I praise Ilana Ruskay-Kidd for starting a special-needs pluralistic Jewish day school (“Kids With Special Needs To Get NY School Of Their Own,” Jan. 18). I, myself, am deaf and I attended Hebrew Institute for the Deaf in Brooklyn.
It is no longer operating because many children with hearing impairments are able to mainstream in regular yeshivas.
However, this is still not easy for today’s students who are mainstreaming, because many still require special accommodations like tutors or shadows in the classrooms.
Some children with special needs who are mainstreamed need additional help with schoolwork. We have established a tutoring program run by Dovi’s Playhouse for Children with Special Needs. It was founded in memory of our son, Dovi who was born with Down syndrome.
We tried to set up a day camp for girls with Down syndrome within a regular Jewish day camp three years ago. Sadly, we were turned down by this regular day camp because it would not be able to deal with children with special needs together with other children. I wish Ms. Ruskay-Kidd much success on this wonderful school.
Dovi’s Playhouse for Children with Special Needs
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