St. Joseph Church, Maplewood A boy with autism playing the role of shepherd in the Christmas Story at his parish is spinning happily on the stage. This was not a scheduled part of the play, but there had been unexpected changes he was not prepared for, and he misunderstood his mother’s hand signals to move to the other side of the stage. However, there is no problem. The pastor whispers into the mother’s ear, “I’m sure there were some shepherds that were that happy on that night.”
must see them as his/her way of communicating with God (after all, it’s not that much different than speaking in “tongues” or calling out “hallelujah”). It may mean that the pastor/rabbi must teach a child according to his/her level and physical ability (e.g., using a voice box or picture communication system if the child is non-verbal), but that teaching should be viewed as legitimate and each step of progress should be acknowledged and celebrated with pride. 6. “We are all responsible for one another.” (Babylonian Talmud, Shavuot 19a): Perhaps one of the biggest stumbling blocks of all is congregational ignorance, prejudice or intolerance. Perhaps the role of the clergy person here is to educate the community to be sensitive to and unafraid of individuals with disabilities. Sensitivity training for clergy, teachers, children, parents and the community as a whole will go a long way in making the faith community a welcoming one.
The Hebrew word for the ancient Jerusalem Temple, Beit Miqdash, literally means “House of Holiness,” or more commonly, “Sanctuary.” The Hebrew word for synagogue, beit knesset, literally means “House of Gathering,” and the word “church” comes from the Greek kriakos , meaning “of the Lord.” These definitions teach us that our houses of worship, whether synagogues or churches, must be a sanctuary to all who wish to gather in assembly under its roof in praise of God. They must be places of gathering for all, including those with special needs and their families. By their very presence within the house of worship, parents and families of children with autism can be sources of education about disabilities, promoters of advocacy on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves and creators of a culture of caring and compassion for all of God’s vulnerable children. And that, alone, gives importance and relevance to their presence within our houses of worship.
4 Schwarz, Sidney, Finding a Spiritual Home: How a New Generation of Jews Can Transform the American Synagogue. (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000).
Rabbi Dr. Geoffrey Haber served Temple Emanu-El in Closter, NJ for 11 years before becoming the spiritual leader of Congregation Mishkan Tefila, Chestnut Hill, MA in 2007 and is a parent of a child with autism.
“Creating an atmosphere where parents of children with autism can gather in safety and honesty will enable the synagogue/ church to successfully put into practice its noble calling and, as a result, present an opportunity to add value and meaning to the lives of its congregants well beyond the group.”
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Autism and Faith
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