SHIREINU grew out of our Congregation Based Community Organizing conversations, during which some congregants who have family members with special needs expressed the desire for a sensitive worship environment for their family. Our inclusion goals include sensitizing the Rodeph Sholom community to the presence and needs of congregants with disabilities; bringing in speakers on related topics; training staff and special needs participants to be leaders in the program, and introducing special programming at some weekly Shabbat services and other holidays.
The Religious School’s Steinman Center is a program that provides individual attention and one-on-one tutoring in Hebrew and Jewish Studies to students with a variety of learning needs. We guide the children through the B’nai Mitzvah process, creating an appropriate and meaningful environment that meets the needs of each individual student.
To ensure that our worship spaces are easily reached, there is an elevator opening to West 83rdStreet that allows entry directly into our building and an elevator allowing access onto our Main Sanctuary bima. On request, we have large print prayer books as well as devices available for those with hearing loss. We have sign language interpreters at certain Friday night services and at every Shireinu Worship Service for families with special needs.