by The #ActuallyAutistic Coach Yom Kippur is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, a holiday observed by most Jewish people around the world, even if they don’t observe or celebrate any other Jewish holiday. The day revolves around reflecting...

Article by Rabbanit Dr. Liz Shayne Jonah, the prophet whose story we read on Yom Kippur, is a troubling figure for the rabbis. What does one do with a prophet who experiences revelation and immediately turns tail and heads in...

I bought my beard trimmer in the summer of 2007. The world looked very different than. I was a yeshiva (rabbinical seminary) student studying to be a rabbi. I told almost nobody that I studied & socialized with that I...

Gov. Hochul’s new mental health initiative proves that there’s strength in acknowledging vulnerability – but one area of oversight is cause for concern. New York’s last governor may have adopted the motto “New York tough,” but current Governor Kathy Hochul’s...

World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognized day held annually on April 2, and it’s the kickoff to Autism Awareness Month. As a neurodivergent rabbi, a disability rights advocate, and the father of an autistic child, you might think...

They said to persevere. I began to perseverate. They discouraged me. Be joyful they said. I flapped my hands with a joyful feeling. Not like that they said. They used a lot of words whereas I had not many. They...

Disclaimer: For a long time, I have been troubled by the casual and derogatory use of the R-word within my community, so I approached a weekly publication about writing an article. To my surprise, that article was actually published in...

As the parent of an Autistic teenager, I’ve witnessed the amazing strides made in our communities with regard to disability rights, services and inclusion over the last 20 years. Our son, as well as the entire family, has benefited so...

As I sit here on a hot August morning, I know that Tishrei is around the corner. We in the Jewish world look forward to a full month of both joyous and introspective fall holidays. But we in the Jewish...

I’m just going to put this out there: all children are special. There is no such thing as a special needs child. Think about it for a second with an impartial mind. All children are special; they all have needs....