A Message to our Readers

With summer vacation swiftly approaching, my thoughts are focusing on how the transition from a structured school program to a more relaxed recreational setting will affect many kids and families raising children with developmental disabilities.

We do expect transitions to be difficult for some children who need to acclimate themselves to new staff, surroundings and program content. Knowing that our child transitions with with difficulty, we may have even tried to prepare him or her for vacation time over the past weeks in an effort to spare the child (and ourselves) frustration and aggrevation. But as parents, we need to recognize that we, too, must properly prepare ourselves and our other children for a change in schedule and be ready to spend more time with the family over the summer months.

We need to put ourselves in the right frame of mind to plan activities and outings that can be enjoyable for our children and ourselves. We may hit a bump in the road from time to time, but we can create a pleasant summer for our families and ourselves if we approach this period from a positive standpoint.

With best wishes for a joyful and productive summer,

Rabbi Simon Lauber
Founder & CEO

Founder & CEO
Rabbi Simon Lauber
slauber@spiritmag.org

Editor-in-Chief
Gershon Sabol
gershon@spiritmag.org

Rabbinical Advisory Board
Rabbi Chaim L. Rottenberg, shlita
Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, shlita

Editor
Dini Sternhill
dinis@spiritmag.org

Copy Editors
Naomi Oshry
Yaakov Steinhart

Magazine Layout & Design
Mark Weisz Design
www.markweisz.com

Web Layout & Design
Baruch Lebovits

Editorial Advisory Board
Chaya Yitty Rottenberg
Elisheva Stein
Michelle Steinhart

Contributors
Rabbi Shmuel Abramson, Ed.D.
Yoseffa Chana (Josephine) Basher
Esther Cohen
Stuart Ditchek, M.D.
Pearl E.
Tziri Frank
Leah Hurwitz
Yocheved, Udy & Aidel Dina Kraus
Dr. Pinchus Lerner
Robin Meltzer
Chaya Minkowitz
Ellen Notbohm
R. Rosenfeld
Sara Rosenfeld