Judaism, Disability, and the Politics of Healing with Julia Watts Belser

The lame shall leap and the mute shall sing? In a famous passage from the Hebrew Bible, the prophet Isaiah imagines the world to come as a world where human bodies are transformed. But what are the social and political implications of these images of heavenly healing, and how do they resonate with contemporary calls for disability pride and disability justice? This presentation will bring ancient Jewish sources into conversation with contemporary voices from disability communities — and grapple with questions of disability, difference, and the politics of healing.

At 3 PM, Jewish LearningWorks Senior Educator Liora Brosbe will lead a discussion for educators exploring the application of Belser’s work. This is an opportunity to explore how this essential conversation relates to our work with students, parents, and community members in Jewish educational settings.

Julia Watts Belser is a rabbi, scholar, activist, and spiritual teacher. She is associate professor of Jewish studies at Georgetown University and core faculty in Georgetown’s disability studies program. A scholar of rabbinic literature and Jewish feminist ethics, her work brings classical Jewish texts into conversation with queer, disability, and feminist politics. Her most recent scholarly book is "Rabbinic Tales of Destruction: Gender, Sex, and Disability in the Ruins of Jerusalem."