Gateways: Access to Jewish Education
Opening the gates to an inclusive Jewish community
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
One out of five children have some form of special learning needs. Gateways seeks to ensure access to Jewish education for students with a wide range of learning styles, educational challenges and disabilities. Until recently, many Jewish educators were unprepared for working with students with special needs, few schools were prepared to meet their needs and many parents were told, "We're sorry, but your child doesn't fit in here." Today, however, through its broad menu of programs and services for students, and its training and support of educators, Gateways aims to change the landscape of Jewish special education in Greater Boston, opening the gates for inclusion to countless children and their families. We have made great progress, but there is more to do. As awareness and concern about inclusion grows nationally, we serve as a model and a thought leader for other Jewish educational institutions throughout the country.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Gateways Student Services - Day School Services
Delivering direct services to children in Jewish day school settings. Gateways therapists and specialists provide in-school services, such as occupational and speech and language therapies and reading support, making it possible for children with learning challenges to access a Jewish education.
The Gateways Center for Professional Learning
Providing training to educators, administrators, students and families in synagogues, Jewish organizations and day, congregational and preschools. Gateways professionals offer workshops, consultation and customized training to organizations and their staff on an array of tools and strategies, with the goal of building their internal capacity to embrace and support a diversity of learners.
The Gateways Peer Development Initiative
The Gateways Peer Development Initiative is targeted towards building a more inclusive Jewish community by educating all youth and teens about disabilities and differences. The Ambassadors for Inclusion program is a groundbreaking day and congregational school disability awareness initiative, created in partnership with the Ruderman Family Foundation and Understanding Our Differences. Ambassadors for Inclusion exists at every grade level, and students participate in the program throughout their K-12 education and receive developmentally-appropriate information about disabilities so they become lifelong advocates for a more inclusive and accepting Jewish community and society.
Gateways also offers several programs for teens, including the highly-selective Sunday Teen Volunteer Program, through which teens receive intensive weekly coaching and onsite supervision to assist them in working with children with disabilities. Gateways also provides training for Teen Madrichim (guides), who work in their own congregations, helping to facilitate learning for all students. The Mitzvah Mensches inclusive youth group focuses on teen philanthropy, social action and Jewish values.
Gateways Student Services - Jewish Education Programs
Gateways offers our own Jewish Education Programs, which include the highly-acclaimed Gateways Sunday Program, B’nei Mitzvah Program, and the preschool Holiday Detectives Program. These programs provide an intensive and individualized approach to Jewish education for students with disabilities.
Where we work
External reviews

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Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Gateways aims to ensure that every Jewish student, regardless of ability, will have access to quality Jewish education and the opportunity to participate meaningfully in Jewish life. Gateways collaborates with educators at area day schools, congregational and community supplementary schools, and Jewish preschools, and has its own free-standing Jewish Education Programs. Gateways educates parents, teachers, administrators, and the broader community, promoting understanding and acceptance of the hundreds of students we serve.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Gateways provides a comprehensive set of services to students, families, and educators in day schools, congregational and community schools and preschools to promote the meaningful and successful inclusion of students with disabilities in Jewish education, and participation in Jewish life. The Center for Professional Learning at Gateways provides training to educators and administrators in preschools, day schools, and congregational schools to build their internal capacity to embrace and support diverse learners. Gateways' Day School Program provides in- school supports and services to enable students with learning challenges to succeed. Gateways offers highly-regarded Jewish Education Programs, including a Sunday Program and B'nei Mitzvah Program for students with more intensive disabilities. The Gateways Peer Development Initiative includes Teen Volunteer Programs, Mitzvah Mensches (an inclusive youth group for teens to learn about social action and philanthropy while practicing social skills) and the newly established Ambassadors for Inclusion disability awareness initiative.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Gateways is led by a former special educator, and many of our staff are certified teachers, special educators or board certified behavioral analysts. We collaborate with educators and specialists across our region to ensure that we are staying in touch with best practices. The administrative team is comprised of specialists with decades of training and experience in their given fields. Gateways is governed by a Board of Trustees, that includes 20 individuals who have a wide variety of expertise, both in the area of special education and in a wide array of business arenas. Gateways is a partner organization of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston and serves as the Boston Jewish community's regional designated special education provider.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Gateways has helped hundreds of children remain and succeed in Jewish congregational schools and Jewish day schools, and has helped over 70 children achieve a bar or bat mitzvah. We have also built strong partnerships with local schools and congregations and have worked with many of them to design whole-school change processes that will enable them to serve a wide variety of learners. We have also worked with hundreds of typically-developing teens, who have served as volunteers in our programs, and have inspired many of them to pursue careers in special education or to continue volunteering with disabled individuals through college and beyond. As we grow, we will continue to provide whole-school change services, consultation, coaching and curricula to other communities across the United States. We intend to build our consultative practice and to seek out new ways to share other aspects of our work, curricula and expertise with more schools, educators and communities, so that they, too, can grant access to more individuals with disabilities and promote a widely inclusive community.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Gateways: Access to Jewish Education
Board of directorsas of 06/18/2019
Michelle Alkon
Michelle Alkon
Jenna Andelman
Michal Fandel
Jackie Finard-Hughes
Nora Friedman
Paul Gershkowitz
Dara Grossman
Cindy Kaplan
Marni Smilow Levitt
Sasha Meyerson
Barbara Posnick
Joanne Davis Rose
Barbara Schultz
Ellie Shrage
Ethan Freishtat
Marcus Dodyk
Linda Sternberg
Danielle Darish
Larry Chafetz
Judy Levin-Charns
Alexis Kopikis