I recently watched a documentary called Praying with Lior, about a boy with Down syndrome preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. Both of Lior’s parents were rabbis, but his mother died from breast cancer when he was six years old, and that shapes a lot of the story. There are bits of film of her praying with Lior, and with her larger community, that are heart breaking. Lior’s joy in prayer clearly comes from his Mom, and his love for her. He leads prayers in his classroom at school, and in his tree house, and then finally at his Bar Mitzvah in front of the whole congregation. His joy in prayer is contagious. The only person who is less than enthusiastic about him is his younger sister, because she is his younger sister. I can relate.
The most poignant moment in the movie is when Lior and his dad go to the cemetery to visit his Mom’s grave for the seventh anniversary of her death, just before his Bar Mitzvah. At first it feels like a forced set piece for the movie, but then Lior starts to hug his mother’s headstone and he won’t let go. Eventually his father is able to hold him and Lior starts to keen with sorrow. It’s as authentic as everything else about this boy, and it feels like he’s giving permission to everyone around him to express more, and be more, of who they really are.
Some of Lior’s fellow congregants wax poetic about the greatness of Lior’s spirit, and wonder if maybe he’s the reincarnation of a great Rebbe, but his godmother laughs it off and says that if Lior had been born into a Christian family he would have been singing Christmas songs with the same passion. Because it’s not about his particular religion, or some magical force that is out of reach for other people; Lior’s joy comes from his love for his mother, and his memories of singing and praying with her, and from the heart of who he is. He just happens to be a Jewish boy, in a Jewish community, so that’s how his joy expresses itself.
The way Lior’s family and community embrace his passion for prayer gave me a lot to think about, because another community might not have been as welcoming of him. He might have been shut out, or shut down, instead of encouraged to grow in his spirituality and in his role in the community. The fact that he didn’t just have his family behind him, but also a wider community, made a huge difference in who he was able to become. His dad, a Reconstructionist Rabbi, works with him on his speech for his Bar Mitzvah and jokes that Lior has heard way too many sermons about the value of community in Judaism, but the fact is, Lior has gone beyond hearing it, he’s taken it to heart. He sees himself as a full-fledged member of his community, because he has been seen and treated that way by the people around him.
“Huh, are we a community?”
After the movie ended, I looked up Lior to see how things had turned out for him, and I found an article from 2018 about how Lior, at twenty-six, was living in his own apartment in supportive housing, had a girlfriend, and a job, and went to his drum circle and synagogue events every week, and also did speaking events to help people see that communities can be inclusive of children and adults with disabilities, and that those children can do so much more in their lives, with that support, than anyone might have thought possible.
I want my community to be more like Lior’s. I’m trying to figure out my role in making that happen, but it’s hard to overcome the resentment I feel, that what I need doesn’t already exist, and that I have to first imagine it, and then create it, and fight for it myself. It is hard work to teach our communities how to accept us as we are. I don’t have 2.5 children, or a husband, or even a Seder to go to for Passover, but I still exist. And I still have a lot to offer. I want my community to see me, and be open to hearing what I have to say, instead of assuming that they already know, or that I have nothing to add.
Maybe what I really need is for Lior to come to town and show me how it’s done. At the very least, he could teach us how to run a drum circle. Cricket and Ellie would love that.
“I love making noise!!!!”
“Me too!!!”
If you haven’t had a chance yet, please check out my Amazon page and consider ordering the Kindle or Paperback version (or both!) of Yeshiva Girl. And if you feel called to write a review of the book on Amazon, or anywhere else, I’d be honored.
Yeshiva Girl is about a Jewish girl on Long Island named Izzy (short for Isabel). Her father has been accused of inappropriate sexual behavior with one of his students, which he denies, but Izzy implicitly believes that it’s true. Izzy’s father decides to send her to an Orthodox yeshiva for tenth grade, out of the blue, as if she’s the one who needs to be fixed. Izzy, in pain, smart, funny, and looking for people she can trust, finds that religious people are much more complicated than she had expected. Some, like her father, may use religion as a place to hide, but others search for and find comfort, and community, and even enlightenment.
rachelmankowitz 
Such a beautiful story. Along with being a reminder that we all need a community in our lives. Including more people like Lior, who is such a precious soul.
Watching that movie just made me feel so good!
