Howard Blas
Howard Blas is a social worker, special education teacher and writer (howardblas.com). He currently serves as director of the National Ramah Tikvah Network, a network of inclusive summer camps in the US and Canada, and leads Israel trips for people with disabilities. He recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with a delegation which included four people with paraplegia. Howard spends summers visiting Ramah camps and jobs sites/training programs for people with disabilities. Howard received the 2013 Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education
Ancient Jewish Sources Informing our Current Disabilities Inclusion Work
The ancient rabbis have been creatively considering issues of disabilities inclusion for over 2,000 years. This presentation will introduce participants to informative biblical, rabbinical and responsa literature.
with Maya Albin
Maya works for the National Ramah Commission coordinating TikvahNet, a virtual vocational training and socialization program serving over eighty adults with disabilities from across North America. She has spent many summers working at Ramah camps across North America to establish vocational education programs for adults with disabilities. Maya completed her BAH in Psychology at Queen’s University, and her MSc in Speech-Language Pathology at McMaster University. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, and works as a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP).
Keeping Our Communities Engaged Virtually During and After the Pandemic
Howard Blas and Maya Albin provide an overview of the history and role of Jewish summer camps with a focus on the 75 year old Ramah Camping Movement. Ramah has been including campers in camping and vocational training programs since 1970. When the pandemic meant camps would not take place in 2020, the Ramah team created TikvahNet, a virtual vocational and socialization program bringing together program participants from across the country.