Jonathan Abro, a member of the Western Marble Arch Synagogue, lives in central London and has a hereditary, degenerative eye condition called Retinitis pigmentosa. Over time, he has gone blind, retaining only around 2% of his far peripheral vision.
Reflecting on his journey, Jonathan explains, “Because my eye disease was degenerative, I went from being able to read all the prayer books to not being able to see anything at all.” As his vision deteriorated, members of the community helped with large print materials. “But once my vision went completely, things became much more difficult,” he says.
He describes synagogue life as deeply visual. “Knowing when to sit or stand, following the Torah reading, navigating to the bimah or the Ark, these are things people absorb through sight.” During one Rosh Hashanah, a family seated near him noticed he was not always standing or sitting at the correct times. “They simply took it upon themselves to guide me,” he recalls. “They now do that throughout the Yamim Noraim and other festivals. It was never prompted. They just decided to help.”
While there are moments of meaningful inclusion, there are also challenges. “At a kiddush or communal event, I can feel completely invisible,” Jonathan shares. “I hear what sounds like a wall of voices around me, but I do not know who is there.” He believes much of the difficulty stems from uncertainty. “People often do not know how to approach a blind person, so sometimes they just do not.” His advice is straightforward. “Say hello. Tell me your name. Speak to me as you would anyone else. I am Jonathan. I happen to be blind. It is one of my attributes, not who I am.”
Jonathan has also worked to improve digital accessibility within the United Synagogue. As a screen reader user, he listens to emails and online content rather than reading them visually. “When buttons are not labelled properly or links just say ‘click here’, it means nothing to me,” he explains. After raising these issues, changes were implemented, including properly labelled links and descriptive image tags. “Suddenly, the weekly newsletter became accessible. Small adjustments make a huge difference.”
He emphasises that accessibility is often about people rather than buildings. “Our shul buildings are old and not always fully accessible, but it is not about the building. It is about the people.” He points to a simple but powerful example: security staff at his synagogue now open both doors when he approaches, creating a wider entrance. “It might seem small, but it makes a significant difference.”
Jonathan encourages communities to take practical steps, such as assigning seats to blind or partially sighted members and offering clear verbal cues during services. Above all, he stresses, “Never assume you know what someone needs. Ask them. Disabilities affect everyone differently.”
He also highlights that some people with sight loss would love to attend synagogue but cannot get there independently. “If you live near a Jewish Blind and Disabled home and are willing to walk with someone to shul on Shabbat or festivals, the difference it makes is enormous.”
Looking ahead, Jonathan’s hope is simple. “Disabled people just want to be part of the community like everybody else. I do not want to be treated as something special. I want to be seen and treated as a person.”