I love this post Rachel, what a lovely story, thank you.
Thank you!
Thank you Rachel! I’d love to see the documentary. As a former speech/language pathologist, I’ve known and loved lots of kids with DS. I love the story of this boy! I will certainly get your book, too! Looking forward to reading it.
Thank you so much! What I loved about the movie was that you got to see him being a regular kid (aka stubborn and lazy and grumpy) and then his accomplishment feels that much more wonderful!
this sounds so amazingly touching
It was awesome!
My grandson, who my husband and I raised, is autistic. He will be 21 on Monday and is a college student far away from us. Although he’s an exceptional student, he keeps to himself and doesn’t make friends easily. To make matters worse, his mother (my daughter) hung herself on March 11. I have been surrounded by my community which has helped make an unbearable experience a bit more bearable, but my grandson chooses a different pathway. He has reached out to the campus counseling center, and has been calling and texting us more often. Still, I wish he knew how to let himself out more to receive the friendship of others.
His mother never realized how much she had to offer. She struggled her whole life with mental illness and then addiction. I am putting this here because maybe Rachel, as you venture out into your social work circles you will meet people like my Gabe and my Emily. Perhaps you can be a voice for how we treat addiction— the only disease that I’m aware of where the people who suffer from it are compelled to become criminals to get what their bodies crave. I am putting a link to my Emily’s obituary because we need to bring these stories out into the light.
http://m.parthemore.com/obituaries/wall?obituaryId=4223121
I’m so sorry for your loss! I hope the school counseling office is able to offer Gabe the support he needs.
I am so sorry for your loss–and all the losses leading up to this one. Thank you for sharing your daughter’s story; every story shared reduces the shame and hopefully leads to positive change in our society.
Having lost an aunt with mental illness to suicide, I share your pain and wish you healing.
What a lovely and inspiring story Rachel. Way to go 🙂
Thank you!
A touching story! Thanks for posting.
Thank you!
That’s an inspiring story indeed, Rachel. Well done to Lior for overcoming so many difficulties in his young life. He could teach us all something, I’m sure.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thank you!
I’m going to look for this film. It sounds wonderful!
Great!
This sounds like an emotionally stirring movie. BTW, I suggested Yeshiva Girl to my boss the Rabbi for a B’nai Zion Synagogue Book Club read.
Thank you so much!!!!!!
A great piece. Love that you share the film and your experience with it. This is such a conversation starter. So much in your article that deserves attention in a thoughtful interchange, something in which I bet all of your readers would like to participate. You haven’t finished writing about the issues in this piece.
Thank you! The power of community fascinates me, both in its capacity to lift us up and to shut us down.
Our congregation welcomes those with mental challenges including schizophrenia and autism. Some parishioners are very uncomfortable and complain. However, we maintain that God made every one of us and loves every one of us the same. A hard concept to grasp. Thanks for the movie reference.
That sounds wonderful!
So what if he were born a Christian? It is the same God.
Different songs, but same God.
Poignant story. The power of each of us to leave a testimony.
Thank you!
Hi Rachel,
I have sent this review to Amazon:
5 Stars
A great book!
Especially for dog lovers. or people interested in Judaism, or readers looking for a well structured and elegantly written book. We have been delighted with Rachel’s pieces on her blog for a long time. It is a major accomplishment for her, and source of pride and happiness for us, the publication of this book. Mazel tov, dear Rachel!
Shavua tov!
Thank you so much!!!!!!
Hi Rachel, I changed the name of my blog . New direction.😊
God is able!
What you say sounds so familiar. As someone who is unmarried with no children (but two fur children!) I often feel there is no place for me in the religious community around here. I hope we both find our places somehow.
Me too!
This is such a blessed share. Thank you Rachel.
Thank you!
Such a beautiful story, I loved it
Thank you!
That documentary sounds wonderful. It is heartbreaking that it is taken for granted that parents expecting a Downs baby will probably want to abhort it when they deserve their life as much as anybody else.
One of the ironic things about 21st century life is that we are all hyper-connected and disconnected at the same time. (As she types this alone in her home on a Saturday night…) Nothing replaces community and face-to-face communication, and the wealth it brings to our lives. You are right to reflect on community and wonder how it can be replicated. Great post.
There’s a lot to be said for the blogging community!