LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareFamily Portraits and Bible Stories
Download this resource »
September 09, 2013 | By Andrea Guerra
Topic(s): Families and Parenting, Jewish Values
Media Type(s): Lesson Plan/Activities
Textual Source: Genesis, Torah Books
Torah Portion: Bereshit, Chayei Sara
Appropriate for grade level(s): Early Childhood, Elementary
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This lesson for Pre-K through 1st grade will help students explore and affirm different family structures as they appear in the bible and in students’ own experience.
If you're new to teaching LGBT content in a Jewish context, it might be helpful to review Guidelines for Introducing LGBT Content into the Jewish Classroom.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareExploring the Rabbinic Sodom
Download this resource »
September 03, 2013 | By Rabbi Steven Greenberg
Topic(s): Jewish Values
Media Type(s): Lesson Plan/Activities
Textual Source: Talmud
Appropriate for grade level(s): College and Adult
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This lesson plan was developed for Keshet by Rabbi Steve Greenberg, author of Wrestling with God and Men. In this 60-minute lesson designed for adults, participants will gain greater understanding of the “sin” of Sodom in the rabbinic tradition. The lesson uses Sanhedrin 109b, Middat Sedom, and Ramban (Rabbi Moses ben Nachman) on the verse, Genesis 19:5, as a way to engage participants in this exploration.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareExploring the Difference Between Differences
Download this resource »
August 29, 2013 | By Rabbi Steven Greenberg
Topic(s): Jewish Values
Media Type(s): Lesson Plan/Activities
Textual Source: Talmud
Appropriate for grade level(s): High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This lesson plan was developed for Keshet by Rabbi Steve Greenberg, author of Wrestling with God and Men. In this hour-long lesson designed for 7th-12th graders, students will explore how difference functions in their lives. Students will also be introduced to the ways that communities make sense of differences, and how mere distinctions can come to be imbued with moral connotations. The lesson uses BT Berachot 58b and BT Shabbat 53b as a way to engage students in these themes.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareExploring Sodom
Download this resource »
September 03, 2013 | By Rabbi Steven Greenberg
Topic(s): Jewish Values
Media Type(s): Lesson Plan/Activities
Textual Source: Ezekiel, Genesis, Talmud, Torah Books
Torah Portion: Vayera
Appropriate for grade level(s): College and Adult
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This lesson plan was developed for Keshet by Rabbi Steve Greenberg, author of Wrestling with God and Men. In this 90-minute lesson designed for adults, participants will explore biblical and rabbinic perspectives on Sodom and the nature of its “sin”. The lesson uses Genesis 18:20-21 and 19:1-13, as well as Ezekiel 16:49-50, Tosefta Sota 3, Sanhedrin 108a, and Pirke DeRabbi Eliezer, 25 as a way to engage participants in these themes.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareEtz Chayim Glee
Download this resource »
By Rebecca Weiner
Topic(s): Ally, Bullying or Harassment, Jewish Values, Purim
Media Type(s): Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): Elementary, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This resource is a script for a post-modern Purim Spiel that can be performed and/or adapted. Use it to engage students in a Purim Shpeil that explores contemporary themes of bullying and inclusion and helps students to relate the Purim story to their lives. The inclusion of LGBT characters helps students to explore Jewish content through a more inclusive lens.
If you're new to teaching LGBT content in a Jewish context, it might be helpful to review Guidelines for Introducing LGBT Content into the Jewish Classroom.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareEngaging with the Other
Download this resource »
August 29, 2013 | By Rabbi Steven Greenberg
Topic(s): Ally, Jewish Values
Media Type(s): Lesson Plan/Activities
Textual Source: Genesis, Talmud, Torah Books
Torah Portion: Vayera
Appropriate for grade level(s): College and Adult, High School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This lesson plan was developed for Keshet by Rabbi Steve Greenberg, author of Wrestling with God and Men. In this hour-long text study designed for 9th-12th graders and adults, students will explore the Jewish value of inclusivity, as well as the challenges of engaging with those who are very different from oneself. Students will also consider the ways that difference can been seen as disgusting or wondrous, depending on perspective. The lesson uses Genesis 18:1-8, as well as Plimo, Kiddushin 81a – 81b and BT Shabbat 53b, as a way to engage the students in these themes.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareComing Out at Camp
Download this resource »
September 09, 2013 | By Rachel Ackerman
Topic(s): Ally, Coming Out, National Coming Out Day
Media Type(s): Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): High School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
The goal of this lesson, designed for high school aged Counselors in Training, is to create a space for participants to think critically about how accessible camp is for those who are LGBT. At the end of this lesson, participants will be able to identify the difficulties of coming out in the camp environment, evaluate whether their camp is a safe and comfortable space for someone to come out at camp, and create a coming-out ceremony for camp.
