Helping Kids with Intellectual Disabilities Prepare for Rosh Hashanah

by Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer

jkidaccess is an initiative of Jewish Learning Venture that provides resources and support for families raising Jewish children with disabilities. Though our work focuses on families and educators in the Greater Philadelphia area, we’ve created a website full of free resources that anyone can download and use!

Knowing that the High Holidays are less than two months away, I’m highlighting some of our Rosh Hashanah tools so that families, educators and clergy can use them to help children prepare for the coming season.

A social narrative is a learning tool for children with autism and other cognitive disabilities that depicts a social situation that your child may encounter. Our jkidACCESS social stories focus on Jewish culture. They are created in Powerpoint so that you can download and personalize them with your child’s photos.

In our High Holiday resources, you’ll discover a story that covers the basics of Rosh Hashanah and also this new story that explains the jewish ritual of tashlich. By showing images and giving children an overview of what will happen at a specific ritual, it helps to reduce the anxiety that can arise for many children. Download your copy here.

At this link, you can access your own copy of the Multi-sensory guide to Rosh Hashanah. Our multi-sensory guides help children to get ready for the holidays through a range of activities that engage the senses.

These resources give you a taste of what jkidaccess provides—find more helpful tools to prepare for the holiday season here! Please share with families you know who might appreciate these resources.