Friday, March 21st , 12:00-1:30 pm , B342 Wells Hall 619 Red Cedar Rd.

Serling Institute Faculty Research Seminar – Open to All!

Complimentary lunch provided

There is a dearth of research surrounding religious minorities regarding religion and spirituality for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, and existing studies often solely explore if youth with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities can be religious and spiritual. A better understanding of religious minorities can enhance the inclusion of youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). In this multiple case study, Jewish youth with I/DD participated in two semi-structured interviews and an observation of a Jewish ritual/practice. Three themes and eight subthemes emerged related to accessing religion and spirituality. The implications from this study can help prepare religious leaders, clergy, and researchers to better support, engage, and include Jewish youth with I/DD.

Aliza Lambert is the STRIDE Services Manager at Michigan State University. STRIDE (Services, Training and Research for Independence and Desired Employment) is a center that supports transition-age youth with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities as they transition into employment and adult life after high school. As the STRIDE Center Services Manager, Dr. Lambert develops pre-employment transition services and implements services throughout the state of Michigan. Aliza received her BA in Special Education-Learning Disabilities from Michigan State University, her MA in Rehabilitation Counseling from Kent State University, and her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University. Some of Aliza’s work includes research about lived experiences of Jewish youth with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, American Jewish identity development, and antisemitism and Islamophobia. 

Her co-authored article (with Cheryl L. Fulton and Lauren Melamed,) “Ethno-Religious Engagement, Minority Experiences, and Strengthening American Jewish Identity” was published in the Journal of Mental Health Counseling July 2024.

Her co-authored article (with Conley, A. and Fulton, C,) “Enhancing Religious and Spiritual Inclusion,” is forthcoming in the journal Inclusion, 13(1) in 2025.