If you're new to teaching LGBT content in a Jewish context, it might be helpful to review Guidelines for Introducing LGBT Content into the Jewish Classroom.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareBuilding a Welcoming Tent
Download this resource »
September 03, 2013 | By Rabbi Steven Greenberg
Topic(s): Jewish Values
Media Type(s): Lesson Plan/Activities
Textual Source: Genesis, Torah Books
Torah Portion: Vayera
Appropriate for grade level(s): Elementary
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This lesson plan was developed for Keshet by Rabbi Steve Greenberg, author of Wrestling with God and Men. In this half hour text study designed for K-3rd graders, students will use biblical text explore the fundamental values of welcome and inclusion. The lesson uses Genesis 18:1-8 as a way to engage the students in these themes.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareBal Tashchit
Download this resource »
September 03, 2013 | By Martin Rawlings-Fein
Topic(s): Activism & Civil Rights, Holocaust, Jewish Law, Holocaust Remembrance Day
Media Type(s): Lesson Plan/Activities
Textual Source: Deutoronomy
Appropriate for grade level(s): Elementary, High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This lesson was designed to help students understand the main ways that we can fulfill the mitzvah of Bal Taschit, “Do not destroy.” The lesson explores this theme through environmental concerns and values that help humans to protect each other, and invokes Transgender Day of Remembrance in posing the question: does this law apply to all of G-d's creations, including humans?
If you're new to teaching LGBT content in a Jewish context, it might be helpful to review Guidelines for Introducing LGBT Content into the Jewish Classroom.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareAnd G-d Chose Zoe Too
Download this resource »
September 03, 2013 | By Rebecca Weiner
Topic(s): Coming Out, Families and Parenting, Jewish Law, Jewish Values
Media Type(s): Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): Early Childhood, Elementary
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This is a Jewish LGBT children's story for pre-K — 3rd graders that focuses on the themes of a single parent home, adoption, being chosen by G-d, and chosen family. Through this story, students will learn about a Jewish family that is a single parent Lesbian home and about the concept of being “chosen” in Judaism.
If you're new to teaching LGBT content in a Jewish context, it might be helpful to review Guidelines for Introducing LGBT Content into the Jewish Classroom.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShare613 and More
Download this resource »
By Kendra Lubalin
Topic(s): Jewish Law
Media Type(s): Lesson Plan/Activities
Textual Source: Torah Books
Appropriate for grade level(s): Elementary, High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This lesson for 4th-12th graders looks at how to apply mitzvot to contemporary life. It examines how Responsa shaped mitzvot and Jewish law so it evolved through time. This is a loosely structured lesson plan that can be tailored to different groups based on age, access to technology, and time allotted.
If you're new to teaching LGBT content in a Jewish context, it might be helpful to review Guidelines for Introducing LGBT Content into the Jewish Classroom.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShare5773 Hits
Download this resource »
September 03, 2013 | By Kendra Lubalin
Topic(s): Activism & Civil Rights, Coming Out, Interfaith, Jewish Values, Jews by Choice, Jews of Color, Lifecycle Events, Transgender and Gender Identity, Youth
Media Type(s): Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): Elementary, High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This lesson designed for 5th–12th graders will help students explore Jewish identity through social media and online culture. Students will research different YouTube videos and explore different expressions of Jewish culture. This is a loosely structured lesson plan that can be tailored to different groups based on age, access to technology, and time allotted.
