By Jazzie Morgan
In kindergarten, my best friend was the most amazing person I knew. He was wheelchair bound, breathed through a tube in his throat, and never complained a day in his life. His amazing spirit and love of life became a driving factor in my continued passion to work with kids and adults with special needs. Through my work, I have noticed a major gap in the lives that many adults with special needs are living and the potential of how they could be living. My career goals have always been to create a place for meaningful Jewish involvement specifically for people with special needs. Visiting Kishorit a few weeks ago, blew me away and showed me that my goals could be a reality.
The only way I can think to explain this amazing place is imagine the happiness of Disney world. Kishorit is a kibbutz where every single member is able to truly give what they can while simultaneously getting what they need. On the kibbutz, each individual has a job. The jobs vary from farming to baking to running an award winning kennel. The jobs are almost completely run and managed by adults with special needs. The kibbutz offers training, therapy, social activities, and a home for life. Offering a home for life is not only an amazing opportunity for the members to be independent but it is also a relief to aging parents who worry about the future their kids will have when they are no longer around. This home for life assurance is one of the most relieving feelings you could offer a parent and often makes a world of difference.
Kishorit embodies the value of inclusion over simply acceptance. It is amazing to know that there is a place that truly helps cultivate leadership skills and self confidence in adults with special needs, encouraging them to succeed in all aspects of life. I am excited that I have begun the process of being accepted to volunteer at Kishorit for the year following graduation. It will definitely be a year to remember and I am excited for what tools Kishorit would be able to give me with regards to my future aspirations!
