Unusual theater project prepares autistic teens for bar and bat mitzvahs. The outcome ‘was such a lesson for all of us,’ one rabbi says.

From the Los Angeles Times:

Elaine Hall has created a religious training program for Jewish teens with autism on the west side of Los Angeles. Hall is also the founder of The Miracle Group, a nonprofit theater group for children with disabilities, and her work formed the basis for the documentary “Autism, the Musical.”

Cantor Steve Puzarne: “I’ve been bar mitzvah coaching for 25 years, and these kids catch on as quickly as any I’ve coached at other synagogues,” he said.

“In my experience, they’re some of the most spiritually profound people I’ve ever met. I have definitely changed my teaching of the typical kids because of what I’ve learned from these youngsters.”

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 23rd, 2007 at 11:43 am and is filed under autism, religion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post