A sprinkling of JDA love goes a long way

A few years ago, the Jewish Deaf Association was making a short film and the director was filming the support team in action. He asked Janet, a support worker, “Why do you go so far and work so very hard for the benefit of your members? You’re available day and night; you rush to their side to support them if they’re in trouble, you fight tooth and nail for their rights and you never accept it when you’re told nothing can be done. What drives you?”

Without hesitation she replied, “That’s love – that’s JDA love.”

On Valentine’s Day, we traditionally think of the word ‘love’ in relation to a couple, and so we should. But if we think of the word in a more global sense, perhaps more as it was meant in the biblical commandment to love thy neighbour as thyself, we can take this time to think about spreading some love widely and generously around those in our community who would benefit from a little love.

Valerie and Gerry Litman found everlasting love at JDA over 50 years ago and have been happily married ever since.[Missing Credit]

We joke that JDA is a great dating agency, and many of our Deaf members met back in the early days when our community centre was in Stamford Hill and have been married for well over 50 years.

But our challenge as they get older is keeping them together. In the name of love, we often have to battle with the authorities to keep these love birds together in their own homes, rather than seeing them separated and institutionalised, which is often the easier option.

As we age, losing our hearing can be a major stumbling block to love. When your partner becomes withdrawn or less able to engage in meaningful conversations, frustration can turn to resentment. Shockingly, a recent RNID report on public attitudes towards people with hearing loss states that 47 per cent of people with hearing loss have experienced negative attitudes and behaviours from their family in the past 12 months. At JDA we help couples to accept that living with hearing loss takes understanding, tolerance and effort from everyone involved, and that we must all play our part in order to sustain happy, healthy relationships.

We are spreading our special brand of JDA love all year round. Because everyone needs a little love. Happy Valentines Day!

jdeaf.org.uk
Registered charity 1105845