When A Meltdown Lasts Five Hours, A Mom Needs More Than A Break

Posted: Thu, 05/09/2013 - 17:24 | The New Normal

I need a break. Every mom says that. But my doctor also says this about me.

It's Not About What The Community Can Do For Us, But What We Can Do ...

Posted: Thu, 05/09/2013 - 15:04 | The New Normal

Upon reading two articulate, impassioned and well-reasoned earlier posts, In Memory of My Son, A Plea and a Plan to Make Synagogues Wheelchair Accessible and Jewish Schools: You Have a Moral Responsibility to Kids with Disabilities, by my friends and colleagues, Shelley Cohen and Meredith Englander Polsky, respectively, I became increasingly concerned about the effectiveness of their arguments in advancing our cause.

JFNA At ADVANCE: Only By Celebrating Our Diversity Will We Create Unity

Posted: Thu, 05/09/2013 - 14:24 | The New Normal

Recent statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that as many as one in six may have one or more developmental disabilities or other developmental delays. This is a daunting phenomenon, but for the Jewish community, it is also an opportunity, both in the context of Jewish values and the continuity of our faith, to welcome those who have been marginalized back into our community. We must dedicate ourselves to a continuous effort to shift our thinking to ensure we recognize, appreciate, and invite individuals with disabilities and their families into the mosaic that makes up today’s Jewish world.

Facebook Driving Deal to Buy Israeli Navigation App Waze

Posted: Thu, 05/09/2013 - 10:42 | Jewish Techs

Let the jokes begin. From the people who wandered in the desert for 40 years comes the best navigational app so far. Waze, an Israeli crowdsourced navigation mobile application, has been growing in popularity over the past couple years. And in the past half a year there have been more than a few rumors that Waze was on the verge of being bought by Apple and Facebook. Those deals never materialized and some say it was because Uri Levine and his investment partners at Waze were holding out for more.

Glenn Beck Slammed For Bloomberg Nazi Image

Posted: Thu, 05/09/2013 - 08:59 | Political Insider

Conservative commentator Glenn Beck caused a stir at the National Rifle Association's convention by presenting an image of Mayor Michael Bloomberg giving a Nazi-like salute.

In his address to the gun lobby, Beck complained about Bloomberg's efforts to curb illegal guns and impose other controversial health measures in New York City, then presented the image as a joke, suggesting that the mayor's new motto for the Big Apple is "you will love New York."

Like Alice, A Singleton On The Spectrum Struggles To Take Her Own Advice

Posted: Tue, 05/07/2013 - 10:57 | The New Normal

Have you ever seen the 1951 animated Disney film Alice in Wonderland? It’s my favorite Disney movie; according to my mother, I used to quote it all of the time as a kid, and wore out the VHS tape from so many repeat watches. One moment I relate to now, as an adult, is when Alice admits to herself that she always gives herself “very good advice… But I very seldom follow it.” I know how you feel, Alice. I have, at this point, acquired something of a reputation as a go-to person when it comes to topics related to romance, sex, and dating for autistic people.