Comments from Jewish Deaf Congress participants

Shiran Zhavian’s Richest Experience With A Smile
A number of weeks before the JDC conference, I received an email from Rabbi Yehoshua Soudakoff, vice president of Jewish Deaf Congress (JDC). He indicated to me that I had the opportunity of being selected as one of the few young adults sponsored by the Jewish Deaf Congress for their conference. First I was so surprised, but then it really hit me. I was thrilled and found myself inspired! I was born in Israel and raised in New York City since I was seven years old. I grew up celebrating Jewish holidays and traditions and although I identified as a Deaf Jewish woman I never really committed to understanding what that really meant. So, I was looking forward to coming home from the conference with great knowledge and growing pride being a Deaf Jewish woman. I find myself now writing about my experience at the JDC conference with a smile. I don