Accessibility

As part of its vision to be a welcoming congregation, Beth Israel recognizes the importance of supporting and including people with disabilities and their families into our communal life. We understand, just as the mishnah teaches, "it is not up to you to complete the task, nor are you free to desist from it" (Avot, 2:16) that this work of creating an accessible space is ongoing, and we will continue to create improvements and adaptations in the future. Nevertheless, our congregation has taken some important steps towards inclusion and accessibility for all. We have installed the following features at Beth Israel, and we are always open to your feedback and suggestions as well.

PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY

1. Our parking area contains multiple handicapped spaces.

2. Our main entrance doors are each wide enough and suitable for wheelchairs and walkers with low-lift over doorsills. All exterior doors have also been newly replaced to provide the same type of accessibility.

3. We have gently-sloped driveways that lead to and from a covered entry portico, all of which are navigable by wheelchairs and walkers.

4. Access to the sanctuary and offices are unhindered by stairs and elevators.

5. The Bimah is directly accessible, with relatively low-rise stairs and a ramp allowing individuals to enter.

6. Our outdoor area, where we hold Sukkot activities, summer services, barbecues, access to raised flower beds and more, is directly accessible from the parking area behind the synagogue and on the same level.

7. We have a sanctuary-level, first floor handicap accessible toilet.

VISUAL FEATURES

1. Magnifying devices are available to borrow during services.

2. The synagogue is an open plan to accommodate better sight lines.

FOOD AND OTHER ALLERGY FEATURES

1. Our kosher kitchen contains food specifically labeled with ingredients to accommodate persons with sensitive food allergies.

2. All indoor areas have full HVAC coverage and ventilation.

AUDIO FEATURES

For those with diminished hearing, we offer a convenient headphone listening system, which provides additional amplification. This audio loop system is worn Walkman-style, with comfortable headsets. There’s a single on-off-volume switch, and the unit will amplify any sounds coming from the public address system. They can be found in the drawers on top of the book case in the foyer. Further, for cochlear implants and for those wearing hearing aids with a built-in and enabled “telephone” feature (also known as a telecoil), the audio system is piped directly into the hearing aid. Not all hearing aids have this feature, so check with your audiologist if you’re not certain.

REMOTE LISTENING

While enjoying services and programs amongst members helps build connections within our community, should you find yourself unable to get here in person, you can listen to most services and programs in the sanctuary via our audio streaming link.

The streaming system supports all PC/Mac/Mobile platforms; however, some devices might require the installation of a helper app on your device to listen to the stream. First, try clicking on the following quicklink. If that loads the stream, then you are all set:

Click on this streaming link

It may appear as if the page is still loading, but once the microphones are in use, you should be able to hear anything coming over the sound system.

If the link above does not work for your device, you will need to install the free VLC media player app. It can be downloaded from https://videolan.org. For mobile devices, VLC can also be downloaded from Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store.

Within VLC, select "Open Network", and then enter the following URL into the Network Stream field: http://tinyurl.com/BIAudio2. The VLC app should remember this link for future events.