Rabbi Efrem Goldberg, spiritual leader of the Boca Raton Synagogue, recently held a bar mitzvah celebration that many have called a miracle. Bar mitzvah boy Joe Greenbaum, who is challenged with a combination of autism and apraxia, shone as he stood on the bimah. The entire congregation spontaneously rose, with tears in their eyes, as they witnessed the amazing feat.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that often includes social impairment, challenges with communication, and repetitive patterns of behavior. Apraxia is a speech disorder that causes problems and difficulty with speaking. The combination of these two conditions makes speech almost impossible to attain. With the help of his loving family and his own persistence, Joe learned to speak at the age of eight. The biggest challenge came as his bar mitzvah approached. One language was a hard enough task to tackle. Would it be possible to learn Hebrew, a second language?
Autistic children are not noted for cooperating if they do not wish to do something. However, Joe was extremely motivated and he tenaciously pressed on. While at times it can be hard to fully know what Joe is thinking or experiencing, there are times when his feelings are very clear. At the top of Joe’s list are his beloved family members. A close second is his love of Judaism. Since early childhood he has been drawn to the sound of the shofar, Jewish music, coming to shul and kissing the Torah, and, most recently, putting on his tefillin with more enthusiasm and excitement than most bar mitzvah boys.
With the help and encouragement of his parents and siblings, Rabbi Goldberg, bar mitzvah teacher Dr. Harold Landa, Joe’s Aunt Nina, his grandparents, his therapists, Rabbi Gershon Eisenberger and Rabbi Matan Wexler, the bar mitzvah boy received an aliyah, recited the two blessings and even read maftir.
“There is much for us to learn from this extraordinary family and their outstanding son,” said Rabbi Goldberg.
“First, as the Chida famously taught, ‘Nothing stands in the way of will.’ Joe has worked relentlessly to overcome all odds in order to achieve what almost all of us take for granted. He has taught us that if we dedicate ourselves to achieving a dream, we can make the impossible a reality. The Chazon Ish and the Steipler Gaon stood up in honor of special children when they entered a room. While society labels children with special needs as disabled, these Torah giants saw only special souls capable of extraordinary things whose lives brought out the best of those around them.”
The rabbi added, “Every special child requires superhuman strength and sacrifices that are beyond our imagination. It is our obligation to fill in our piece of the puzzle. If you don’t believe in miracles, speak to anyone who was present at our shul for Joe’s bar mitzvah and they will testify that we witnessed one together.”