Creating Meaningful Experiences for Every Child—B-Mitzvah and Beyond

Creating Meaningful Experiences for Every Child—B-Mitzvah and Beyond

From Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education by The Jewish Education Project

April 30, 2026 · 36 min · Season 6 · Episode 28

About this episode

The episode discusses how to create inclusive B-Mitzvah experiences for children with disabilities.

The B-Mitzvah is a defining milestone in American Jewish life, and offers a powerful lens into how Jewish communal spaces can foster inclusion and belonging. In light of their new book, A Different Spirit: Creating Meaningful B’nai Mitzvah for Children With Disabilities, Howard Blas and Ilana Trachtman join Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath in conversation about what it means to build truly inclusive Jewish experiences. Together, they explore how clergy and families can create meaningful B-Mitzvah ce...

People in this episode

Host: Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath

Guests: Howard Blas, Ilana Trachtman

Topics covered

  • B-Mitzvah
  • inclusion
  • belonging
  • Jewish education
  • disabilities
  • communal spaces

Keywords

  • B-Mitzvah
  • inclusion
  • Jewish education
  • disabilities
  • communal spaces
  • Howard Blas
  • Ilana Trachtman

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: A Different Spirit: Creating Meaningful B’nai Mitzvah for Children With Disabilities

More episodes of Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education podcast page.