Menu
Menu
Sessions will be available via livestream as well as in person. Click here for closed captioning.
Shabbat Alive (Feb. 10 @ 6:30pm)
Together at Sinai. Becoming a Community
A short introduction of what Inclusion Shabbat is all about.
Closed captioning will be available during Shelly’s D’var Torah @ 7pm
Talmud class (Feb. 11 @ 8:30am)
From Longing to Belonging
How wisdom from Isaiah gives us God’s definition of inclusion, and why belonging is the outcome people with disabilities and mental health issues want – just like everyone else.
Click here to watch with closed captioning
Shabbat Service (Feb. 11 @ 9:30am-12:00pm)
Together at Sinai and Beyond
Reflections on JDAIM and the other eleven months from a Jewish Disability and Mental Health Advocate.
Click here to watch with closed captioning
Saturday Shabbat Post-Kiddush Talk (Feb. 11 @ 1:00pm)
Telling Our Stories to Change Mindsets: Elevating the Voices of People with Lived Experience
How sharing our personal stories can lead to new shared experiences and inclusion in our communities.
Sessions will be available via livestream as well as in person. Click here to watch with closed captioning.
About Shelly Christensen
Shelly Christensen is committed to fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community. Her passion for this work is anchored by her experiences as the parent of a child with autism. Long before she was an emerging leader in the field, Shelly was trained as a parent advocate, unwaveringly holding the school accountable for her son’s rights to a free appropriate public education. The family’s synagogue and religious school their three sons attended treated all children with equity and respect, seamlessly adapting education to meet each child’s needs and ensuring a lifelong connection to their Jewish identity and community.
As program manager of the Minneapolis Jewish Community Inclusion Program for People with Disabilities, her innovative leadership approach supported synagogues, schools, community centers, and other agencies. Shelly blended theology with person-centered thinking, organizational strategies, and community collaborations to create innovative practices that encourage a growth mindset and a shift to diversity, equity and inclusion across the lifespan.
In 2009, Shelly co-founded Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). The mission of JDAIM is to coalesce communities and organizations to raise awareness about disability inclusion and address obstacles to belonging. Shelly coordinates this grassroots initiative, which occurs every year in February. Through Shelly’s leadership, JDAIM is recognized around the world by local, national and international organizations.
Shelly is the author of two books: The Jewish Community Guide to Inclusion of People with Disabilities and From Longing to Belonging—A Practical Guide to Including People with Disabilities and Mental Health Conditions in Your Faith Community. In 2020, in response to the pandemic, Shelly co-created the web series, “Everyone’s Welcome-A Fresh Conversation About Disability,” in which guests from diverse faiths, practices, interests, and lived experiences share their stories and their work.
Shelly earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Minnesota and her Master of Arts degree in Developmental Disabilities from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. She is a graduate of the National Leadership Institute on Developmental Disabilities, and earned a certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of South Florida Muma School of Business.
