The Board of Deputies Exhibition of Jewish Life comes to the JDA

We spent the morning looking at the Exhibition of Jewish Life in the hall and had the opportunity to chat one-to-one with Vicki and discuss the items on show. The exhibition featured posters, cultural displays, Jewish food and artefacts, giving attendees an immersive experience of Jewish traditions and enhancing the learning experience. In the afternoon, Vicki delivered her captivating talk. The hall was filled with both Jewish and non-Jewish participants, all eager to expand their knowledge of Jewish culture and heritage in BSL. Vicki spoke on a variety of topics, as highlighted on the roll-up posters displayed in the hall:
 

Religious and Cultural Dress, Shabbat, Torah and Synagogue, Baby to Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Getting Married, End of Life, Keeping Kosher, Pesach and Rosh Hashanah.
 

One notable moment in bridging Hebrew and BSL occurred when Tina Kelberman’s son, who is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah in April, demonstrated his ability to respond in Hebrew using Hebrew Alphabet Sign Language. This was a remarkable achievement under Vicki’s guidance, due to her Yeshiva education, and highlighted the importance of specialised training for interpreters.
 

Vicki Ashmore, an English/BSL interpreter, has a great passion for encouraging Deaf people to access Judaism through her new project, DeafShul. She delivered an engaging and inspiring talk in BSL about her background and Jewish rituals to a packed audience. She was supported by Anna Silver from The Board of Deputies of British Jews, who provided information, banners and resources that we were encouraged to handle.
 

A critical gap remains in training interpreters who can translate Hebrew into BSL. Vicki was raised in an Orthodox background with a strong understanding of Torah and prayers and is currently the only interpreter able to translate from Hebrew to BSL. This emphasises the need for structured training programmes to develop more interpreters with this skill set, ensuring greater accessibility for Deaf Jewish communities. Vicki is running a Friday evening DeafShul service on Zoom once a month from 4 April 2025, aiming to make Jewish prayers more accessible to Deaf people. She hopes to expand this initiative to create a more inclusive space for Jewish Deaf individuals.
 

A flurry of thought-provoking questions arose from the audience, reflecting a deep curiosity and enthusiasm for the subject. Here’s what some attendees had to say:
 

Colleen Daniels: "When I got married in a synagogue, I was puzzled about why the ring was first placed on my right-hand finger and later moved to my left-hand finger after signing the marriage contract. I never understood the reason behind it until now!"
 

David Rose: "It was amazing to refresh my memory about Jewish traditions. Vicki’s talk truly opened my eyes. I’m so glad I attended."
 

Lana Senchal: "Very informative day and beautiful displays. It would be great if JDA could set up a small group for us every three months to ask questions, learn, and discuss Jewish rituals with a Rabbi who can provide perfect BSL accessibility."
 

Anon: "A fantastic event! I wish I could learn more about Jewish way of life and Hebrew."
 

Robert Gillies: "I am not Jewish, but I’m so grateful I came. It was fascinating to learn about Judaism, and Jewish prayers from Vicki. Truly amazing!"

 

This was the first of a series of events. JDA is now collaborating with Vicki Ashmore and DeafShul, to introduce the Deaf community to more Jewish experiences.