Yachad/the National Jewish Council for Disabilities (NJCD), today announces a multi-part seminar series beginning in February to educate Jewish women with developmental disabilities on important topics relative to their health. Each one-hour program, free of charge, will take place on Monday evenings at 7 p.m. at Orthodox Union headquarters, 11 Broadway in Manhattan. The series is also open to parents and caregivers in order to fill a knowledge gap among Jewish women with a broad range of disabilities. Educational materials will be distributed.

Yachad/NJCD, an agency of the Orthodox Union, is dedicated to enhancing the opportunities of individuals with disabilities, promoting Inclusion and independence through various integrated activities and ensuring their participation in the full mainstream of Jewish life.

Seminars will be wheelchair accessible and able to accommodate service animals. Sign language interpreters will be available.

The series was created by Batya Jacob, Director of the International Jewish Resource Center for Inclusion and Special Education (a division of NJCD), and Courtney Flint, social work graduate student at Columbia University and presently a social work intern at Yachad.

Batya Jacob stated, “While working with women with a range of developmental disabilities and other challenges, it has come to our attention that there is a gap in the information they receive about their own health and bodies. It is essential to educate them as to ways they can effectively become aware, in order to become more independent and informed. Yachad hopes that this series will be the beginning of a dialogue between our members and women in the community with disabilities, the medical professionals with whom they interact, and with their caretakers.”

Sessions scheduled at this time include:

· February 25, 2013: Health and Wellness for Women with Disabilities

Marcia Bodenstein – CEO, StartFesh (personalized kosher online diet plan)

Topics will include importance of nutrition and exercise, specific nutritional concerns for people with disabilities, the benefits of mindfulness practices, and more.

· March 11, 2013: Women’s Cancers: Risk, Prevention, and Treatment

Dr. Erica Friedman – Soft Tissue Fellow at New York University School of Medicine

Topics will include importance of breast cancer screening and regular Pap testing, instructions on administering self-exams, the benefits of the Gardasil vaccination, and more.

This session has been endorsed by The American Cancer Society and Sharsheret (a national non-profit organization supporting young women and their families, of all Jewish backgrounds, facing breast cancer.) TLS-PR.