Dear Friends of Yachad,
Wow- where we’ve been, where we are today. Totally amazing!
And where we have yet to go!
Dare I say – to boldly go, where no one has gone before.
We take for granted, where the Jewish community was 30 years ago, what Yachad has created these past 30 years.
Thirty years ago there were:
NO Yachad shabbatons for children or adults who had disabilities
NO Yachad Family Shabbaton
NO Summer Programs
NO Yad B’Yad
NO IVDU schools
NO Vocational services
They simply did not exist anywhere. Today we serve thousands and are the model for so many other local agencies.
Imagine, that you were part of this movement to change the Jewish community. No, don’t imagine – remember. Remember because YOU were part of this movement, an integral part of this near miraculous change. Now building on the amazing growth of the past and responding to the ever changing and growing needs of the future we boldly go forward to keep building a more positive and inclusive community.
And again – you will be part of it! To have an alumni association – wow! So exciting! And please G-d, it will help us to keep growing – one more Yachad member, one more community inspired by the power of Inclusion, one more Yad B’Yad program seeding hundreds more high school students to promote inclusion and on and on.
I am so excited to partner with so many of you again to build a stronger, more vibrant, more Inclusive, community – B’Yachad.
Thank you for all that you have done.
Thank you for all that you will do.
Thank you for helping to teach and remind us all that B’Yachad – together is better, because everyone belongs.
Fondly,
Dr. Jeff
Dr. Jeff Lichtman is the International Director of Yachad, The National Jewish Council for Disabilities