[NFBJ] Scribes interested in learning about blindness

Tue Aug 18 17:21:02 UTC 2026

Also, interestingly, my Rabbi has been leading the conversation within our synagogue on how to make the services more accessible so that I can participate more fully on Friday nights and such.

One of our matriarch in our community, who is obviously on the board as well, came to me and asked me if she could get a braille copy of Cador Simms shalom to keep the Synagogue for use and that of anyone else who may happen to need it.  I told her that I absolutely loved her for asking I would have to donate an entire bookcase to the synagogue just to hold it.

We had a good laugh, and the rabbi encouraged me for a personal accommodation with our Synagogue, use a braille device.  For him, the mental health aspect of being able to follow along and be seen as a fully capable member of the community is very important.  So I charge my charging block overnight and make sure the braille device is fully charged, and then it gets plugged into the charging block just before candlelighting, and it will last through Shabbat. At least through Shabbat morning.  it gives me two services and that means a lot

Still, if I were to visit another Synagogue, I would simply bring along the small booklet on which I have railed just the major prayers and not be able to participate in the readings themselves.

-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: Daveed Mandell <daveedmandell at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 18 August 2026 12:38:05
To: hudson.rachaeld at gmail.com <hudson.rachaeld at gmail.com>
Cc: nfbj at nfbnet.org <nfbj at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [NFBJ] Scribes interested in learning about blindness

Shalom:

I agree with you, Rachel. I prefer a Braille only Torah scroll. I think that as blind people, we need to reach out to all Halachic authorities throughout the Jewish world. I think some things need to be changed.

I'm sure you know that some Orthodox Jews are now riding scooters to synagogue. You might have also heard that there are Orthodox Rabbis who have come out as gay. You probably know that for reasons of Pikuach Nefesh,
Orthodox Jewish diabetics use such equipment as glcometers  on Shabbat. Of course, people who use wheelchairs often have power chairs with motors.

I would like to see Orthodox Halachic authorities allow the use of refreshable Braille devices in Synagogues, because having to work with multiple volumes at one's seat in the synagogue is quite difficult at best and takes up a lot of room. You can put hundreds of volumes of sacred texts on a refreshable Braille device.

Yes, I think that both Orthodox and Conservative authorities should be consulted and should consider some extremely revolutionary changes to make disabled Jews much more welcome than we are now. I am very excited about some of the trends that we are witnessing. I think it's time for disabled Jews to speak out, to organize and to be heard and respected and taken seriously by all Jewish movements.

 Kol tuv,

Daveed
                                        Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 18, 2026, at 7:18 AM, Rachael D Hudson <hudson.rachaeld at gmail.com> wrote:

                                          good morning,
                                          It's very interesting to me as well. I personally like Rabbi Lenny's approach using just the braille itself.. I will definitely be wanting to ask these gentlemen questions of my own…

                                          For instance, we don't touch the Taurus role because we don't want to smudge the letters – especially the Divine name! G-D forbid! So I'm very curious about their plans and look forward to learning more from them. I also greatly value Rabbi Lenny Sarko's input on this discussion and on any meeting we might schedule with the group here.

                                           -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: Daveed Mandell <daveedmandell at gmail.com>

 Sent: Tuesday, 18 August 2026 10:13:08

 To: in Judaism NFB <nfbj at nfbnet.org>

 Cc: Rachael D Hudson <hudson.rachaeld at gmail.com>; nfbj at nfbnet.org <nfbj at nfbnet.org>

 Subject: Re: [NFBJ] Scribes interested in learning about blindness

                                          Shalom:

 This is very exciting! Torah reading is something I have longed to do all my life. I was just recently thinking about a Torah with both print and Braille. Wouldn't that be something? By the way, does anyone have information on Braille trope signs for both Torah and Haftarah chanting?

 Kol tuv,

 Daveed

 Sent from my iPhone

 On Aug 17, 2026, at 4:32 PM, Rachael D Hudson via NFBJ <nfbj at nfbnet.org> wrote:

 Shalom y'all,

 A friend recently met a group of scribes at a maker space in Minnesota. He connected them with me in the hopes that I could pass them on to this group to help begin facilitating conversation. It's my understanding that these are orthodox or ultra orthodox scribes who are inspired by Rabbi Lenny's approach to a braille Torres scroll, but want to create something with the traditionally prescribed in and so on. It is their hope that we can also perhaps put together a call in which they can learn from users of Hebrew Braille… Obviously, sometime after the high holidays.

 I agreed to send their message (below)

 A new project is exploring the creation of sacred Jewish texts that combine traditional handwritten Hebrew with Hebrew Braille, beginning with a prototype Megillat Esther and working towards a complete, kosher Torah scroll with Braille. The goal is to make communal ritual texts more accessible to blind Jews while preserving the rigorous requirements of Jewish scribal tradition. The project is feedback and suggestions from the blind community to help shape the work, which is being developed through the Kedusha Project:
                                           www.thekedushaproject.org<http://www.thekedushaproject.org><http://www.thekedushaproject.org<http://www.thekedushaproject.org>> <http://www.thekedushaproject.org>

 -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

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