Emily Tinkey Deaf Culture Professor Jiu

What Does NCJD Stand For?

NCJD: National Congress of Jewish Deaf Now known as:

National Jewish Deaf Congress Jewish Deaf Congress, Inc.

Who Do They Serve?

Jewish and Deaf people
Primarily in North America All over the world through biennial conferences People include: Became deaf before acquiring language Became deaf later in life Hard of hearing

Members
Sign language or lip-reading
Parents and grandparents join organization Some hear normally

Members represent Interpreters Educators Rabbis Children/Siblings/Friends of deaf adults

Membership
Active Jewish Deaf Spouse who follows Jewish faith

Right to voice and vote

Associate Spouse of active member who does not wish to follow Jewish faith Jewish hearing people associated with Jewish organizations

Only right to voice

Membership Fee
Single Chai membership - $18.00
Double Chai membership - $36.00 Donate a larger amount Make contribution once Make contribution monthly to donate money to organization

Mission of NCJD
Provide religious, cultural, and educational

experiences to those who are Jewish and Deaf

Objectives of NCJD
Aid in the growth and preservation of the religious

spirit of the Jewish deaf Foster fellowship among the Jewish deaf Maintain the warmth and traditions of the Jewish homes Instill the sense of oneness of their faith

 Develop closer relations/understanding between Jews

and non-Jews with other organizations to promote advancement of deaf people in general

History 1956 1959

Established NCJD in New York City July 1956 Jewish deaf people across America saw the need to

bring individuals together so they could study and learn

60s
At the 1966 Cleveland Convention a fairly large

amount of hearing people showed up NCJD moved west to Los Angeles in 1968

Seventh Biennial National Convention of the Jewish Deaf

Hosted by the Los Angeles Hebrew Associations of the

Deaf Ambassador Hotel

Los Angeles, California August 12-17, 1968

Highlight: Worshipping in the first synagogue to be owned and fully operated by Jewish deaf/hard of hearing people Creating a prayer book

80s
An impressive workshop on Hebrew relics was held

A new project on collecting information about Jewish

Deaf Personalities was initiated.

90s
Brooklyn Hebrew Society of the Deaf featured the first

Orthodox-oriented convention in 1992 First time NCJD members traveled outside the U.S. for a convention in 1994