February may be Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAAIM), however, for Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA) every day is filled with improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.

The organization’s focus is on services strategically located in the Negev and the Galilee to serve populations beyond the crowded Tel Aviv-Haifa-Jerusalem corridor.

“We believe that the inclusion of people with disabilities and special needs should be woven tightly into the fabric of Jewish life; all the more so in Israel,” says Yossi Kahana JNF-USA’s Director of Disability Programs.

With dedicated supporters from all over the United States, and through a variety of initiatives and partnerships, JNF-USA is providing state-of-the-art rehabilitative services, special education and medical care in areas where they were previously unavailable. They are also ensuring that recreational facilities, including forests, parks, picnic areas, playgrounds and nature trails, are inclusive for visitors of all ability levels.

Gary Kushner, 71, a successful Washington DC lawyer in a large international law firm, chairs JNF-USA’s Disabilities Task Force. Growing up in southern New Jersey he frequently faced anti-Semitism, which led him to get involved with Jewish causes. A JNF-USA Culinary and Wine Mission ten years ago ignited his passionate commitment to helping support Israel. 

“My wife Gail and I were blown away by everything that JNF-USA was doing. It was amazing,” says Kushner. 

A meeting with Major General (res.) Doron Almog, founder of the ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran rehabilitative village sparked Kushner’s interest in people with special needs. A visit to the village secured his commitment. 

“I saw all the good that this Village did for young people. I saw their smiles and I wanted to make a difference,” says Kushner. His involvement in this JNF-USA project led him to the Chairmanship of the Task Force. 

“We started the Task Force five years ago, and today we have 70 lay leaders across the United States, raising some seven million dollars a year, even during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he says proudly. 

According to JNF-USA, one in eight people in Israel has special needs. The organization is involved in four flagship projects to make sure that no one is left behind.

National service is an integral part of growing up in Israel, and Special in Uniform brings home the value of ensuring that everyone fulfills their potential and is accepted into society, regardless of their disability. A key way of achieving this goal is by integrating youth with disabilities, who otherwise would be unable to serve, into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). 

These soldiers take part in a four-day military training course before being assigned to bases across Israel, where their jobs can range from assisting intelligence, preparing protective kits, culinary work, printing and other roles. It also helps graduates integrate into the workforce and Israeli society in meaningful ways. Today, Special in Uniform is proud to have integrated over 450 young people who are now serving their country through the program. 

One of its newest initiatives, supported by Burt and Rita Tansky, from Palm Beach, FL, is showing the world how hearing impaired and deaf soldiers can become an integral part of the IDF.  “Both our son and daughter-in-law are hearing impaired,” explains Burt Tansky, whose son had been a US Federal Government Employee for over 28 years. “There is nothing that should hold someone back because they are hearing impaired, and we are striving to ensure that Israeli society works to include every member of society in a meaningful way.”  

For Burt, integration into the IDF help sets the foundation for people with special needs to find fulfilling employment opportunities after their service. “These soldiers are contributing to their country, and the program is helping to give them an opportunity at a better life.  This is what impressed us the most, and we hope to continue to help these young people be the best that they can be.”