The Maryland School for the Blind recently announced the appointments of Rabbi Lauren Tuchman and Mary Rose E. Cook to its board of directors.
The Bethesda-based Rabbi Tuchman, 39, is a well-known spiritual leader, educator, writer and disability justice advocate. She was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2018. She is believed to be the first-ever ordained blind female rabbi.
Currently self-employed, Rabbi Tuchman, who has been blind since infancy, provides private consultations and training to organizations on accessibility and inclusion.
“She brings valuable expertise in inclusive education, community-building and spiritual care, making her a strong voice for MSB’s mission,” the school wrote in a statement.
Rabbi Tuchman used a Braille embosser in rabbinical school, and today employs a variety of software apps to help her read and study, according to a 2021 JTA article.
“Though we still live in a world with many barriers, with a lot of discrimination and challenges … ours is a tradition that commands us to always make sure we are including everyone, and that we’re doing all we can to break down those barriers that preclude us from creating a society in which all of us can thrive,” she said.
A longtime Hampden resident, Cook is an attorney with Levin & Gann P.A. in Towson. She has decades of experience in estate planning, elder law, and trust and estate administration.
A graduate of Loyola University and the University of Maryland School of Law, Cook has volunteered for several local community organizations, including the Maryland Zoo and the Humane Society of Baltimore County.
Founded in 1853 and based in Northeast Baltimore, the MSB serves students with blindness or low vision of all abilities from birth through 21. The school annually serves approximately 1,400 students from all of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions through on-campus and outreach programming.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mary Rose and Lauren to the board,” said MSB Superintendent and CEO W. Robert Hair. “Their unique experiences and leadership will help strengthen our work and expand opportunities for the students and families we serve.”
For information, visit marylandschoolfortheblind.org/.
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