[NFBJ] A shortfall in the Jewish Community regarding the print disabled and many others

[Rachael D Hudson]

yes, sir, you’ve expressed the challenge very well.

This leads to an intersection of several things that have been rolling around in my mind lately.  Namely, the idea of universal design and the Jewish community.  Frankly, I feel like we should be leading the way with regard to universal design. I wonder how many Jewish architects there are out there?

Because currently, the architectural community views things like braille signs, and access ramps to be eyesore and something they need to minimize, while at the same time, applauding sculptural and decorative fire escapes as something that adds to the façade.  The Jewish perspective on human dignity and the concept of universal design mesh very well together.  And frankly, if we have more Jewish architects leading the cost for universal design by creating artistic statements within access, ramps and signage… Then maybe we growth in the economy enough that there is more money in the pot! Or maybe I’m just naïve…

-Rachael Everhart Hudson (She/Her)
 267-268-5780
"Do the hard things while they are still easy... The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  -Lao Tzu
________________________________
From: NFBJ <nfbj-bounces at nfbnet.org> on behalf of mlevy--- via NFBJ <nfbj at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, 18 August 2026 11:59:51
To: NFB in Judaism <nfbj at nfbnet.org>
Cc: mlevy at verse-onality.com <mlevy at verse-onality.com>
Subject: [NFBJ] A shortfall in the Jewish Community regarding the print disabled and many others

Some mobility-impaired and some with degenerative diseases can't use a keyboard or a Mouse and might not be able to read any Torah in any setting outside their home.

My belief

All who take Judaism seriously must study Torah at least once every daytime and once every night-time.

The source is the Book of Joshua, Chapter 1 verse 8.

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it."

In this regard, I personally would strive for

-1.  More telephony

-2.  More awareness among the blind of such telephony.

-3.  Awareness among clergy, health professionals, and lay leaders of such telephony.
-4.  This applies to Torah scholars and lay people who age into blindness.

-5.  They, and too many "experts" who are afraid of blindness, believe that life comes to an end if you can't se.

A Dilemma that is three thousand years

-6.  King Solomon said it in Ecclesiastes chapter 10 Verse 19, to paraphrase,

"it always comes down to how much money is available."


-7.  Do we fund massive initiatives so that perhaps two thousand blind people can read from the Torah,

Or

-8.  Do we spend the same amount of money so that two hundred thousand people can LISTEN TO Torah

?  Or

-9.  How, and by whom, should it be split?
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