{"id":53415,"date":"2016-03-09T11:59:26","date_gmt":"2016-03-09T16:59:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/?p=53415"},"modified":"2016-03-09T11:59:26","modified_gmt":"2016-03-09T16:59:26","slug":"a-megillah-for-everyone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/community\/a-megillah-for-everyone\/","title":{"rendered":"A Megillah for Everyone"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yachad designs a Megillah for the deaf and hard-of-hearing; Makes Purim more enjoyable for everyone<\/h3>\n
\"A
A screenshot from Yachad’s Megillah where Haman meets his untimely end.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Purim mandates that every Jew read the Megillah. But what about the deaf community? If they can\u2019t hear the baal korei<\/em>, they can\u2019t follow along with the rest of the congregation.<\/p>\n

\u201cMembers of the Jewish deaf community approached us lamenting, \u2018We can\u2019t be part of this holiday,\u2019\u201d says Batya Jacob, director of Educational Support Services for Yachad\/NJCD, the Orthodox Union\u2019s National Jewish Council for Disabilities.<\/p>\n

Yachad promptly addressed the need by designing a unique computer Power Point program on a CD containing the entire Megillah with Hebrew and English translations. The program is projected onto a wide screen to enable the deaf or hard-of-hearing to follow the cursor as it moves over the text while the Megillah is being read.<\/p>\n

The CD comes complete with visual \u201csound effects.\u201d Every time the cursor clicks on \u201cHaman,\u201d animated images pop up on the screen depicting the evil nemesis\u2019s demise\u2014through swords, arrows, elephant stomping, blowtorch and more.<\/p>\n

Word of the Megillah Power Point spread quickly. Calls and emails poured in from both shuls and individuals asking Yachad to send them copies of the Megillah CD. The showing premiered ten years ago in five shuls. With each subsequent year, the interest continued to rise. In fact, this Purim 750 shuls plan to participate.<\/p>\n

Yachad realized that it\u2019s not just the deaf taking advantage of this Power Point option. The program also benefitted people with vision problems, autism, attention deficit issues, the elderly and even fidgety children.<\/p>\n

\u201cParents told us that their youngsters, who were never able to sit through the reading before, now can,\u201d says Jacob. The continuous visual cues help to keep them focused.\u201d<\/p>\n

Afghanistan Calling\u2026Taiwan too!<\/strong><\/p>\n

In an effort to cast a wider inclusion net, Yachad started marketing the free Power Point presentation to a broader population, placing advertisements online, in numerous Jewish publications, as well as working with the OU\u2019s department of synagogue services. The effort succeeded\u2014in unexpected ways.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe heard from a U.S. Army chaplain stationed in Afghanistan,\u201d says Jacob. \u201cHe told us that although there wasn\u2019t anyone in his army base with disabilities, many of the soldiers couldn\u2019t read Hebrew; the Power Point helped them to easily follow along with the reading.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jacob says someone from Taiwan saw the CD advertised on the OU website and emailed Yachad for a copy.<\/p>\n

To avoid any technical glitches, Yachad urges shuls to try the CD out before Purim. If they encounter any problems, they can call Frank Ducheony, Montreal\u2019s former coordinator for Yachad\/Our Way (the OU\u2019s division for the Jewish deaf) and the mastermind behind the increasingly popular presentation.<\/p>\n

Invariably, after each Purim, positive feedback streams into Yachad headquarters via email and phone.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn individual from the Jewish deaf community told us, \u2018I\u2019ve never been able to participate in Megillat Esther before. This is the first time I was able to go to shul and be part of the tefilla,\u2019\u201d says Jacob. \u201cWe really had no clue how well this would be received.\u201d<\/p>\n

To make your synagogue or center accessible to all Jews this Purim, contact Yachad at: Batyaj@ou.org<\/a> or 212.613.8127 for a free copy of the Megillat Esther Power Point CD.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yachad designs a Megillah for the deaf and hard-of-hearing; Makes Purim more enjoyable for everyone Purim mandates that every Jew read the Megillah. But what about the deaf community? 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