"and
the famine was
severe in the land..."
(Bereshit 12:10)
Until I joined
Ozreinu, I seemed to live through a famine,
a famine of Jewish
support or services to help me deal with raising
non-typical children. Worse, I lived with
a spiritual hunger. After struggling to meet
my typical and non-typical children's
needs, there was
simply nothing
left for my spiritual
existence. Ozreinu
shows me how the Torah, and by extension,
Judaism, guides and supports me. Ozreinu helps
me reap a spiritual harvest.
Raising non-typical
children makes
me think often
of the verse in
Bereshit, "...and
the drought was
sore in the land..."
Ozreinu helps me replenish
my spiritual well.
Ozreinu
teaches me how to be a better Jew because
of my son's special needs.
As God gave Eve to Adam, Ozreinu gives me a companion for the darkness of raising a non-typical child.
What if Ozreinu never existed? What if God never gave Adam the light of dawn at the end of his first scary and lonely night?
Ozreinu is providing a place for me in my Jewish community through prayer, study of Jewish text and connection to God to process the most difficult challenge of my life -- that of being the mother of a child with disabilities. The hope, of course, is in helping heal the soul and gaining courage to carry on.
The Ozreinu sessions bring a group of people together who share the common mission of raising children with special needs. If this were all it was, it would be special indeed. But Rabbi Shawn Fields-Meyer leads the group in discussion by both nurturing and provoking us using text from the torah as a starting point. Our discussions are both lively and meaningful; bonding us and providing us with historical perspective as we rise to our daily challenges. For me, this is a gift.
Ozreinu has provided a warm and supportive community, one that is always there when we need it most. Studying Jewish texts with other similarly challenged families has proven to be a phenomenal way of learning from the wisdom of our tradition. Rabbi Fields-Meyer has created something very special for all of us, a group which has helped us get through some of our most difficult, darkest times and which has, at the same time, inspired and energized us in unbelievable ways.
For
parents of children with special needs Ozreinu
is the beginning.... from its very meaning of
"our help" .... to
its evenings of support, to its connection to
Jewish text where we seek that help.
For a
parent of a child with special needs Ozreinu
is a unique journey towards comfort and strength.
We gain support through Jewish text study and
through the voices of other parents.
It took me a full year after my son was diagnosed with Autism to realize that I needed the support of other families who had children with special needs. I tried several different groups which left me feeling hopeless, helpless and overwhelmed. After I met Rabbi Fields-Meyer and the other members of my community who were going through what I was did I know I had found a home for myself.
Rabbi Fields-Meyer is a scholar who uses Torah as a therapeutic tool. Torah is my mirror. I see myself, my son, my family and my friends through every piece of text Rabbi Fields-Meyer shares with us each month. I feel safe within my group, my religion, and the words of my ancestors. I feel normal.
Ozreinu has been the place where I have found comfort and hope and support. Through the study of various Jewish texts I experience consolation. Even in the toughest times this group helps me remember what a blessing my son is. With this intimate gathering of fellow Jews, who come from all the Jewish sects and have children with diverse sets of issues, I feel safe to explore and nourish my soul.
As parents of twins with autism, we have benefited from support groups and religious instruction over the years. Combining the two in this way satisfies our psychological and spiritual needs while providing a great opportunity for sharing treatment and provider experience, and other resources. It's as rewarding to be of help, as it is a relief to accept help.
Ozreinu is an oasis in a very big desert! My husband and I love the chance to share our difficulties and our triumphs with other parents who truly understand. Kol hakavod to Rabbi Shawn Fields-Meyer for having the courage and the vision to help these families on this journey.
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