Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education

Daniel Olson On Jewish Education For People With Disabilities, Season 2, Episode 29

Episode Summary

Why does Daniel Olson get frustrated when he hears the phrase “special needs” used to describe a child? Why does he believe that learners with disabilities receive only a “partial invitation to citizenship” in some Jewish educational settings? Daniel, the Director of Strategic Initiatives & Research at the National Ramah Commission, is a scholar who researches the experience of people with developmental disabilities in Jewish Education. In this episode he challenges listeners to reconsider what people with disabilities are capable of. He also reflects on his childhood in the tight knit Jewish community of St. Paul, Minnesota, and how his love of the performing arts shaped his career as a Jewish educator.

Episode Notes

Why does Daniel Olson get frustrated when he hears the phrase “special needs” used to describe a child?  Why does he believe that learners with disabilities receive only a “partial invitation to citizenship” in some Jewish educational settings? Daniel, the Director of Strategic Initiatives & Research at the National Ramah Commission, is a scholar who researches the experience of people with developmental disabilities in Jewish Education. In this episode he challenges listeners to reconsider what people with disabilities are capable of. He also reflects on his childhood in the tight knit Jewish community of St. Paul, Minnesota, and how his love of the performing arts shaped his career as a Jewish educator.  

This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Gabriel Weinstein.  The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media.  If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released.

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