As Jewish Cleveland prepares to celebrate the High Holy Days with their loved ones, don’t forget to make accommodations for those with special needs.

Pepper Pike resident Shari Goldberg attends High Holy Days services with a bag full of supplies her son, Noah, might need: snacks, water, fidget toys, books and a boogie board.

Goldberg, co-founder and former president of the Autism Speaks Cleveland chapter, said she has found ways for Noah to be included in observing the High Holy Days.

The bag has sensory stimulation tools for Noah, who is 29 years old and has autism. Goldberg said she also takes outside Noah for breaks or to quiet areas in the synagogue when he needs them, and eventually she or her husband will take him home.

“It’s not just about how to keep them comfortable,” Goldberg said. “It’s about how to include them best we can.”

Larger Cleveland organizations also work to accommodate individuals with special needs during the High Holy Days. Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland in Pepper Pike can provide support such as transportation and High Holy Day tickets for those with special needs.

“We are lucky in Cleveland to have a vibrant community with a wide array of special needs services,” Heidi Solomon, manager of the Horvitz YouthAbility program of JFSA, said.

Some synagogues take steps to make their services more special-needs friendly. For example, Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in Pepper Pike has an inclusion committee which has been hosting inclusion Shabbats since 2019.

Nasiyah Isra-Ul, an Autism Speaks Champion of Change from Richmond, Va., said that they hope more synagogues implement accommodations, particularly for the High Holy Days.

“I experienced the High Holidays with a lot of people last year and it was extremely overwhelming,” they said. “Having a sensory space, maybe even a sensory space that has headphones or fidget toys or any kind of sensory stimulating tools, is one of the core things that would have helped me a lot last year.”

Observance of the High Holy Days extends to the dinner table, and so do accommodations for loved ones. Goldberg said that she asks the host of the meal for the menu beforehand, so she can bring her own food for Noah if the meal doesn’t meet his dietary restrictions. She also brings his sensory bag to dinner if the host allows it.

“Maybe he joins the meal for 10 or 15 minutes,” Goldberg said. “Now as an adult, he can join for an hour.”

People with special needs can actively participate in services and meals as well, including saying a prayer at the dinner table or going up on the bimah.

“Many people with a variety of disabilities are very capable of doing a reading in Hebrew or English,” Solomon said.

Isra-Ul said that active engagement such as this allows people with special needs to feel a sense of belonging, rather than just inclusion. As a person with autism, they understand how impactful an effort to keep every involved can be.

“We want to transition from just saying, ‘Hey, welcome in, we want to get you in the door,’ to ‘We see you, and we want you to feel like you are a part of this community,’” Isra-Ul said.

For Solomon, an inclusive mindset is an important part of Jewish values. She said that inclusion can allow for a more meaningful holiday for everyone involved.

“We might be the one making accommodations, but they have a lot to teach us,” Solomon said. “We should be open to learning from them at this time when we’re reflecting on making each of us a better person.”

Shawna Polster was the Linda and Clifford Wolf Intern at the Cleveland Jewish News.

 Shari Goldberg is a member of Cleveland Jewish News Foundation Board of Directors.