If you're new to teaching LGBT content in a Jewish context, it might be helpful to review Guidelines for Introducing LGBT Content into the Jewish Classroom.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareWhat to Do When a Teen Comes Out to You
Download this resource »
Topic(s): Coming Out, Policies and Best Practices, Youth
Media Type(s): Educational Tool
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
Some concrete suggestions to consider when a teenager comes out to you.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareSample Agenda for Integrated Gender Diversity & Sexual Orientation Workshop
Download this resource »
Topic(s): Transgender and Gender Identity
Media Type(s): Educational Tool
Appropriate for grade level(s): College and Adult, High School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
To be used in conjunction with Keshet's Curriculum Resource Guide. Sample workshop (group of curricula) for half day on gender diversity and sexual orientation.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareLGBTQI Terminology
Download this resource »
Topic(s): Lesbian, Policies and Best Practices, Transgender and Gender Identity
Media Type(s): Educational Tool
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
A glossary of basic terminology for LGBTQI sexual orientation and gender identity.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Hineini Curriculum Resource Guide
Part B: The Role of Allies
Core Lesson/Group Activity (or Opening Activity)
1. What Does It Mean to Be an Ally?
Description: This activity begins with a short text study of Talmudic teachings about communal responsibility.
Students then explore together the role of an “ally” in creating change. Students are asked to recall moments
when they stood up for someone else or when someone stood up for them and to use their experiences to
examine what it means to be an effective ally to someone. You can follow the entire lesson plan, or choose
portions to do with your students.
Time: 30 – 45 minutes
(the time required depends on how many portions of this lesson plan you choose to do)
Recommended Age Range: grades 7 – 12
Objectives:
n Examine Jewish texts that ask us to be socially responsible for ourselves and others.
n Define the word “ally” as it relates to social change and individual actions.
n Examine what it means to be an ally to others.
Materials:
n Board or easel and paper
n Chalk or markers
n Optional (for a longer time period): “Making It Real” worksheet
Suggested Film Clips:
Title Length
The Job of an Ally 0:37
Rainbow Keychain 2:05
Instructions:
1. Read the following passages from the Talmud to participants and ask them to discuss the meaning of these
teachings. (You may also want to write them on the board or hand them out to participants and ask a
volunteer to read each one aloud for the group.)
Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh – ?? ????? ????? ?? ???
All Israel is responsible one for the other.
—shavuot 39a
Share with participants that the rabbis of the Talmud understood this statement to be part of our larger
covenant with God in receiving the Torah. It teaches us that we are all responsible for each other’s well being.
This mitzvah implores us to stand up for one another, but also to stand up to one another when we see wrong
being done. The word arevim in Hebrew has a stronger meaning than responsibility. It tells us that if we do not
stand up when we see others doing wrong it is as though we have committed the act ourselves.
page | 93
Hineini Curriculum Resource Guide
The great Talmudic sage, Rabbi Hillel, said:
“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”
How is standing up for ourselves related to standing up for others?
2. Write the word ALLY on the board or easel paper in large print and ask participants to brainstorm for two or
three minutes all the words that come to mind when they read the word.
3. Record their responses in a “cloud” or circle around the word ALLY. Ask the participants to look at the
words they have come up with and discuss how these words are related. Use these words and ideas to create a
collective working definition for the word ALLY.
4. Now ask participants to think of a time when they stood up for someone else or a time when someone else
stood up for them. How did this make them feel? Ask them to write down the challenges and benefits of
being in that situation on a piece of paper that they will then share with a partner. You can give examples
such as:
“I told someone to stop making fun of another person.”
“A challenge was that I was afraid the person would turn his anger toward me.”
“A benefit was that I felt good about myself for doing what I thought was right.”
5. Have participants pair up to share their responses with someone else.
6. Ask for volunteers to report back the challenges and benefits of sticking up for someone and/or of having
someone stick up for you.
7. Record the responses on the board in two pairs of columns – the challenges and benefits of being an ally and
the challenges and benefits of having someone be an ally to you.
8. Ask participants to discuss what they notice from their responses. The following questions might be helpful
prompts:
a. Is it easier or harder to be an ally or to have someone be an ally to you?
b. What makes someone a good ally?
c. In what kinds of situations is it easier or harder to be an ally? Does it matter who else is present? Whether
you’re interacting with friends or strangers?
9. If you are using this as a longer activity, you can expand the lesson by leading the role-playing game
“FREEZE.” First have participants take five minutes to brainstorm some scenarios that would require
someone to be an ally to another person. (They can use the situations they described earlier or offer new
ones.)
