A Message to our Readers

The process of teshuvah, (repentance) calls for introspection and a re-evaluation of our actions over the past year. It is a time when we resolve to do better during the coming year. Our determination to dedicate ourselves to live a Torah lifestyle opens the door to opportunities of enhancing the world around us, physically and spiritually. The concept of an individual's ability to be a positive influence on their environment is not restricted to teshuvah alone.

This is very similar to the pure and holy neshomos of our disabled children, which descend into this world in a manner that precludes them from committing sin during their sojourn on earth. They remain in this pure state throughout their lifetime. If they come into this world holy and pure and cannot become debased and unclean, what is their mission? Our rabbis teach that they are sent to us to effect change in their surroundings, to be a catalyst for us to improve ourselves.

It would be appropriate to use this time of self-evaluation as an occasion to review our actions for and interactions with our special-needs children and recommitting ourselves anew to advocating for their welfare and well-being. This would create a positive effect that would carry over into the lives of everyone in our immediate families and beyond.

K'sivah V'Chasimah Tovah

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
Elisheva Stein
Michelle Steinhart

Contributors
Elisheva Atlow
Debbie Benenfeld
Aviva Berger
Lori Borgman
Sora Chaitovsky
Tziri Frank
Chanie Hochenhaus
Bassie Meghnagi
Galiah Morgenstern
Suzanne Evans Morris, Ph. D.
Rabbi Baruch Rabinowitz
Leah Roberts
Sara Rosenfeld
Mordechai Samuels
Elisheva Stein
Sorah Stein
Shoshana Stubin
Sue Stuyvesant
Chaya Tavin
Esther Wener