Jewish National Fund-USA Marks Jewish Disabilities Month in February with $1.25M Match

Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month is an opportunity to improve services and boost accessibility in Israel for people with disabilities. 

NEW YORK: February 3, 2024 —Jewish National Fund-USA is planning a series of events to mark Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAAIM) and to celebrate their longstanding efforts to improve Israel for residents and visitors with disabilities. Established in 2009, JDAAIM is an opportunity for Jewish organizations to raise awareness and ensure that all members of our Jewish community are included in the many facets of Jewish life. This year, the organization is doubling its supporter’s impact with every gift made toward its work with people with disabilities matched, up to $1.25 million, through February 29, 2024, thanks to a group of generous donors.

Members of Jewish National Fund-USA's Special in Uniform initiative

Speaking of the plans for the month, Chair of Jewish National Fund-USA Disabilities Task Force, Gary Kushner, said, “JDAAIM is a fantastic opportunity for us to highlight the stories and voices of people with disabilities from across the Jewish world. Since October 7, we have worked around the clock to address the unique needs of this traumatic time for people with disabilities in Israel. We look forward to sharing these stories with communities nationwide this February.”

Jewish National Fund-USA has long been a leading supporter of disability programs and services in Israel. It will host a wide range of events around the country showcasing its innovative initiatives to improve the quality of life for Israelis with disabilities.

Since October 7, the organization has remained agile in addressing the expanded needs of Israelis with disabilities as they contend with trauma, the shuttering of schools and special programs, displacement, and more. In addition, the large number of wounded civilians and soldiers who are returning home and needing new services and support is increasing the need for high-quality disability infrastructure throughout the country.

Initiatives that will benefit from these events include therapeutic horseback riding, a state-of-the-art residential village for people with severe disabilities and complex medical needs, programs integrating young Israelis with disabilities into meaningful service in the Israel Defense Forces, tablets for children with disabilities who have been displaced due to the war, accessible hiking trails and nature experiences, art and music therapy programs, physical and emotional rehabilitation services, centers for the wounded, and much more. Jewish National Fund-USA’s many supported programs use strategic, cutting-edge, evidence-based practices to change lives and empower disabled Israelis.

To learn more about upcoming JDAAIM events or to get involved, visit jnf.org.

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 About Jewish National Fund-USA

Jewish National Fund-USA builds a strong, vibrant future for the land and people of Israel through bold initiatives and Zionist education. As a leading philanthropic movement, the organization supports critical environmental and nation-building activities in Israel’s north and south as it develops new communities in the Negev and Galilee, connects the next generation to Israel, and creates infrastructure and programs that support ecology, people with disabilities, and heritage site preservation, all while running a fully accredited study abroad experience through its Alexander Muss High School in Israel. Learn more at jnf.org.