(29) Jewish Special Olympian Gold medalist Proud Dad! , January 1, 2009

Wonderful Video - Happens Every Day All Over The World!

This video was beautiful and wonderful to watch. All kids should experience this feeling no matter what their challenges are in life. At times, it is easier for some than others but we all have our gifts to give to the world. My son has mental retardation and has been a special olympian for many, many years. I am proud to say that this happens at almost every game for every participant. It is one of his favorite things to do and he gives it his all. Yes, he was part of his high school team like the boy in the video, he was able to participate in several games - but not with the success of the video. But this is not an isolated incident - it is happening in many, many places. As more people come to appreciate differently-abled people we will see more acceptance and understanding. It has been far too long for the Jewish Community to respond in this way. It is only recently that congregations are accepting, encouraging, and supporting special needs families. My family and I are very fortunate that our congregation has been doing this for many years and has been held up as a model but that shouldn't be necessary. As a Jewish community, we should welcome everyone who is Jewish, no matter who they are or where they come from. Special needs families are one of the most disenfranchised and unaffiliated segments of our community. As Jews, we all need to do more to welcome anyone who wants to become part of our vibrant communities. Imagine what your feelings would be if this video was taken with a basketball team at a Jewish High School, the crowd was cheering in Hebrew, the Rabbi and the community ran onto the court raising him in the air and start to dance....you get the picture. Contact your rabbi or local Bureau of Jewish Education to see what your Jewish community is doing to create moments like this.

(28) Anonymous , September 3, 2008

Cold Shiver Stuff

Perspective. . . that's what this video is all about. So heartwarming that I choked and got a cold shiver.

(27) Nels , June 8, 2008

Played sooner?

I think the coach wished he would of played him sooner! In this case they won ,but how many less able players could be encouraged if the coach would let them play and not be so wraped up in winning the game?

(26) Yoli Pereira , June 5, 2008

I am crying

Yes, do not accept them like they are!

(25) grandma , March 18, 2008

Don't count disabled kids out!

I have a grandson with a form of autism. I am happy for the boy who won the game for his school, but the majority of kids struggle with everyday life, and have low self esteem due to gross insensivity by the communities in which they live. My grandson goes to a special school, and as a result the kids in the neighborhood ignore him. Autistic kids look like everyone else, but because of their disability, friends their own age are severely lacking. The parents are nothing more than insensitive clods due to their failure to encourage their children to make friends with other kids who are not like them. I am very angry and hurt.

(24) Aliza , February 18, 2008

So beautiful

I don't usually cry but i sure did in this one!
it's so moving. look what belief in children's abilities can bring. if only all "special ed" kids were given a chance! People tend to "accept them", and as proffessor Feuerstein says, "Don't accept me as i am!". believe in them, push them (with a smile!). they can do a lot more than you think, they just need to be given the tools.

(23) Rabbi Doni , February 17, 2008

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!!!!!

(22) Beverly Kurtin, Ph.D. , December 28, 2007

Used to feeling different

Baruch Hashem, I survived a massive stroke twelve years ago. My speech is sometimes negatively affected as is my balance. After breaking my back for the second time I decided to always use a wheelchair when in public. Now there are wheelchairs and then there are WHEELCHAIRS! Mine is the latter. It is one of the faster machines on the market. Now picture this: I'm 67 years young and am moving at about six miles an hour. People seem to think that my disability gives them a license to treat me as an idiot. If I had a quarter for every time I heard, "HEY, slow down," or "there's a speed limit in here," I could make some organizations very happy. For some reason or another they think that I should have to be content to move slowly through rain or in blistering heat. THEY don't do it, so why should I?

Usually I just let it alone, but sometimes the individual who just screamed at me as though I was a child with no common sense gets what I call "the treatment."

I chart a vector right to them. They invariably freeze. I stand up and tell them "Bud, I paid $7,500 for this device; I'm old enough to be your mother, would you have the nerve to shout at her in public the way you just shouted at me? Don't just stand there like a dummy, I want an answer and I want it NOW."

Okay, the rest of the story. I only do it if their wife (I hope it is their wife) is with him. Invariably she will say, "See, I told you someday that would happen, now apologize."

Life is fun, and as the character Auntie Mame said, "Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death." That was the movie version, the stage version says something different and funnier.

One last word, if I may. I love Down's children. They are so special and so full of love for everyone and everything. Parents of Down's children sometimes look with horror as their loving child comes near me and I hold out my arms for a hug. It is as though I am being hugged by Hashem, the purity of their love is a wonder to behold.

If you want a truly loving experience, hug a Down's child (with the parent's permission of course!). It will be like an appetizer of what is to come.

