Orthodox union
Community Engagement
Program During Jewish Disabilities Awareness & Inclusion Month Designed to Encourage Inclusion
Nearly 40 teens from across the United States met virtually to receive training focused on becoming ambassadors for making Jewish communal life more inclusive for individuals with disabilities. The Orthodox Union’s (OU) Yachad, the leading organization for individuals with disabilities, organized the sessions. The program coincides with Jewish Disabilities Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) celebrated annually in February.
After attending two of the virtual training sessions, teen-participants will receive a certificate as an “inclusion ambassador” to help their schools and communities become more inclusive environments for individuals with disabilities. The first seminar took place Feb. 7, and the second session will take place Feb. 21. While certification requires the attendance of both sessions, teens who missed out on the first are still
Rachel Dratch Named Next Head of School of Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy
STAMFORD – Rachel Levitt Klein Dratch has been named the next Head of School of Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy (BCHA), it was announced recently by the school’s President David Pikoff and Chairman of the Board of Incorporators Bob Zitter.
Mrs. Dratch will take over as head of the Stamford Jewish day school, which is open to students in preK through grade 12, in August 2021. She succeeds Jacqueline Herman who is stepping down as head of school after 10 years of service.
“When Jackie Herman told us of her plan to retire as Bi-Cultural’s Head of School, we knew how difficult it would be to find the right person to fill her shoes,” wrote Mr. Pitkoff and Mr. Zitter in a letter to the Bi-Cultural community announcing Mrs. Dratch’s appointment. “Under Jackie’s stewardship for the past 10 years, BCHA has developed and thrived as a school known for its warmth and academic excellence. It is with great pleasu