Disability Justice Torah Circle

The Disability Justice Torah Circle is a space for Jews with disabilities to build community around Torah and engage Jewish text through a disability justice lens. The space nurtures and amplifies the voices of Jews with disabilities and produces “Disability Torah” to impact the broader Jewish community.

The Disability Justice Torah Circle offers different ways to gather. Check out the offerings below to determine which space is right for you.

Disability Justice Torah Circle Offerings

The DJTC Mailing List is a weekly reminder of upcoming programs, as well as day-of reminders for all programs with info about the current discussion and any texts. We also send a longer newsletter a few times each year.

If you’d like to receive program reminders and/or the newsletter, please reach out to Jess at [email protected].

3rd Thursdays at 2:30-4:00pm ET (1:30pm CT, 11:30am PT) on 1/18, 2/15, 3/21, 4/18, 5/16.

This is an monthly workshop for people who identify as disabled or chronically ill to explore disability justice teachings as they intersect with our Jewish lives. We will gather to build a well of ‘svara’ around disability justice and spirituality by seeking the Torah — animating teachings — inherent in the work of a range of disability justice leaders, and bringing those teachings into conversation with our own experiences. Texts will be in English and from a variety of disabled writers and activists.

This Spring we are reading Loving our Own Bones” by Julia Watts Belser! While we will share the specific sections that we’ll discuss each month, we encourage you to pick up your own copy of this fabulous exploration of disability in Torah. For financial access, Julia has made about 20 copies available. If you would like to own a copy and cannot afford it, please send a quick email to [email protected]!  

This program is for anyone who identifies as high risk, chronically ill, disabled, or exploring that identification.

Register for all DJTC Programs at this Zoom Link! (Meeting ID: 893 6720 4658)

1st Sundays at 5-6:30pm ET (4pm CT 2pm PT) on 1/7, 2/4, 3/3, 4/7, 5/5.

This is an ongoing, drop-in spiritual practice & support group for people who identify as still taking the pandemic very seriously, and feeling gaslit and abandoned by most of society. The space will strive to be collaborative and will explicitly center wisdom and experiences of high-risk people. Together, we will seek spiritual resources and practices of solidarity & survival to help us weather this time and its existential impact. Each session features practice around anti-gaslighting, ancestors, music, and prayer or wishes for the world and each other.

This program is for anyone who identifies as still taking the pandemic seriously.

Register for all DJTC Programs at this Zoom Link! (Meeting ID: 893 6720 4658)

Mostly 2nd Fridays 8:15-9:30pm ET (7:15pm CT, 5:15pm PT) on 1/12, 2/9, 3/1, 4/12, 5/10.

This dinner comes to you at popular demand for an online shabbat gathering space. We’ll say blessings over wine and challah together, and then share in a fun, casual activity! (Bring your own dinner wherever you’re zooming in from.)

This program is for everyone seeking an accessible, disability justice-oriented shabbat space.

Register for all DJTC Programs at this Zoom Link! (Meeting ID: 893 6720 4658)

Final Saturdays 8-9:15pm ET (7pm CT, 5pm PT) on 1/27, 2/24, 3/30.

To complement our new Shabbat Dinners, we’ll also be sharing in some havdalah ceremonies! Gather your own havdalah supplies (wine, spices, multi-wick candle) where you’re zooming in from if you want, or just participate with us on Zoom. We’ll do havdalah itself towards the end of the gathering, so that shabbat is halachically over in as many time zones as possible. Before havdalah, we’ll do a sweet activity together and read aloud from a book or story of our choosing.

This program is for everyone seeking an accessible, disability justice-oriented shabbat space.

Register for all DJTC Programs at this Zoom Link! (Meeting ID: 893 6720 4658)

Sunday, March 24 at 5-7 PM ET (4pm CT, 2pm PT).

What better way to flip the bird to oppression than with fun and games? Join DJTC and the wider community this Purim eve for a reading of the Megillah and some carnival fun. If you’d like to read Megillah, email Jess at [email protected] ahead of the celebration.

Anyone who wants to come is welcome to attend this DJTC event.

Register for all DJTC Programs at this Zoom Link! (Meeting ID: 893 6720 4658)

Register for all DJTC Programs at this Zoom Link! (Meeting ID: 893 6720 4658)

Questions? Reach out to the Director of the Disability Justice Torah Circle Jess Belasco at [email protected]