ShabbaTTogether Promotes Inclusion, Mental Health Awareness In MV

MISSION VIEJO, CA — The Jewish community of Mission Viejo takes an important step this week in promoting the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the synagogue and throughout Jewish communal life. The ShabbaTTogether global program, taking place Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Chabad Jewish Center of Mission Viejo, is supported by the Ruderman Chabad Inclusion Initiative.

February is “Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month.” This Saturday, the Orange County Jewish community is invited to a 6:30 p.m. inclusive Havdalah service and Melava Malka family dinner.

“Our community, just like every community, includes people with disabilities,” said Rabbi Zalman Marcus, co-director of the Chabad Jewish Center of Mission Viejo. “We may not always see or understand what someone is going through, but we can work to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and like they truly belong.”

The event's focus is to create safe space to reduce the stigma often associated with discussing mental health and discussing strategies for increased mental wellness, a spokesperson for the event said.

Other focuses will be on the challenges community members living with disabilities face, particularly in religious settings such as the synagogue or holiday programs, which can often present a unique set of potential difficulties.

During the event, participants will enjoy a delicious meal and personal testimonials from community members, concentrating on creating a mindset of inclusivity and practical ways to help people living with disabilities and their families feel welcome and supported.

Additionally, children with and without disabilities will join together for a special program, to prepare them to be understanding and kind.

The campaign, dubbed “ShabbaTTogether,” is a project of the Ruderman Chabad Inclusion Initiative, an organization that empowers Jewish communities to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for people with disabilities and mental health conditions.

The organization draws inspiration from the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, the most influential rabbi in modern history, who taught that every individual who fulfills his or her obligations to the extent of their G‑d-given capacities shares in the totality of the effort and accomplishment of the entire Jewish People.

"It has been 25 years since the passing of the Rebbe, the breakthrough book Inclusion and the Power of the Individual by Rabbi Ari Sollish and published by Kehot Publication Society, was released earlier this year, and shares the Rebbe’s pioneering teachings of the infinite potential of each person and how every individual has a unique role in the world, that only they can fill," they said.

A concurrent “ShabbaTTogether” program is hosted by Chabad on Campus in many college towns and will likewise focus on mental health, aiming to help develop communal awareness of psychological well-being and ensuring support for increased mental wellness.

For more information about Mission Viejo’s ShabbaTTogether, visit www.ChabadOfMV.com.