Rabbi Paul Kipnes teaches that "There is a sense that children with special needs, physically, emotionally, mentally, don't have a place in the synagogue, in the Jewish community. That's just not true, particularly here at Or Ami. We have celebrated B'nai Mitzvah services with children with autism, emotional developmental problems, intense dyslexia, Tourette's syndrome... The Torah and Judaism are available for all of us."  Read our Families with Special Needs page. 

Or Ami emphasizes that no matter what a child's needs are, it's never a question of if a child can become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, it's when the ceremony will take place.

Rabbi Kipnes explains, "With special needs children, there are two values being played out, simultaneously. Working with Brandon Kaplan, for instance, we saw that Brandon is a kid like any other kid created in the image of God, worthy of love. But Brandon is also a special kid and there is an honor and joy to the congregation that he participates to the fullness of his abilities. So he's normal and special, but here's the secret: so is every other kid ." Read more.