100% of synagogues examined not accessible to all people with disabilities

The synagogues were also checked for accessibility for those with visual impairment and none were accessible.

By YVETTE J. DEANE
Updated: SEPTEMBER 7, 2018 17:55
Wheelchair (illustrative) (photo credit: ING IMAGE/ASAP)
Wheelchair (illustrative)
(photo credit: ING IMAGE/ASAP)
"Access Israel,"  an organization in Israel which promotes accessibility, examined synagogues before the high-holidays and found that 100% of synagogues examined were not accessible to all people with disabilities.
Of the synagogues examined, 43% of them were not accessible at all according to the report published on Thursday. Some 57% were partially accessible.
Disabled parking was hard to find as only 43% of the synagogues had nearby. This percentage is also true for the number of synagogues that have an accessible entrance to the women's section.
In 57% of the synagogues there was no accessible way for those who have disabilities to reach the bima, or prayer stage.
The synagogues were also checked for accessibility for those with visual impairment and none were accessible.
There were 100 synagogues that were surveyed in the study.
The synagogues were ranked in three ways:
Fully accessible: All available parameters were available - accessible path to the synagogue, accessible entrance to the synagogue, accessible services for those  disabled, accessible prayer stage, accessible women's section, means of amplifying sound for those who are hearing impaired, prayer books with enlarged writing for those who are visually impaired people.
Partially Accessible: accessible path to synagogue, accessible entrance to the synagogue, no standard services for those disabled, and  or no accessible prayer platform, and or no accommodations for the hearing impaired or visually impaired and or women's entrance is partially accessible.
Inaccessible: There is no accessibility entrance, and or there are no services for the disabled and or there is no accessibility entrance to the women's prayer space.
While the survey covered many accessibility components, it did not examine all those required by law.


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