Sunday afternoon, the Malibu Jewish Center & Synagogue (MJCS) hosted the second annual Hand in Hand All Abilities Community Fair. Malibu locals and visitors from all over Southern California participated in a wide variety of activities, including Farmfriendz petting zoo, games, a sensory interactive center, spin art, crazy hair created by “The Funky 4,” tattoos/face painting, laughing yoga, Our Lady of Malibu School robotics team interactive robotic demonstration and more.
Hand in Hand is an afterschool program dedicated to providing opportunities for social interaction and friendship between mainstream students, teens and young adults with special needs.
MJCS Cantor and Co-director of the Hand in Hand program Marcelo Gindlin said he was overjoyed with the turnout.
“I organized these types of fairs in Argentina,” Gindlin shared, “showing that there is beauty and art that can be shared from people with all abilities — you don’t have to have a ‘specific’ body to dance, glow, shine, sing, and express love and joy.”
Many resource organizations for families with children with special needs took part in the Hand in Hand celebration, and there were performances from The Miracle Project singers, Kolot Tikvah choir and two wheelchair integrated dance companies: Infinite Flow and Limitless.
“What a wonderful fun event for all abilities and all families,” founder and artistic director of Infinite Flow Marisa Hamanoto shared. “Infinite Flow is still a new dance company and nonprofit with the goal to bring more inclusion, accessibility and quality to the performing arts, and we were honored to be part of an event organized by like-minded community leaders.”
This is the second year that Founder of Experience Learning Support with Animals (ELSA) Susan Lettween Carr brought horses to the fair. Lettween Carr has been working with Program Director of Creative Steps adult program and Co-director of Hand in Hand Lisa Szilagyi since 2013, when ELSA provided a two-week, two-hour ranch skills and therapeutic riding program for the Creative Steps students.
“This community event is unique for us since so many Hand in Hand participants have previously met and bonded with our equine staff while at the ranch,” Lettween Carr said. “Seeing the joy on the faces of the guests, as they greeted and groomed Oreo and Farley, was truly heartwarming.”
The fair was sponsored by Windsong Trust, City of Malibu, Jewish Federation and MJCS.
“It was wonderful to see so many different communities coming together in a spirit of play and celebration,” Co-director of Hand in Hand Janet Hirsch Ettenger said. “I believe that many more community events should reflect this ethic — regardless of their focus — to be accessible and inclusive.”