10. Now have a few volunteers act out a scenario. During the role play, any one of the players can call out
“FREEZE!” at any time to freeze the action of the role play. The person who calls out “FREEZE” then
chooses someone else in the class to replace him or her. The new person joins the scenario so that he/she
can take it in a different direction. After the group has acted out a few scenarios in this fashion, discuss the
different choices each person made.
11. Close the activity by going around the room and asking participants to share if and how the activity has given
them new understanding of what it means to be an ally. Ask participants to fill out the “Making It Real” sheet
with commitments to take new steps toward creating change in their community.
Hineini Curriculum Resource Guide
page | 94
One way I can be an ally to others at my school or in my community is…
One step I can take to make my school or community more welcoming to
all students is…
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareStep Into the Circle
Download this resource »
Media Type(s): Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): College and Adult, High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
Participants stand in a circle and are asked to step in if a statement applies to them. After all the statements are read, participants are asked if they want to share any reflections on what they noticed.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareStep Into the Circle
Download this resource »
Media Type(s): Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): College and Adult, High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
Participants stand in a circle and are asked to step in if a statement applies to them. After all the statements are read, participants are asked if they want to share any reflections on what they noticed.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareWhat Does It Mean to Be an Ally?
Download this resource »
Topic(s): Ally
Media Type(s): Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This activity begins with a short text study of Talmudic teachings about communal responsibility. Students then explore together the role of an “ally” in creating change. Students are asked to recall moments when they stood up for someone else or when someone stood up for them and to use their experiences to examine what it means to be an effective ally to someone. You can follow the entire lesson plan, or choose portions to do with your students.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareStand Up For Each Other: Rainbow of Tolerance
Visit the site »
By BBYO
Topic(s): Youth
Media Type(s): Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
Curriculum providing an educational, yet interactive way for people to learn about the Stand Up For Each Other campaign and the LGBT community.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Sign in | Lost your password?
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesSharePluralism Is Jewish: The Houses of Hillel and Shammai
Download this resource »
Media Type(s): Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
In this activity, students examine a text about the differences between the rabbinic schools of Hillel and Shammai. This activity helps students understand the meaning of pluralism both in action and as a value in Judaism.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesSharePluralism in Action
Download this resource »
Media Type(s): Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This role play debate gives students the opportunity to examine what pluralism looks like in action. Students take on the roles of members of a religious policy committee at a new school to discuss, debate, and determine school policy on three issues.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareLooking at Change in Jewish Law: The Evolving Legal Status of the Deaf Person
Download this resource »
Media Type(s): Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This lesson looks at original source materials to see how the Jewish legal code’s standards about the status of deaf people have changed over the centuries. It suggests that the Jewish legal position about homosexuality could also change over time.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareInstitutional LGBTQ Inclusion Audit Workshop
Download this resource »
Topic(s): Policies and Best Practices
Media Type(s): Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): College and Adult
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This session gives some guidelines for helping institutions and organizations understand the multi-faceted process of bringing the ideological and spiritual practice of inclusion into alignment with the material and cultural “face” of the institution.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareIdentity Molecule
Download this resource »
Media Type(s): Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): College and Adult, High School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This exercise gives participants an opportunity to investigate how a perceived shared identity can in fact contain significant diversity. By articulating all the different aspects of their identities, participants have an opportunity to consider how each aspect interacts with and shapes their Jewish identity. The activity also reveals the diversity that exists within the presumed shared “Jewish” identity.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareHiding and Coming Out
Download this resource »
Topic(s): Coming Out
Media Type(s): Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This “chalk-talk” activity is an empathy–building exercise about the risks individuals take (or are afraid to take) in order to be seen and known within their community. After viewing the film, students will reflect on the experiences and reactions of different people at The New Jewish High School as they concealed parts of their personal identities or chose to reveal their identities by coming out.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareGender Boxes
Download this resource »
Topic(s): Transgender and Gender Identity
Media Type(s): Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): Early Childhood, Elementary, High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
Hands-on activity for students to discuss proscribed gender roles. For all all ages with adjusted discussion questions for age and developmental appropriateness.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareAbraham Joshua Heschel and the Civil Rights Movement
Download this resource »
Topic(s): Activism & Civil Rights
Media Type(s): Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Appropriate for grade level(s): High School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This lesson is designed for use with Hineini or as part of a curriculum in history, social studies, or civics. Using small group work, class discussion, text analysis, and writing exercises, students examine the writing and actions of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel as an ally in the Civil Rights Movement. They explore Heschel’s concepts of self-emancipation, spiritual audacity, and moral grandeur in the contexts of both his own actions and the actions of students at The New Jewish High School. Given the complexity of the concepts discussed, this lesson is recommended to be used with students who are in tenth grade and above but invite educators to adapt it for use with younger students.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareLGBT Jewish Resource List
Download this resource »
September 04, 2013 | By Ann Abrams, Keshet
Media Type(s): Article or Document
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This is a list of suggested resources for Jewish educators, parents, and youth program leaders. It includes books, film, and websites. The document features a focused list of key resources that we think may be most helpful to Jewish educators, as well as an expanded bibliography on the theme of LGBT Jews.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareCreating Inclusive Curricula
Download this resource »
Media Type(s): Article or Document
Appropriate for grade level(s): Early Childhood, Elementary, High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
Suggestions for inclusive lesson planning at the Elementary level and how to include GLB/Trans experiences and perspectives in the
curriculum.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareTop 10 Ways to Respond to “That’s So Gay!”
