Gateways is
Boston’s central address for Jewish education for students with special needs and educational challenges. To achieve this mission, Gateways works directly in
Greater Boston's Jewish day schools, congregational and community supplemental schools, Jewish preschools, as well as Gateways’ own Sunday school, bar/bat mitzvah training class and teen youth group to create a far-reaching network of Jewish learning and peers. Gateways believes that all Jewish children have a right to a Jewish education; together with a multidisciplinary team of highly trained and passionate teachers and Teen Volunteers, Gateways students learn about Jewish holidays, culture, and Hebrew, and thrive in this specialized Jewish learning environment.
Gateways: Access to Jewish Education has been singled out as one of the nation's Top 10 most innovative Jewish nonprofits by the Slingshot Fund, a resource guide the nation’s top 50 trailblazing organizations tackling the key challenges of Jewish life in the 21st century.
Everyday, Gateways strives for inclusion, accessibility and Jewish community – your help and interest are much appreciated.
Gateways’ success today is a testament of its entrepreneurial past and its strong advocates and supporters today. The resounding result of a merger between two mission-driven organizations – Etgar L’Noar and the Jewish Special Education Collaborative – Gateways gives Greater Boston’s Jewish community a strong place in which to continue to build the continuum of services needed so that every Jewish child has access to a Jewish education.
Gateways has four principle programs, all with the potential to grow:
1. The Gateways Jewish Day School Program supports kids who have educational challenges.
2. The Gateways Community Special Education Services Program supports children in congregational and community Hebrew Schools and preschools.
3. The Gateways Jewish Education Programs include a self contained Sunday School, bar/bat mitzvah tutoring classes, and teen youth groups to create a network of Jewish learning and peers.
4. The Gateways Professional Development Programs offers teachers, therapists, special educators and school staff, ongoing coaching and strategies to help every child in the classroom, regardless of ability or disability.
Our mission is to ensure that Jewish children with a full range of learning styles, abilities and challenges succeed academically, socially, and spiritually to their fullest potential. We provide an array of state-of-the-art educational programs, supports and resources to meet the individual needs of each child in a variety of Jewish settings, including Jewish day schools and supplemental programs. We actively engage and collaborate with teachers and administrators to universalize best practices in education. We seek to educate parents, teachers, administrators and the broader community to promote understanding and acceptance of the children we serve.
Name of Organization:Gateways- Access to Jewish Education
Number of Paid Staff:45
Number of Volunteers:100 Teen Volunteers
Total Organizational Expenses:$02
% of Organizational Overhead Expenses:34%
Gateways is the only organization in Greater Boston creating access to Jewish education for children, ages 3 – 18, with disabilities, and their families.
Gateways: Access to Jewish Education enables children with a full range of learning styles and disabilities to succeed academically, socially and spiritually to their fullest potential. The organization’s b’nai mitzvah training program for students with moderate to severe disabilities has had tremendous success since its inception five years ago. The Gateways community has celebrated more than a dozen simchas in synagogues throughout Greater Boston, and looks forward to a dozen more in the coming 18 months.
Sarah Gomolka’s bat mitzvah was certainly a special event, as seen through the eyes of her mother, Estelle, a fifth grade general studies teacher at the Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston in Newton, and head of the waterfront at Camp Yavneh in Northwood, N.H. Here’s what she had to say: On Monday, May 28, 2007, a dream came true for the Gomolka Family: our daughter, Sarah, became a bat mitzvah. Sarah has a form of cerebral palsy in which she is developmentally like a two-year-old. She walks, but wears special braces to help give her better support, and uses a wheelchair for longer strolls. She has very little speech but uses an electronic device to help her communicate. She is the love of our life. She greets everyone with a kiss and a wave. Her big brown eyes warm and melt you immediately to approach and become engaged with her. She is filled with love and compassion for all.
Gateways brought our dreams of her becoming a bat mitzvah to reality. Sarah had been in their Sunday program since she was seven years old. Once she turned 11, we committed to a two-year journey to prepare for her bat mitzvah, but truly had no idea what to expect! We questioned our decision occasionally, asking, ‘Are we doing the right thing? Will it make a difference? Will she understand?’ Well, the experience was felt by all in the room that spring morning. Sarah participated in her bat mitzvah service through a very creative use of technology developed by the Gateways’ staff. The team had created a PowerPoint presentation, which enabled her to activate a voice-generated response from the computer each time she pressed a special button. The congregation could see what she was doing because they viewed the words of the prayer and a picture of Sarah from the PowerPoint presentation projected on a large screen in front of the congregation. Sarah truly knew that when our rabbi, Wes Gardenswartz, said: ‘And now, Sarah will lead us in the shema,’ it was time for her to press that button and lead the congregation in prayer. The highlight of the service was when Rabbi Gardenswartz helped Sarah as she stood to scan the room and look at everyone. To some, she waved; to others, she threw kisses. The rabbi warmly informed her, ‘All these people are here for YOU, Sarah.’ She leaned her head into him and smiled. Those who came were overwhelmed by what she had accomplished. The most moving part of the day was the showing of a special video that we had created about Sarah so everyone could get to know her better. We were surrounded by friends and family. The day was one big ‘hug fest!’ Warmth and love filled the room.
We are truly grateful for Gateways: to all the teachers, aides and support staff for what they provided us to make this unimaginable event come true. We believe that everyone, no matter their disability, has the right to be a part of the Jewish community, to grow and achieve, to their best abilities. We will never forget Sarah’s bat mitzvah.
Justice and Fairness
Kindness leads to Kindness
Learning
Power of Speech
Relationships Between People
Spirituality
Volunteer:
One of the unique aspects of Gateways’ Jewish education programs is that young adults, aged 15 to 18, who volunteer each week to work one-on-one with our students. These teens come from throughout our community: from as close as Newton and as far away as New Hampshire, from public, private and Jewish day schools, from all levels of Jewish observance. This is a win-win situation for both the teens and their students - the student has a mentor and an advocate in class; the teen develops confidence, new skills, and a deeper understanding of a world beyond themselves.
Donate:
Your contribution to Gateways: Access to Jewish Education helps to ensure that children with a wide range of learning styles and disabilities reach their full academic, social and spiritual potential. Our goal is to honor Gateways' mission and our donors' intent. Meaningful ways to contribute are:
Making an unrestricted donation to the Annual Campaign
Acknowledging a life cycle event
Establishing a named fund
Supporting a specific program
Gifting stock or other appreciated assets
Creating or contributing to an endowed fund
Name:Debi Golden
Title:Director of Development
Address:333 Nahanton Street, Newton, MA 02459
Telephone:(617) 630-9010, ext. 113
Email:debi@jgateways.org
Website:www.jgateways.org