Monica Schneider-Brewer

February is Jewish Disabilities Awareness & Inclusion Month. This month is intended to remind us that ALL Jews, without regard to disability, must have access to Jewish life – to work live, love, play, learn and worship how and where they choose, and to contribute to this wonderful place we call our Greater MetroWest Jewish community.

Virtual Exhibit Open through August 31st Exhibit open through August 20, 2023 at NJMS 2023 brought another summer of joining forces with Arts Access at Matheny and installing a summer exhibit in the halls of New Jersey Medical School. In addition to the work on display at 185 South Orange Avenue, in Newark, a full virtual exhibit is up and able to be viewed! View the exhibit here: https://waegallery.org/events/njms-collaborative-arts-hybrid-exhibit-2023/ Monday, June 26th a Virtual Artists Reception was held, and artists, facilitators, family, fans and friends gathered to view and discuss this year’s exhibit. Six WAE Studio artists joined the reception to speak about their specific piece, in addition to their art practice in general. Christina M, Daniel M, Elliot A., […]

  “The relationship between mentor and mentee is a symbiotic one.” Yvette Lucas, Manager Prevocational Arts   This wonderful exhibit is a dynamic statement about the day-to-day inner workings of the WAE Center art studios. Ranging from: one-on-one sessions between facilitator and artist, to group workshops, to small group digital collaborations the gamut in materials and structure is wide and deep and full of exploration. Ten mentors and tens of members contributed to this wonderful mélange of texture, subject and materials including: charcoal, collage, digital artwork, fiber art, music composition/album design, soft sculpture, 3-D printing, printmaking, painting, photography, AI – creations, quilting & sewing, pastel and marker drawings, watercolor, weaving and woodworking. Mentors have brought their individual work to the […]

This month is intended to remind us that ALL Jews, without regard to disability, must have access to Jewish life – to work live, love, play, learn and worship how and where they choose, and to contribute to this wonderful place we call our Greater MetroWest Jewish community.   JSDD and the WAE Center is engaged in bringing artwork, artists, and residents into a few congregations to spread the word about abilities and inclusion in Jewish life. While the notion of inclusion may sound abstract, it is in fact, a daily practice rooted in the practical.  We need only remember to look and notice the needs of those around us, which are different than ours, and act to provide equal access […]

In celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest (JFGMW) NJ, a community-wide trip to Israel is planned for July 2023. JSDD and our partner agency JESPY House will be sharing a bus as we embark on this community journey with the generous support of the Centennial Fund. We are thrilled that five men and women who reside in JSDD homes will travel to Israel with three staff members.  For most, it will be their first trip to Israel and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.  For those who travelled to Israel many years ago, it will be a visit of a lifetime with excursions tailored to their interests, while accommodations are made to address the needs […]