Download this resource »
September 04, 2013 | By Keshet
Topic(s): Ally, Bullying or Harassment, Policies and Best Practices
Media Type(s): Article or Document, Teaching Guidelines
Appropriate for grade level(s): College and Adult, Elementary, High School, Middle School
This resource is part of the LGBT Jewish Curricula collection.
This Top 10 List was complied from responses gathered from participants of Keshet's National Training Institutes.
Back to resources
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Blog
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareBlog
Let Us Come Home
June 6, 2013
Dan Brotman is a gay man from Massachusetts. So, legally, he can marry his fiancé, Keith. The only catch is that Keith is South African – so unlike heterosexual couples, Keith is not allowed to enter the U.S. as Dan’s legal spouse.
As a same-sex bi-national couple, Dan and Keith are not entitled to the same rights and protections as heterosexual couples. In order to live together, they have to live in South Africa.
Unfortunately, an amendment to the immigration reform legislation Congress is currently debating, which would have protected bi-national same-sex couples like Dan and Keith, was recently withdrawn.…
Learn More
Your Jewish Guide to Celebrating LGBTQ Pride
June 5, 2013
Every June people across the world celebrate LGBTQ Pride. As LGBTQ Jews and allies, we are proud of our own identities and those of our loved ones. Whether you are looking for a Pride Shabbat service, a fabulous Jewish sign to hold in a Pride Parade, or just want some inspiration, you’ve come to the right place!
I. EVENTS
Visit our Pride Events page for a list of Jewish LGBTQ Pride events happening across the United States (and a few in Canada too!) this June.
Visit the Pride Events Page
II. DOWNLOADS
Download your own Pride posters, stickers, and a graphic to help…
Learn More
Parashat Korach: A Revolution with Boundaries
June 3, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. This week, Rebecca Weiner considers the need for order and boundaries, even in the midst of a revolution.
Creative Common/chris.corwin
Looking back on my childhood, I often feel like I emerged out of two totally different worlds. I grew up in the “free to be you…
Learn More
Family Stories Part I… and Part II
A series by Jewish moms and dads with LGBTQ children.
When a child comes out, a coming out process begins for the entire family. In honor of Mother’s and Father’s Day, we bring you our third post in a series by parent leaders of Keshet’s Parent & Family Connection. The Connection is a confidential peer support program for parents and family members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews. We celebrate the support and love that these parents give their LGBTQ children – and the support they now offer other parents. This week’s post is by Carole Lukoff, mother of a gay…
Learn More
Orthodox Parents, United by Love of Torah… and Our LGBT Children
May 24, 2013
A series by Jewish moms and dads with LGBTQ children.
When a child comes out, a coming out process begins for the entire family. In honor of Mother’s and Father’s Day, we bring you our second post in a series by parent leaders of Keshet’s Parent & Family Connection. The Connection is a confidential peer support program for parents and family members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews. We celebrate the support and love that these parents give their LGBTQ children – and the support they now offer other parents. This week’s post is by “MBSD,” an Orthodox parent from Baltimore,…
Learn More
Celebrating Harvey Milk Day
May 22, 2013
Today Harvey Milk would have been 83. Instead, this gay Jewish hero, who was cut down in his prime, remains a vaunted icon of gay rights across the globe. On his birthday, now known as Harvey Milk Day, we celebrate his work, life, and lasting legacy. At Keshet, we’re honoring his life and achievements by bringing you some rare photos of this pioneer.
