jacki Edry

Jacki Edry is a graduate of Hampshire College and has an extensive background in education, writing, and marketing. She has been exploring the world of autism and neurodiversity for over thirty-five years. 

Posts archive

teddy bear

A Soldier’s Story

A short story about a brief encounter with a group of soldiers on their way to reserve duty in Israel, and how they touched my heart.

Read More »
image of overstimulated brain with light rays flying out of it on blue background

Can Sensory Sensitivities Be Reduced Through Exposure?

This week’s post examines sensory processing and overload and seeks to answer the question: Is it possible to help people become less sensitive to sensory stimuli by gradually exposing them to them while in a completely safe environment, working with someone they trust?

Read More »

Jacki's Books

MOVING FORWARD

Moving Forward  is a journey between the worlds of autism, neurodiversity, brain surgery recovery, and faith. It provides a rare glimpse into how sensory and neurological processing affect functioning and thought, through the eyes of a professional, parent, and woman who has experienced them firsthand.

Read More

Subscribe

Please keep me updated with the latest blog posts, book releases and interesting quotes from Jacki's Books!

Contact

Please feel free to contact me with any inquiries through the form below

You can also contact me at info@jackisbooks.com