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Deaf Jews and the Holocaust

ByMichael Thal

On November 9, 2019 Valley Beth Shalom, in Encino, California hosted a program in commemoration of the 81stAnniversary of Kristallnacht entitled “Rescuing History: Kristallnacht and ‘The Holocaust Through the Eyes of Deaf Jews’.” (Kristallnacht was two nights of violence perpetrated against the Jewish communities of Germany and Austria on November 9-10, 1938.) It was a…

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Teaching the deaf or hard of hearing student

ByMichael Thal

Dear Pop, A deaf or hard of hearing child will be mainstreaming into my class next semester.  What can I expect?  How do I make my lessons understandable? How can I ease her transition into my class with her peers?  Signed, Nervous Dear Nervous, Teaching a deaf or hard of hearing (hoh) student is similar…

Judaism and the Deaf Jew
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Judaism and the Deaf Jew

ByMichael Thal

I was a member of Temple Judea, a reform synagogue in Tarzana, California, for twenty-five years. Even after a virus robbed me of most of my hearing and forced me out of my tenured sixth grade teaching assignment, I stayed a temple member. Though I couldn’t understand a word of the rabbi’s sermons or capable…

7 Ways to Communicate With the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing
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7 Ways to Communicate With the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing

ByMichael Thal

Dear Pop, My twelve-year-old son is near deaf. He feels isolated from his peers and family. What can I do to make people understand his unique communication needs? Worried Mom Dear Worried Mom, Helen Keller, the deaf and blind American author and political activist, once wrote, “Blindness separates us from things, but deafness separates us…

Caught Between Two Worlds
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Caught Between Two Worlds

ByMichael Thal

      Savannah is a communications major at a prominent university. One day, while walking across campus, she eyes a guy she can’t resist. He is absolutely gorgeous. The communications major is taking American Sign Language (ASL) with Prof. Stockton to fulfill her language requirement. One homework assignment is to attend a Deaf event….

Growing up Deaf
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Growing up Deaf

ByMichael Thal

Audiologists acknowledge four levels of deafness—mild, moderate, severe, and profound. Author Cece Bell is severely to profoundly deaf. At the age of four she contracted meningitis, robbing her of most of her hearing. When she started public school, Cece was mainstreamed into a regular classroom. She knew she was different from the other kids due…

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Infants and American Sign Language

ByMichael Thal

Dear Pop, My daughter will have a baby this spring. I want to teach my grandchild American Sign Language (ASL) but my wife thinks that will only confuse the child. I say it will empower my granddaughter. Who’s right? Deaf Grandpa Dear Deaf Grandpa, You’re right. Now let me tell you why. Soon after birth,…