Torah Portion:	Mishpatim
Synagogue:	Malvern Chabad
Walking time from home:	40 minutes
Reason for going:	Shabbat Together
Kiddush:	Sit down lunch with lots of variety

 Sometimes I go to a synagogue for no particular reason, but sometimes I go for a very specific reason. This week was very much for the latter.

A couple of decades ago in America, to coincide with disability inclusion month, a few synagogues launched Shabbat Together. Four years ago, Malvern Chabad brought the concept to Melbourne, and now it is embraced by the Rabbinical Council of Victoria, so much so that more than a dozen synagogues participated this week, each with their own speaker or event. Malvern Chabad however is still considered the originator, so as I have done for the last few years (lockdowns notwithstanding) I went to Malvern Chabad for their annual Shabbat Together lunch, with two inspiring speakers.

The portion of the week is Mishpatim, which is  mostly about laws and statutes, but it comes immediately after the giving of the Torah last week, to show that the potentially bland laws of jurisprudence are just as important as the Ten Commandments and all the other rules. As part of that, there are laws about treating people equally and humanely, and thus it is a perfect week to host a Shabbat about inclusion and dignity.

Malvern Chabad, although a traditional Chabad house, often attracts a largely non-Chabad audience, and is housed in a building that is more than 20 years old, but is well maintained a looks remarkably modern. Moreover, they often hold programs or events that few other shules do, and the original Shabbat Together was one such example. As such, the first speaker – who is deaf and has other congenital issues as well – spoke about growing up in the Melbourne Jewish community and how he had to fit in with his school and other environments. He clearly thrived, because he is now a lawyer and a disability advocate.

 The second speaker however, who is a mother of a severely disabled child, spoke not just about equality and equity, but about breaking down existing structures. For instance, there is a well-known image (see cartoon) that shows the difference between equality and equity – where in the first instance everyone is treated the same, but in the second instance, everyone is treated according to their needs. Obviously the second scenario is the preferred approach, but in both cases, the fence – or the societal barrier – is still in existence. Maybe it is time to create a more transparent or different kind of barrier so that trying to peak over it is no longer the objective.

For example, at Malvern Chabad some years ago they installed a ramp at the front of their shule. The goal was to make the shule more accessible for anyone in a wheelchair. But the ramp has had some positive but unintended consequences. Previously there was a parking area outside for prams, but now most parents with prams bring their children inside and this has meant that a lot more families with young children come to shule. On top of that, elderly people with canes or walking frames feel much more included, as do others with mobility issues.

The point is that accessibility is important, but inclusion – in all its forms – should be the ultimate goal. As such, the tagline of Shabbat Together is ‘not just one Shabbat’. As much as it is important to talk about these issues once a year, it is much more important to embed them into all discussions related to synagogue or communal practice, and if this Shabbat teaches that, then the goal will have been achieved. I was grateful to hear that and to be part of spreading that message.