(21) vincent cennamo , December 26, 2007

The heart

I'm a Brooklyn Boy with tears in his eyes. His heart is truly an example of what love could do. He loved the game.

(20) Anonymous , December 25, 2007

Very very positive!!

Excellent work!!
Thanks for the feel good story.
Bravo to the coach figure!!

(19) Anonymous , December 23, 2007

"hidden"?

think Moshe! toda

(18) Daniel , December 22, 2007

Great!

Wonderful -- there is always something special hidden. My mother was hidden during the war -- talk about something special.

Way to go!

(17) Esther , December 22, 2007

beautiful piece

Beautiful piece. I teach and I am humbled at what opportunites we are given to be enablers in our students lives. How many times do I fall short of the mark?

(16) boruch , December 22, 2007

I found the video clip to be very inspiriting. It is a lesson of the power of human abilities. Everyone has inside of himself incredible abilities, but they are usually limitted because of fear and feelings of low self-esteem etc. But this autistic boy apparently overcome all these feelings of fear and weakneses, at least for those few minutes, and therefore the inner powers which were in him surfaced. This is teaches us many lessons. It teaches us to be careful not to destroy the self-esteem of our children, and it teaches us that there are great levels which we can reach, if we could overcome our crutches and unreal restrictions.

(15) Anonymous , December 21, 2007

Young men in America need to see things like this video and to appreciate that others need support and kindness. So glad the "machoness so previlant in our world today was not at all a part of the wonderful video. It should be telecast far and wide and the boys who support the autistic boy should be commended and honored for their lovingness and encouragement. Thank God there are young men who would be so moved by this event. There is hope for our future as a natin. Blessings and Thank yo sosoooooo much!! Maryanna

(14) Rickismom , December 20, 2007

children with special needs are individuals

Children with special needs are very individualistic. I even rankle a bit at the "positive" comments. Even things like "this population" "angels" are statements that impair our ability to see people with disabilities as the individuals that they ARE. (For example, my daughter who has Down syndrome has no less pride than any other teenager.)They are PEOPLE , varied as all other people are.

(13) Pat Franklin , December 20, 2007

What a great kid!

This made me cry. What a great kid, and what a great coach to give him a chance to shine. It reminds me that God has got things prepared for us to do so that we can shine out His goodness to others.

(12) Ben , December 19, 2007

The power of support.

As a rebbe in both special education and general education I have seen what the power of positive support can have on the accomplishments of people, both young and old, special or typical. People's prejudices can make or break a person's spirit. We need to remember that in order to create an environment of growth, we need to build bridges, not walls.

(11) michelle , December 19, 2007

our son has an autism spectrum disorder

so this is very special and meaningful to us. What is interesting is that this population has so much less ego, arrogance and excessive pride than most people--- they are like angels.

(10) Jane , December 18, 2007

Let's Hope This Story Stays in the Limelight

This story is at least a year old. If shows the positive and negative in humanity at the same time. The limited expectations on people for whatever reason holds them back, and the potential in all of us to cheer for anyone who does well, especially someone who is an underdog. I hope this story surfaces, and resurfaces over and again.......it is a good one!

(9) Anonymous , December 18, 2007

I am utterly charmed...

as a school nurse, students with autism are one of my favorite groups to work with, although I love them all. The children with autism are very special.

(8) Anonymous , December 18, 2007

beautiful

got the chills....

(7) Sarahraizel , December 18, 2007

Baruk HaShem!

It always amaze me that the HaShem cares so much for His children, and give miracles even to the little angels we have living with us. Awsome!

(6) Aviva , December 18, 2007

Awesome

I also have special needs children - 2 girls with Down Syndrome. I have learned over the years to always expect the unexpected. When limititations are not placed on our children, there is no limits to which they can reach.

(5) Anonymous , December 18, 2007

we...........

all are a gift from G-d!

(4) Anonymous , December 17, 2007

wow!! this was unbelievably amazing!!! really nice!!

(3) jamie , December 17, 2007

our expectations shape all our kids

as a father of a child with Downs syndrome, my wife and i can say with certainty that we severely limit children with disabilities by assuming they can't do something, whether it's cognitive or physical action. If we expect the most from our child, and work hard to bring out his or her full potential, you will be amazed by what even a disabled child could accomplish. Just imagine if we believed that that the fellow in this video could actually play basketball? Lets at least give him a try and see! Why limit him from the get go? It's so much more productive to assume they can until proven otherwise. And this applies not only to disabled kids, but with all our children. Even ourselves.

(2) Sefashkenaz , December 16, 2007

Wow!

This brought me to tears!

(1) Devorah , December 16, 2007

AMAZING!!!!!!!!

I actually got goose bumps while watching this clip.