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Home > Welcome > Inclusion

Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

We value diversity and inclusion by embracing the variety of Jewish experiences, perspectives, and practices. There is more than one way to believe, practice, and live as a Jew and we recognize that. We are a community for people of all backgrounds, genders, and sexualities who support our mission and values. That also means embracing interfaith families.  

Inclusion is one of our core values and we strive to be responsive to the needs of our congregants, their families, and guests while they worship, socialize, and learn with us. We celebrate the uniqueness of each individual and welcome diversity within our community. 

We try our best, and this means being an open, welcoming, and inclusive community requires us to balance competing needs. Turning up the lights for those with weakened vision may cause headaches for others. Please let us know if there is anything you would like us to know so that we can help you and your family members participate in our community as fully as each would like. The accommodation request form can be submitted for any activity at CEC. 

Accommodations such as streaming, large print prayer books, visual aids, and sensory spaces are readily available. Captioning and Sign Language Interpreting can be provided upon request. These and other requested accommodations are available to ensure that all are able to participate meaningfully in all spiritual, educational, and live cycle events. We want to help you feel seen, heard, and welcome. At the same time, we know we can't address every need. Thank you for your understanding that we aspire to balance the needs of all guests to help them fully participate, and there are times when we cannot meet them all.

In addition to our staff Inclusion Specialist, here are some of our inclusive practices and offerings:

Physical Inclusion

Mobility

Accessible parking beyond designated spaces, including for those without placards

Electronic entry doors 

Preferred seating in our sanctuary and classrooms 

A ramp to access the bima

Height accommodation on the bima with a step for those who need it

Wheelchairs available on-site

ADA-compliant bathrooms, including extra bars for caregivers and those needing assistance

Auditory

Live Captioning and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation available upon request

Sound amplification headsets and assisted hearing options to listen on a device in real-time during all produced video streams

Microphones and closed captioning during meetings and programs

Improved audio system for better sound quality

Visual

Increased sanctuary brightness for those with vision limitations

Large-print books for services 

Magnifying lenses and book lights 

Access

Live streaming of worship for those unable to attend in person

Remote committee meetings to help families with childcare and time constraints

Multi-access and hybrid programming (lunch and learn, Torah study, etc.) for those who travel, lack transportation or are home bound

Carpools for those unable to drive or without transportation

Registration assistance for programming and membership renewals for those who need help with technology

Physical mailings for those who don't use or prefer not to receive information via email

Dietary accommodations at all programs (Dietary Restrictions Commitment)

Economic Inclusion 

Fair share dues model allowing people to contribute what they can, when they can

No school tuition or B'nai Mitzvah fee to help all join our congregation regardless of income

Scholarship help for almost all programs (excluding our Congregational Israel trip) including meals, classes, L'Taken, school books and supply fees, and many more

Camp scholarships for those who would like a deeper immersive experience

Assistance with housing and meals for congregants who can't afford living based on their current financial situation

Camp scholarships for those who would like a deeper immersive experience

Expanded household membership definitions to include adult children with disabilities, adult children who are caregivers, and those temporarily away at school

Family & Religious School Inclusion 

A resource room for pull-out sessions for children whose learning needs can’t be met in their classroom

A table with quiet sensory activities for children in the Sanctuary who may have difficulty sitting still

Highchairs and Booster Chairs

Joint accounts for extended and divided families to allow them all to be part of the congregation

Assistants for supporting students with distinct learning abilities in the Religious School

Flexible requirements for B'nai Mitzvah to ensure that students of all ability levels can achieve success

Virtual Mid-week Hebrew options for dual-income families and those who travel great distances

Chug programming for different learning styles and those who need expression through other modalities or movement

LGBTQ+ Inclusion 

Social groups and task forces for LGBTQ+ individuals, their families, and allies to ensure a safe space for free expression

An all-gender restroom in the office 

Name tags with pronouns

Ceremonies and life-cycle events for interfaith and LGBTQ+ couples

LGBTQ+ Affinity Group Gatherings

Jewish Experience and Jewish+/Interfaith Inclusion 

English transliteration of Hebrew texts and prayers

Judaism 101 courses to feel more comfortable

Increased access for Jewish-adjacent family members in lifecycle events and religious rituals

TV displays and visual tefilah to help with new songs and prayers

Training for non-Jewish staff to adjust the language and ensure inclusivity

Interfaith and Jewish+ Affinity Group Gatherings

Our Inclusion Specialist welcomes requests for additional accommodations. Please email any questions or concerns to inclusion@mycec.org. 

We are...

Individuals and couples; seniors and students.

Families with young children of all ages and empty nesters.

Single parents, blended famlies, widows, and windowers.

LGBTQ+ people and their allies, Jews of Color, Jewish, Jew-ish, and interfaith.

20s/30s adults exploring Jewish identity.

Matt Newton

Inclusive Education Coordinator

Theorizing that one could time travel within his lifetime, Matt Newton stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished…” Well, not exactly. While Matt is not Dr. Sam Becket, he feels blessed to have jumped through several rewarding life experiences, including previous careers as a U.S. Army linguist, an advertising “madman”, and a marketing coordinator for a multi-global corporation. However, it wasn't until meeting his wife Mia (an incredible high school teacher) that Matt discovered his true calling - supporting neurodivergent youth and adults as they work to navigate living in a neurotypical society.

Over the years, this passion has led Matt to help this population (and their families) find inclusion, social-emotional support, and advocacy at school, home, and work. At his previous company, where he still works part time as the program director and a coach, Matt helped design training materials and provided coaching to staff for best practices on supporting the neurodiverse community. Additionally, he works 1:1 with clients and their families on developing strategies to help manage some of the daily challenges they face

With a degree in Psychology from San Jose State and several years of experience working with children and adults, Matt is excited to join Congregation Etz Chaim in supporting inclusion for all. As a Jewish-adjacent partner in an interfaith marriage, raising a daughter firmly in the Jewish faith, Matt believes recognizing and appreciating our differences is a key to building life-long foundations of faith and growth. Having recently moved to Illinois from the California Bay Area, he, his wife Mia, and their daughter Talia are appreciative of how welcoming CEC is and look forward to continuing to grow within this loving community.

 

 

 Zichronam Livracha זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה
May Their Memory Be for a Blessing

Rachel Wood z"l

Inclusion Specialist & B'nai Mitzvah Tutor

Rachel Wood was a proud member of Congregation Etz Chaim since 1979. She began teaching in the Religious School shortly after becoming a member, first Judaica but then as part of the Hebrew faculty. 

Her varied posts were 3rd-grade Hebrew teacher, language lab creator for learners with differences, 6th-grade Hebrew teacher, and the B’nai Mitzvah tutor. She became an inclusion specialist here at CEC and a mentor to support Jewish institutions across the country as they provide inclusion opportunities for their students. She aided teachers and teaching assistants who have children in their classes with diagnosed learning disabilities and offered suggestions and materials for children who need to approach learning in a non-traditional manner. On top of that, she supported adults by organizing sign language interpretation as well as CART (closed captioning) system .

She was a licensed speech/language pathologist with an emphasis on child development and learning styles. She put those skills to use in public schools, private practice, and early intervention programs.

Rachel devoted her life to helping others and was a strong advocate for people with disabilities. Her impact on our community truly cannot be understated.

Sun, April 20 2025 22 Nisan 5785