Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel recognized for inclusive programming

URJ Award
Photo courtesy of Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel
In attendance at the biennial were, standing, from left, Elizabeth Zwick, senior program officer, Ruderman Family Foundation; Rabbi Daniel Cohen, TSTI; and Rabbi Rick Jacobs, URJ president; and, seated, from left, Alanna Carter, Young Family Engagement coordinator, TSTI; Carol Paster, Early Childhood Education director, TSTI; and Rabbi Alexandra Klein, TSTI.

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel is one of 27 Reform Jewish congregations from across North America recognized by the Union for Reform Judaism as an Exemplar Congregation for having made great strides in inclusion of people with disabilities in all facets of congregational life. Exemplar Congregations were recently honored with a certificate of merit in inclusion at the URJ Biennial in Orlando, Fla.

As an Exemplar Congregation, TSTI serves as a mentor and resource to other Jewish communities seeking to expand their inclusion work. All of the Exemplar Congregations are featured on the Disabilities Inclusion Learning Center site, an online portal designed to connect staff members, lay leaders and congregations across the country and provide opportunities for them to learn from and educate one another on issues of inclusion.

Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel is located at 432 Scotland Road in South Orange. For more information, visit www.tsti.org.