Marking February as Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) and the organization’s commitment to including people with disabilities in all areas of public and professional life, Israel Elwyn recently oversaw a course for a dozen people with disabilities to gain professional certification as assistant chefs. Upon completion, they will be able to pursue jobs in the culinary field in restaurants and hotels in Jerusalem.
The course was held over several months, encompassing 80 hours of classroom and kitchen training, including touring professional kitchens of leading Jerusalem hotels and eateries. Before being awarded their certification, the 12 aspiring chefs participated in mini-internships, where they were able to hone their skills and gain on-the-job training. Individual lessons focused on cooking, baking, knife skills and safety, as well as overall familiarity with commercial food preparation and relevant equipment.
The group also underwent an introduction to the culinary industry, as well as the relevant skills and knowledge needed to succeed in such a competitive and often demanding field.
“Our chef assistant course is specifically intended to prepare people with disabilities with the professional tools and experience needed in order to be able to pursue gainful employment in these fields,” said Nora Guerchunoff. “Beyond the many practical skills they obtained, this course helps to strengthen overall confidence in areas of teamwork, safety, and accepting responsibility by acting professionally and being motivated to come to work committed to achieving something special.”
She continued, “At Israel Elwyn, we view the inclusion of people with disabilities in the employment market as one of the keys to their personal success, and we take great pride in initiatives like this that combine personal passion with a path to professional opportunities.”
Funded by the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the course was a partnership between Israel Elwyn and “Teamim,” a Jerusalem-based culinary college, with support from the Jerusalem Municipality and the Israel Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs.
Chef Yuval Attias designed the curriculum and oversaw the classes offered to students aged 21 and up with a range of disabilities who demonstrated a particular interest in working in the food industry.
Tami Asraf, one of the course participants, said: “I’ve always loved to cook. I love watching cooking shows, and my dream is to be a chef. When I cook, I feel like I’m really able to be myself.”
“I love the chance to cook foods, and I like to see my family and friends enjoy the foods I’m making,” she continued. “I learned so much in this course, and now that I’m finished with the classes and my internship, I want to work in a restaurant or hotel and, just like everyone else, work within a team, making money doing something I love. There’s nothing better than when someone eats the food I made, smiles and says, ‘It was really tasty.’”
David Marcu, president of Israel Elwyn, said “as a society, we have a responsibility to provide the tools for people with disabilities to empower themselves and to realize their dreams in all walks of life. We know that the food industry faces major labor shortages, and Israel Elwyn believes that programs like this also respond to a larger employment and economic need, alongside the fundamental opportunity it affords us to remember that everyone who wants to work should be given the chance.”
“People with disabilities,” he said, “can and do contribute a great deal to our society.”