The Jewish Braille Institute (JBI), a nonprofit enabling access to Jewish life for individuals who are blind, have visual impairments, or print disabilities, is making the High Holidays more inclusive and accessible by offering synagogues and nonprofits based in New York City free services for braille, audio and large-print materials.
The deadline to request customized materials such as congregation-specific holiday mailers, pamphlets and tailored versions of large-print and braille Jewish reference calendars for this year is Aug. 15. JBI asks that requests for items from its collection, such as accessible liturgical texts (Selichot and Yizkor prayers, machzorim) and reference materials be made by Sept. 12. All requests will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.
In most cases, these offerings are available free of charge, thanks to a two-year grant from the New York Community Trust enabling JBI to help New York City-based nonprofits further their commitments to accessibility by providing materials to individuals who are blind, visually impaired or have a print disability.
“True inclusion is not just providing accessible materials when they are requested, but proactively making them available in advance to ensure a truly welcoming and warm community,” said JBI executive director Livia Thompson. “We’re thrilled to be able to offer our services to the Jewish community to enable barrier-free participation in Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services and the rest of the chagim [‘holidays’]. Whether offering brailled prayer books in a synagogue, large-print or brailled signage for ease of access, or distribution of liturgical or inspirational Jewish books for adults and children to read together, JBI is available to help any organization ensure a more inclusive and accessible environment for all its members or participants celebrating the High Holy Days.”
To find out more about JBI’s offerings or how JBI can help organizations increase accessibility in their communities, call JBI’s outreach consultant Roslyn Biskin at 646-616-3928 or email: rbiskin@jbilibrary.org.
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