Inspire

Since 1993, ETTA has been serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families on the West Coast. ETTA’s services include residential housing, case management, educational services, social service assistance, and employment training and placement. ETTA enables people with disabilities to achieve greater independence, autonomy, success, participation in community, and inclusion.

The Friendship Circle’s mission is to provide Jewish children who have special needs with a full range of social, recreational, educational, and Jewish experiences; to provide their parents with respite and support; and to enrich, inspire, and motivate Jewish teenagers through sharing of themselves with others. The Friendship Circle envisions a world where people with special needs and their families are accepted, included, and befriended so they can become successful members of society. Through our many programs, we hope to make the world a better place.

JFSLA’s Special Needs Life Skills Program (formerly known as HaMercaz & Chaverim) provides comprehensive support to individuals with special needs and their families. We offer three areas of support: support groups, targeted case management, and life skills program. We have weekly activities, day trips, an annual Passover Seder and Chanukah party, plus special events. We conduct activities both in-person and on zoom. For more information, please contact lifeskills@jfsla.org.

The Jewish Los Angeles Special Needs Trust (JLA Trust) helps individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) supplement their government benefits with affordable, professional special needs trust services. JLA Trust works to ensure that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) may obtain a high quality of life. Through the use of available trust funds, JLA Trust helps to improve well-being beyond a client’s current status quo, facilitating budgeting decisions and contributing to peace of mind.

MAAGALIM COMMUNITY CIRCLES is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing life and social skills and fostering social integration for teens and young adults with special needs. Our mission is to help them create friendships, engage in activities, and enjoy inclusive social events within an endless circle of support in a loving environment. We embrace both neurotypical and neurodiverse individuals, reflecting our strong commitment to inclusivity and community.

CONNECT WITH US:
OFFICE: 747- 242-7855
EMAIL: INFO@MAAGALIMCIRCLES.ORG
WEBSITE: HTTPS://WWW.MAAGALIMCIRCLES.ORG/

Supporting students with special needs and their families in the Los Angeles Jewish community valuing each student and their unique learning needs, providing personalized services and support to help them learn and thrive while ensuring a Jewish education is accessible. 

OurSpaceLA offers a full spectrum of Jewish experiences that enable participants to actively embrace Judaism as a meaningful way of life. Participants learn about Shabbat, Jewish holidays, customs, traditions, prayer, and values. They celebrate holidays, life-cycle events, and other important milestones. The variety of program opportunities offered enables participants to create lifelong friendships, and together they are empowered to become active and contributing members of the larger Jewish community. OurSpaceLA is a program of Valley Beth Shalom and synagogue membership is not required for participation. To enroll, please fill out the forms below or contact Gabriella Meltz, Director of OurSpaceLA Programs, at (818) 530-4069.

The Ezra program at Camp Ramah in Ojai is a 4- or 8-week vocational training program for young adults ages 18-26. During the summer, Ezra Program participants live at camp alongside 1,400 staff and campers. The Ezra Program allows participants to take their existing skills and enhance them to live more independent and productive lives. Ezra participants receive job-training experience in several service areas throughout camp and are held accountable for their interpersonal relationships in the Ramah community. Program goals include preparing young adults for independent living and teaching them employment-related skills.

For more information about any of our Tikvah programs, contact Rory Carmer, Tikvah Director, at rory@ramah.org

Shemesh Farms began as an initiative of Shalom Institute in 2013 with a mission to provide employment, programming, and community to adults with neuro and physical diverse abilities.

Over the years, Shemesh has grown and thrived. Farm Fellows, volunteers, and staff harvest and handcraft our herb blends, jar our honey, and other organic products which can be purchased in person at our farm, from our online store, or at markets, festivals and events throughout the year.

Shemesh means “sun” in Hebrew. And no matter who we are, what we do, or where we live, we are all given the gift of the sun. Our farm and enterprise are built upon a foundation of sustainability, inclusion, and interconnectedness. Everyone deserves a place where they feel respected, connected, and that they belong. At Shemesh Farms, everyBODY is welcome!

In the tradition of Vista Del Mar’s Jewish core values, Vista House of Lovingkindness – Beit Chesed is a sacred, inclusive community of belonging that supports, uplifts, and celebrates Jewish individuals with autism and other special needs and their family members, throughout their lifespans, providing a stable Jewish spiritual home. Vista Del Mar also offers an Autism Center. Our approach seeks to create bridges, links, and possible connections and emotional relationships with the individual on the autistic spectrum. We aim at understanding their unique way of experiencing the world, their anxieties which are aroused as a result of their different structure, their feelings, dreams, and hopes. We do not aim at just changing the child’s behavior, but rather at establishing understanding and emotional links which will enable the children to live and thrive in a world that for them is confusing, terrifying, and non-sensical for them.

Based on Jewish values, Jewish Federation Los Angeles convenes and leads the community and leverages its resources to assure the continuity of the Jewish people, support a secure State of Israel, care for Jews in need here and abroad, and mobilize on issues of concern to the local community — all with our local, national, and international partners. Working with our partners in Los Angeles, we provide individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) with greater access to quality services and programs that enhance daily living and inclusion in our community.