(First, let me say that I'm not sure if this should be in the Religious boards, so if it should, sorry for posting it here and mods can move it)
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK—As the afternoon services began, more than 200 members of two Brooklyn congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses started to "sing."
The hearing members listened to the taped music and sang along with the familiar melody. At the same time, the deaf members turned to the television monitors scattered throughout the auditorium and began to follow along with a videotape of the same hymn signed as a silent poem.
No longer were the deaf members off to one side, signing the words of the hymn through an interpreter. Today, thanks to modern technology and design, as well as a respect for deaf culture, voices and hands shared in the service side by side.
A newly completed house of worship in the Sunset Park area of Brooklyn stands as visible evidence of a growing trend to accommodate the spiritual needs of the deaf.
The building at 517 46th Street, near Fifth Avenue, is the first of its kind in the United States—a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses built from the ground up with the needs of the deaf community in mind.
"Many buildings are retrofitted to accommodate the visual needs of sign language," said Jeremy Mallory, an elder with the Brooklyn Sign Language Congregation. "However, from the beginning, the Kingdom Hall was designed with the deaf community in mind."
More than 600 attended today's opening day events, which included members of the six congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses who use the new building. The sign language congregation shares the facilities with four Spanish congregations and one English congregation. Sign language and English-speaking members met together for the afternoon opening day program.
Unique features
Adaptations to the Kingdom Hall's design include the use of television monitors, indirect lighting, a sloped floor in the main auditorium, and a higher stage. Overhead projectors and white boards are used with the Bible study programs.
While the physical features of the building are unusual, the fact that all services are provided in sign language is just as unique, said Calvin Calandra, a member of the Sign Language Congregation. Although many religious groups provide interpretation of services for the deaf, the Brooklyn Sign Language Congregation actually provides all services in American Sign Language; sermons are given by ministers fluent in the language, many of whom are deaf themselves.
"It is so much better to hear what is being said directly in your language, rather than going through an interpreter," Calandra said. "When I invite other deaf people here, they always assume that they are going to a service with an interpreter. They are surprised to find out that the entire program is in their language."
Tactile signing
Leo Calandra, who is deaf, communicates with fellow congregation member Richard Bernstein, who is blind and deaf, by signing into his hands—a technique called tactile signing.
The congregation also provides tactile signing for the deaf and blind.
The 3,000-square foot auditorium, which seats 176, was built entirely with volunteer labor. Construction was finished in less than nine months.
Jehovah's Witnesses have 68 sign language congregations and Bible study groups in the United States and have produced video publications in 12 sign languages. A second sign language Kingdom Hall is under construction in Washington, D.C. Altogether, the Witnesses have 5,965 Kingdom Halls in the United States.
Jehovah's Witnesses form a worldwide Christian faith with some six million members. Wherever possible, they conduct services and provide Bibles and Bible-study literature in the native languages of those who live in the community. They publish in more than 350 languages. Jehovah's Witnesses view the deaf as a distinct language group.
Leo Calandra, who is deaf, communicates with fellow congregation member Richard Bernstein, who is blind and deaf, by signing into his hands—a technique called tactile signing.
In New York, worship becomes
more accessible to the deaf
more accessible to the deaf
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK—As the afternoon services began, more than 200 members of two Brooklyn congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses started to "sing."
The hearing members listened to the taped music and sang along with the familiar melody. At the same time, the deaf members turned to the television monitors scattered throughout the auditorium and began to follow along with a videotape of the same hymn signed as a silent poem.
No longer were the deaf members off to one side, signing the words of the hymn through an interpreter. Today, thanks to modern technology and design, as well as a respect for deaf culture, voices and hands shared in the service side by side.
A newly completed house of worship in the Sunset Park area of Brooklyn stands as visible evidence of a growing trend to accommodate the spiritual needs of the deaf.
The building at 517 46th Street, near Fifth Avenue, is the first of its kind in the United States—a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses built from the ground up with the needs of the deaf community in mind.
"Many buildings are retrofitted to accommodate the visual needs of sign language," said Jeremy Mallory, an elder with the Brooklyn Sign Language Congregation. "However, from the beginning, the Kingdom Hall was designed with the deaf community in mind."
More than 600 attended today's opening day events, which included members of the six congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses who use the new building. The sign language congregation shares the facilities with four Spanish congregations and one English congregation. Sign language and English-speaking members met together for the afternoon opening day program.
Unique features
Adaptations to the Kingdom Hall's design include the use of television monitors, indirect lighting, a sloped floor in the main auditorium, and a higher stage. Overhead projectors and white boards are used with the Bible study programs.
While the physical features of the building are unusual, the fact that all services are provided in sign language is just as unique, said Calvin Calandra, a member of the Sign Language Congregation. Although many religious groups provide interpretation of services for the deaf, the Brooklyn Sign Language Congregation actually provides all services in American Sign Language; sermons are given by ministers fluent in the language, many of whom are deaf themselves.
"It is so much better to hear what is being said directly in your language, rather than going through an interpreter," Calandra said. "When I invite other deaf people here, they always assume that they are going to a service with an interpreter. They are surprised to find out that the entire program is in their language."
Tactile signing
Leo Calandra, who is deaf, communicates with fellow congregation member Richard Bernstein, who is blind and deaf, by signing into his hands—a technique called tactile signing.
The congregation also provides tactile signing for the deaf and blind.
The 3,000-square foot auditorium, which seats 176, was built entirely with volunteer labor. Construction was finished in less than nine months.
Jehovah's Witnesses have 68 sign language congregations and Bible study groups in the United States and have produced video publications in 12 sign languages. A second sign language Kingdom Hall is under construction in Washington, D.C. Altogether, the Witnesses have 5,965 Kingdom Halls in the United States.
Jehovah's Witnesses form a worldwide Christian faith with some six million members. Wherever possible, they conduct services and provide Bibles and Bible-study literature in the native languages of those who live in the community. They publish in more than 350 languages. Jehovah's Witnesses view the deaf as a distinct language group.
- article taken from Jehovah's Witnesses: Authorized Site of the Office of Public Information -
Robbielyn
