Empowering Jews With Disabilities
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 Marlee's StoryIn June of 1971 I was born with Spina Bifida Myleomengocele. I attended school in the St. Louis Park School District in Minnesota. Me and my family are long-time members of Adath Jeshurun, a conservative synagogue in Minnetonka, Minnesota. I graduated UMD with a Women’s Studies major and a double minor in Sociology and Philosophy in 1994. When I returned home I assumed the role of Vice President of my father’s company, Minneapolis Granite & Marble Co. The company sells and installs cemetery memorials and granite counter tops in the twin cities metro area. I did the accounts receivable, accounts payable, production cards, answered the telephone and much more. My parents started wintering in Florida in 1997. I would run the entire operation while my parents were gone for the winter with my father checking in every day. I worked for my father full time until May of 2003. I decided I needed a new direction in my life, I was becoming too stressed out, working for my father became a chore and not a job I was proud of. In 2003 I joined Bet Shalom Reform Congregation in Minnetonka, Minnesota. I was the Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director of the synagogue. I had a variety of responsibilities within the synagogue but mostly I answer the busy telephone, keep the synagogue calendar and membership . I did whatever projects my boss asked me do, I helped out wherever I can, whether it was with the Rabbi's office or the Religious School. After 6 years of working at Bet Shalom, I was let go the end of June of 2009. In November of 2004, I became an ostomate for the 2nd time. As an infant I had a urinary diversion but had it reversed before I went off to college in the summer of 1989. This time I had colostomy surgery. I was at my wits end after a year trying all sorts of medication and treatments to stop incontinent issues due to my Spina Bifida. It was a long surgical recovery because I wasn't taught proper ways to take care of the ostomy and I kept having supply issues. A family friend that had gone through the surgery years before, and she put me in contact with the Minneapolis chapter of the Ostomy Association and 2 great WOCN nurses through University of MN/Fairview Southdale Hospital.In June of 2010 I became president of the Ostomy Association of the Minneapolis Area. In December of 2009, and again in April of 2010 I had two more colostomy surgeries due to hernias, and blockages. My colostomy had to be surgically removed, and placed in another section of my abdominal wall. On July 20, 2009 I was hired as the full time Office Manager of a charter school called Nova Classical Academy in St. Paul, MN. Nova Classical Academy has a K-12 charter. They opened in St. Paul in the fall of 2003 with grades K-6 and we have added grades yearly toward our goal of providing a complete K-12 education, beginning with their first ninth grade class in the autumn of 2009. In June of 2010 I was given notice once again by my employer due to the fact I was told by medical staff to work part time indefinitely. My position could not be job shared, and in July of 2010 I ended my stint with Nova Classical Academy. From January 2011 to April 2011 I had a paid internship in downtown Minneapolis for a non profit called Access Justice, PSC. The internship ended because the executive director moved operations from his condominium into a building that was not accessible for people with disabilities. I couldn't open the front door because they were too heavy and no access automatic button was installed. I couldn't get into the bathrooms because they were locked 24/7 with a key code. I couldn't open the door, and use my walker at the same time. There was not enough space for the door opening and for me to attain access to the bathroom entrance. Again, no automatic door opener. Rather than fight a Title One, I walked away from the internship. The non profit was contracted to be building for 18 months because the building was going to be torn down, and my internship was to be over in July of 2011. On July 22, 2011, I went for an interview at Children's Cancer Research Fund. Within 2 hours of the interview I was offered a job as an Administrative Assistant/Receptionist. It is a part time temporary position. The job runs through January 31, 2012 with the possibility of permanent placement in February. I am very excited to start this new adventure. I started volunteering at Courage Center in Golden Valley a rehab facility that taught me to walk, drive, and be independent. I first started working with Courage Center staff as a preschooler and I have used the facility ever since. I did volunteer in the 1990's after I graduated college. I have decided it is time to go back and play it forward. The organization has given so much to me, it is time for me to give back to them. I applied for Social Security Disability Income. I am in the appeal process with the application. I have been denied four times and I am now waiting for a court date. The last appeal was started in December of 2010. I was told it currently takes 18 months for a court date to be assigned in the State of MN.I started seeing a Social Security Disability expert in October of 2011 on the advice of my attorney. I completed a Physical Abilities Assessment at Sister Kenny Institute in November of 2011 which clearly stated in the report that I am a person with a disability and I fall below the Department of Labor's requirements for sedentary work. I will be completing the Woodcock-Johnson Test of Cognitive Abilities January of 2012. I have a court date set for February of 2012. After years of struggling to find my place and voice in the Jewish community, I have finally found it. I am a vocal part of Adath Jeshurun’s Inclusion Committee. I was the Inclusion Chair until May of 2011. I am the happiest and the most peaceful I have ever been. As a Jewish female with a disability, I finally feel the joy, powerful spirit and strengthened inner-self I had while attending UMD classes. In 1997 I moved out of my parent’s house into my own condo and started to live an independent life. This was the first sign of empowerment as an adult for me. Finding a job on my own without my parents help was another step. There were others as I was growing up. For example, getting a driver's license at the age of 16 was a powerful experience, graduating from high school and Talmud Torah in 1989 was an exciting time and very emotional for me. I think having a Bat Mitzvah in 1984, having a sweet 16 party and being confirmed in 1987 and getting my driver’s license were the highlights of my childhood. I accomplished things many thought I would not be able to do because of my disability. I felt like my own advocate at times growing up. While at UMD I helped form a student run group for people with disabilities called Access for All. I felt I needed to connect with others that had a variety of disabilities. That is why I have created Empowering Jews with Disabilities. I needed to fill a void. Jews with disabilities seem to be hidden throughout the Twin Cities. It isn't easy to meet people, let alone people with disabilities. This site is a way to get information, connect, talk openly about anything and everything, and be respectful towards different opinions and ways of life. To empower ourselves as Jewish people with disabilities is one of the most rewarding and greatest self esteem builders I can think of. There will be open forums posed and message boards created for all types of issues, questions, thoughts, comments. A chat room will be open so someone can go in and meet, talk, and make history. This website is new and ground-breaking. I am very excited to see where this evolves and I can't wait to meet new people and re-connect with people from my past. Marlee empoweringjewswithdisabilities@yahoo.com |
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