After a career that included the Navy, high school teaching, and time on Wall Street, Milk moved to San Francisco. By 1973, he launched his first run for City Supervisor – and lost. In 1977, after his…
Learn More
Parashat Be’Ha’alotecha: ‘Am’ (Yisrael) Comin’ Out!
May 20, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible and the Torah Queeries online collection. This week, Rabbi Karen Perolman examines the Israelites’ struggles with their “coming out” experiences.
Creative Common/doyoubleedlikeme
Coming-out (of the closet): To be “in the closet” means to hide one’s sexual and or gender identity. Many GBLT people are “out” in some situations and “closeted” in others.
– from Kulanu: All of Us,…
Learn More
Parashat Naso: Queer Nazir and the Twelve Identical Gifts
May 14, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible and the Torah Queeries online collection. This week, Darren Lippman considers the similarities between Nazirites and LGBT Jews – two populations who are “set aside” in important ways.
Creative Common/Alexander Smolianitski
I first read Parashat Naso during my b’nei mitzvah class in early 2002, long before I discovered either my passion for Judaism or my love of writing.…
Learn More
Love Our Families
May 10, 2013
Here at the Keshet blog, we’re celebrating Mother’s Day with a reminder of how important parental love and support are. So here’s our Mother’s Day gift to you (and your mom(s)): a one minute video by our friends at The Righteous Conversations Project, a project of Remember Us, which brings together Holocaust survivors and teens to speak up about injustice through new media workshops and community engagements. In this short clip, two teens compare notes about their supportive, if slightly overbearing, parents. As these teens remind us, the things that bind families together, like love, concern, and even a little loving parental nagging, are pretty…
Learn More
Counting the Omer…Counting my Blessings
May 9, 2013
A series by Jewish moms and dads with LGBTQ children.
When a child comes out, a coming out process begins for the entire family. In honor of Mother’s and Father’s Day, we bring you our first post in a series by parent leaders of Keshet’s Parent & Family Connection. The Connection is a confidential peer support program for parents and family members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews. We celebrate the support and love that these parents give their LGBTQ children – and the support they now offer other parents. This week’s post is by Francine Lavin Weaver, a Colorado-based educator…
Learn More
First Fruits of the LGBT Movement
May 8, 2013
Part of the observance of Shavuot, the traditional spring harvest holiday, is the celebration of the bikkurim, the first fruits of the year. In this post, Becky Silverstein honors those “first fruits” of the LGBT movement who have made so much progress possible.
Creative Common/David Heise
The journey from Passover to Shavout is seven weeks. Counting each night, we count the steps towards revelation and still, suddenly, the time for receiving Torah is here! As I prepare for my own experience of revelation this year, here is what I expect to see at Sinai: I expect to see millions of…
Learn More
Parashat B’midbar: The Gift of the Wilderness
May 6, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible and the Torah Queeries online collection. This week, Alex Carter sees the beauty of the delicate ecosystem of the Biblical wilderness – and in the unique queer culture we’re in danger of losing.
Creative Common/Kwong Yee Cheng
This week’s parsha, B’midbar, begins, as many parshiyot begin, with the words, “G-d spoke to Moses…” But this week, it specifies that…
Learn More
Previous1234
View our full blog at My Jewish Learning »
Blog
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Boston LGBT Pride 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7394732758/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Dancing at the Keshet Cabaret • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5529792107/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Marching in Colorado PrideFest • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775488728/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Margot Meitner and SuzieSchwartz @ Beit Midrash • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775479546/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Pride Shabbat • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775482972/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Blog
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareBlog
Tu B’Av: Day of Love
July 3, 2013
Tu B’Av is a little-known Jewish holiday, coming just six days after the mournful commemoration of tragedy during Tisha B’Av. In ancient times, Tu B’Av was a joyous matchmaking holiday for unmarried young women; in our day, it’s observed as a more general day of love. In the spirit of this holiday, we present you with snapshots of three well-known, real-life, queer and Jewish love stories.
