HAMODIA C53Community 28 ELUL 5773 SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

BY YOSEF CALDWELL

On Thursday, the OrthodoxUnion’s (OU) agency known asYachad/National JewishCouncil for Disabilities, held ajob fair for developmentallydisabled individuals as part ofits mission to provide greateremployment opportunities forthose with special needs.Between 350 and 400 job-seekers attended the event inManhattan’s financial district,where they met with represen-tatives of companies and non-profit organizations that werelooking to hire.

“It’s hard enough for peoplewithout disabilities to findjobs, and there are so manyfewer opportunities for thedisabled,” said Eli Hagler,assistant director of Yachad.“It’s our responsibility to try tocreate more job opportunitiesfor them.”

“We’ve never heard of a jobfair for people with develop-mental disabilities, and we feltthere was a need for one,” saidJack Gourdji, Yachad’s execu-tive director. “People with dis-abilities were getting lost inthe standard job fairs, wherethey didn’t stand out. Here,they are first and foremost; it’sall about them.”

Thursday’s event was thesecond such job fair Yachadhas sponsored; the first tookplace last March. Yachadexpected 125 to 150 partici-pants at the March event; itdrew around 400.

“There are 38 people thatwe know of that have jobs fromthat event,” said Hagler. “Evenif the number had been one, itwould still be something to beproud of.”

According to Yachad, a typi-

cal job fair — not for special-needs individuals — places anaverage of three to five per-cent; therefore, the 10 percentsuccess rate of Yachad’s firstfair was outstanding.

Fifteen employers partici-pated in the March event;Thursday’s fair had 17, includ-ing six that had participated inthe previous event.

“You can always find a goodworker,” said Howard Hassan,sales manager at Bravo KosherPizza, one of the companies atthe fair. “But at the end of theday, we are all living in this lit-tle bubble, and we should all betrying our best to cross overevery line and try to be helpfulto the community.”

Bravo had previously hiredone Yachad member as a deliv-ery person, and spoke highly ofhis job performance. “We areable to help the community, weare able to help an individual,and it’s obviously been good forus as well.”

The fair was open to alldevelopmentally disabled job-seekers, both Yachad membersand the general public.

Yachad works with individ-uals with all sorts of specialneeds. Some of its membersare more independent, whileothers live with families or ingroup homes.

Yachad’s vocational depart-ment prepares and trains itsmembers for eventual employ-ment, so that by the time aYachad member — no matterhis or her individual need — isinterviewed by a potentialemployer, he or she is well-pre-pared in the skills necessary tomake a positive impression.

“We work with members ontheir job skills and socialskills,” said Gourdji.

The companies and organi-zations participating in the jobfair offered a wide variety ofpositions, depending on indi-viduals’ needs. There were vol-unteer positions and paid posi-tions.

“The goals vary by the indi-vidual,” said Gourdji. Formany, the goal is to find a pay-ing job. For others, volunteer-ing, feeling good about them-selves and keeping busy is thegoal. “Sometimes, it’s not justabout the money; sometimes,working gives the individual afeeling of self-worth.”

Gourdji believes that “get-ting a job makes a dramaticchange” in the lives of peoplewith developmental disabili-ties by making them feelimportant and part of society.“And there is nothing moreimportant than that.”

For job seekers, the fair wasa rare opportunity to look forpositions that are appropriatefor their specific needs.

“I am looking for a jobwhere I won’t have to commu-nicate with customers face toface,” said Jonathan, 23, whosaid he has been seekingemployment for the pastmonth.

“It’s very hard to find jobs,especially in this economy,”said Ilana, 20, who has spentthe past several months look-ing for a job, where she can“work with kids,” perhaps as ateacher’s assistant.”

Yachad plans to hold theseevents twice a year. “It reallycomes down to the fact thatthere is a tremendous need forsomething like this,” saidHagler. “And if we’re able tohelp, it’s just a small part ofsomething we can do to assistthis population.”

Hundreds Participate in OU/Yachad JobFair for Special-Needs Individuals