Before this summer, I didn’t fully understand what inclusion meant. I thought I did- I was involved in Yachad in my school and community, and considered myself a generally open and friendly person. The month and a half I spent on Yad b’Yad this summer taught me that inclusion is much more than a value; it is a way of life. A typical day on YBY emulated what true inclusion is. The activities we did depended on every single person being involved, were accessible to everyone, and were filled with Ruach and smiles. However, it was the smaller and subtler moments that truly expressed what Yachad stands for. Whenever anyone entered a room, they would be bombarded with requests to join a table. During dancing, everyone was constantly moving back so more people could fit in the circle. Every picture taken soon become one of the whole group. When we ran into other programs, everyone brought their old friends to meet their new ones from YBY. I, along with the other participants, began to realize that every single person really belongs.
One of my favorite memories from YBY happened with one of my close friends who isn’t able to speak verbally. At the beginning, I had no idea how I was supposed to connect with him, but he quickly showed me that friendship isn’t only about talking- it is about sharing experiences, listening, understanding, and being there for each other. I soon realized the many ways communication exists outside of verbal speech. I came to value things I had ignored before, and learnt how to listen to and understand people like my friend did. By the end of the summer, we performed together in our trip’s talent shows and it was legitimately one of the happiest memories of my life. Being pushed out of comfort zone impacted me in many ways and taught me the true meaning of friendship. I learnt that anything is possible, and most limits exist in our minds. I learnt the power in being friends with people who see the world differently than I do.
On our last night of YBY, one of our counselors told us a quote by Dr. Suess- “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened”. While it is easy to be sad that the most impactful, uplifting, and memorable summer of my life has come to an end, this is really just the beginning. Every person who shared this experience is now invested and dedicated to making the world a better place. Whether we spread inclusion to our schools, communities, families, or the way we view life, the amazing summer we spent together showed us the potential every single person has to include others. The program itself may be over, but its lessons will live forever within us.
By: Batya Sarna