The Ruderman Family Foundation believes that inclusion and understanding of all people is essential to a fair and flourishing community. Guided by our Jewish values, we support effective programs, innovative partnerships and a dynamic approach to philanthropy in our core areas of interest: advocating for and advancing the inclusion of people with disabilities throughout the Jewish community; fostering a more nuanced understanding of the American Jewish community among Israeli leaders; and modeling the practice of strategic philanthropy worldwide. The Foundation provides funding, leadership, expertise and insight in both the U.S. and Israel, with offices in both countries.
About the Disabilities Inclusion Project
The Ruderman Family Foundation has awarded a generous grant to the Union for Reform Judaism for a period of three years with the goal of working in partnership to increase inclusion of people with disabilities and their families in congregational life. An additional and equally important goal is to increase understanding of disabilities and to decrease stigma and misconceptions among all congregational staff and members.
The Ruderman Grant helped the Union for Reform Judaism to create a disabilities accessible 2013 Biennial Conference including significant programming on disabilities inclusion and a plenary session in which Jay Ruderman and Rabbi Rick Jacobs spoke of their shared commitment to work towards a fully inclusive Jewish community.
The Ruderman Grant is also helping to expand and deepen the URJ Religious Action Center’s work on disabilities.
The Disabilities Inclusion Learning Center enables us to bring vital information, skills and opportunities for collaboration to advance inclusion in all Reform congregations in North America.
Our Jewish communities have the potential to be more open, welcoming places for people of all abilities and their families. We all know that the center of our Jewish community is the synagogue. Our partnership with URJ will provide the tools and knowledge necessary to transform synagogues across North America into gathering places that are more fair and welcome to Jews with disabilities and their families. Ultimately we will build a more inclusive and attractive community for us all.
Jay Ruderman, President, Ruderman Family Foundation
Thanks to a new partnership with the Ruderman Family Foundation, the URJ is able to offer this innovative, comprehensive and high level online learning program. Our goal is to help all of our congregations remove barriers and provide pathways to participation so that people with disabilities and their families can truly belong, be strengthened by and contribute to our communities. I urge all of our Reform professionals, lay leaders and congregational staff to join in this opportunity for study and synagogue transformation. We are all exceptionally grateful to the Ruderman Family Foundation for their vision and leadership in making this extraordinary opportunity available to all.
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President, Union for Reform Judaism