February is Jewish Disability, Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), a continental initiative highlighted during the month of February—and realized year-round—to raise awareness and support efforts to foster inclusion in Jewish communities worldwide. As part of JCC Association of North America’s ongoing commitment to inclusion efforts throughout the JCC Movement, we are proud to present a series of programs featuring our JCCs of North America and invited guest speakers.

February 18

A Dream Never Dreamed: Kalman Samuels Shares a Story of Hope, Courage, and Leadership

Register Here

Host and Moderator: Lisa Brill, JCC Association board member and vice chair
Guest Speaker: Kalman Samuels, author and founder of Shalva
Interviewer: Doron Krakow, president and CEO, JCC Association of North America

In 1977, Rabbi Kalman Samuels and his wife, Malki Klein, welcomed their second son Yossi into their family. Raising Yossi began a remarkable journey for the family that led to the founding of Shalva, the Israel Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, a worldwide, a leading organization in the field. Today, Shalva provides therapy, education, and recreation to hundreds of beneficiaries, as well as family support, respite, and advocacy initiatives. Samuels’ memoir, “Dreams Never Dreamed,” was released in Hebrew in September 2019 and in English in May 2020.