Rosh Pina founder, Elana Naftalin-Kelman

This April, Jewish Residential Services, Jewish Family & Children’s Service, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh will be embarking on a new year-long fellowship with disability inclusion expert, Rosh Pina. The program creates a way for these organizations to look more critically at their own inclusion practices, in order to facilitate the building of a more inclusive Jewish community. To support this endeavor, the Federation Community Fund has generously given a grant to cover the costs of the program.

Rosh Pina was founded by Elana Neftalin-Kelman, an expert with over 15 years of experiencing working in special needs and Jewish education. Elana will be coming to Pittsburgh personally to kick-off the fellowship, which will include intensive cohort discussions and site visits.

Topics such as models of inclusion, best practices for inclusion, and inclusive language will be covered with organization leaders, staff, and volunteers. At the conclusion of the program, all participating organizations will receive Cornerstone Certification, which certifies them as inclusive communities.

We are very excited to welcome Elana to Pittsburgh in April! Over the next year, we anticipate game-changing conversations that will make Pittsburgh more welcoming and inclusive for people of all abilities. Stay tuned for more updates as Rosh Pina commences.