Miss-Delectable
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.:: Welcome To The Jewish Ledger ::.
What’s Purim without a little wild and crazy Haman-bashing? Unfortunately, that’s not as easy as it sounds for those who are hearing impaired. For them, Megillah reading can be a frustrating experience, as they struggle to follow along with the rest of the congregation.
Now, Beth David Synagogue in West Hartford synagogue plans to bring more of the unbridled joy of Purim to those who are deaf or hard of hearing through a new project conceived and distributed by Our Way, a program for the deaf and hard of hearing of the Orthodox Union’s (OU) National Jewish Council for Disabilities.
Four years ago, Our Way decided to address the dilemma faced by the hearing impaired by putting the entire Megillah, including the blessings, on a PowerPoint computer disk that projects the text in both Hebrew and English, side by side, onto a screen set up on the bima of a synagogue. The verses that are repeated aloud by the congregation are highlighted in a different color to make it easy to follow along. As the villainous Haman’s name appears, humorous images, such as a raging bull or a rabbi stomping his feet, are flashed on the screen.
In addition to Beth David, the PowerPoint program has been adopted by more than 100 congregations and organizations all across the country, including the Hillel at Gallaudet University, which caters specifically to the deaf population. This year, it went international by traveling all the way to a yeshiva in Jerusalem.
Besides benefiting those with hearing problems, the program also helps the elderly and visually impaired, who find the large text easy to follow. Likewise, says Batya Jacobs, Our Way program director, “Kids love it for its interactive nature, and people with ADD or learning disabilities find it really easy to follow.”
For information on the PowerPoint Megillah reading at Beth David Synagogue call (860) 236-1241 or visit Beth David Synagogue.
For information on Our Way call (212) 613-8127 or jacobb@ou.org.
What’s Purim without a little wild and crazy Haman-bashing? Unfortunately, that’s not as easy as it sounds for those who are hearing impaired. For them, Megillah reading can be a frustrating experience, as they struggle to follow along with the rest of the congregation.
Now, Beth David Synagogue in West Hartford synagogue plans to bring more of the unbridled joy of Purim to those who are deaf or hard of hearing through a new project conceived and distributed by Our Way, a program for the deaf and hard of hearing of the Orthodox Union’s (OU) National Jewish Council for Disabilities.
Four years ago, Our Way decided to address the dilemma faced by the hearing impaired by putting the entire Megillah, including the blessings, on a PowerPoint computer disk that projects the text in both Hebrew and English, side by side, onto a screen set up on the bima of a synagogue. The verses that are repeated aloud by the congregation are highlighted in a different color to make it easy to follow along. As the villainous Haman’s name appears, humorous images, such as a raging bull or a rabbi stomping his feet, are flashed on the screen.
In addition to Beth David, the PowerPoint program has been adopted by more than 100 congregations and organizations all across the country, including the Hillel at Gallaudet University, which caters specifically to the deaf population. This year, it went international by traveling all the way to a yeshiva in Jerusalem.
Besides benefiting those with hearing problems, the program also helps the elderly and visually impaired, who find the large text easy to follow. Likewise, says Batya Jacobs, Our Way program director, “Kids love it for its interactive nature, and people with ADD or learning disabilities find it really easy to follow.”
For information on the PowerPoint Megillah reading at Beth David Synagogue call (860) 236-1241 or visit Beth David Synagogue.
For information on Our Way call (212) 613-8127 or jacobb@ou.org.