Mark Harris and Tony Kushner. Photo: broadway.com
Tony Kushner is a playwright and author, best known for his epic play Angels in America, while Mark Harris is an author and editor whose focus has been…
Learn More
Parashat Matot and Parashat Masei: Speaking Truth in This World
July 1, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible and the Torah Queeries online collection. This week, Rabbi Seth Goren examines what Jeremiah’s attempts at correcting Jerusalemites’ behavior can teach us about fighting ignorance, homophobia, and transphobia today.
Creative Common/Jamie Matthews
Biblical prophets typically have a rough time. Elijah is effectively chased out of the Kingdom of Israel after being threatened with a death sentence. After attempting…
Learn More
What Happens When Pride Month Ends?
June 27, 2013
I’m still reeling from yesterday’s amazing news.
And I’m so incredibly proud and inspired to see so many LGBTQ Jews and straight allies stand up to affirm the Supreme Court’s ruling on DOMA and Prop 8 in cities across the country like Washington DC, Denver, Miami, Cambridge, and San Francisco.
I don’t think Hollywood could have scripted a better ending to Pride Month.
But what happens when the excitement of DOMA and Pride end? Check out this one minute video to see our vision:…
Learn More
Mazel Tov! DOMA and Prop 8 are struck down
June 26, 2013
Two years ago this summer, I stood under a chuppah (marriage canopy) with my wife. Because we live in Massachusetts, we are “lucky” that our relationship is recognized by our state. However, under the current law, we are denied 1,138 federal rights that our straight friends are automatically granted when they wed.
Today, this discrimination is over!
We are elated that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of fairness and equality by striking down DOMA and Prop 8. Our ancient Jewish values teach us that we all are created B’tzelem Elohim (in God’s Image) and our current laws violated this…
Learn More
Transforming Stories
A Small Revolution in a Synagogue Book Group
This past January, Hebrew College invited poet and scholar Joy Ladin to speak during our Winter Seminar on Feminist Theology, Theory, and Practice. Weaving her personal story of transition with a clearly articulated theology, Ladin held the community’s attention for over an hour. I sat in the front row, typing notes and being held by her gentle, soft-spoken way of being. As a trans* identified student, I was overwhelmed by the ways my story and my experience of the divine were being seen and lifted up for what felt like the first…
Learn More
Parashat Pinchas: The Wife of Moses, the Mother of Pinchas and other Midianites
June 24, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible and the Torah Queeries online collection. This week, David Katzenelson explains what the silence of the Biblical Zipporah can teach us about refusing to allow ourselves to be ignored.
Creative Common/Martin Beek
Parashat Pinchas takes its name from Pinchas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron. The story of Pinchas covers all of chapter 25 in Numbers. To understand…
Learn More
She Is Who He Is
June 21, 2013
When teens transitions to a new gender, what happens to the rest of the family? In November, we shared a post from the perspective of a daughter whose father transitioned to being a woman; now, we’re bringing you the first of two essays written by a sibling. Sophie, a high schooler whose sister (now brother) transitioned within the last few years, writes here about what the beginning of those changes felt like for her as a sister. In her next essay, she’ll discuss her brother’s eventual surgery.
Creative Common/praline3001
I would first like to start out by saying I love…
Learn More
Parashat Balak: Something Queer in the Vineyards
June 15, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. This week, Andrew Ramer considers the “queer” power of talking animals, and the blessings and curses they can bear.
Creative Commons/muffinimal
The American Heritage Dictionary says this of Queer:
1. Deviating from the expected or normal; strange; a queer situation.
2. Odd or unconventional, as in…
Learn More
Queer Tribes: Finding a Place for Alternative Families
June 14, 2013
In honor of Father’s/Fathers’ Day, we bring you Gregg Drinkwater’s essay on being a gay dad. You can read other posts in our series on and by parents: by a mother of a queer daughter in Colorado, here; by an Orthodox parent from Baltimore, MD, here; by the mother of a gay son in the Philadelphia suburbs, here; by the mother of gay twins and wife of a rabbi, here; and a video celebration of Mother’s Day/Mothers’ Day here. This essay, originally published in May 2006, is drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, based on the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the…
Learn More
Out at Shul… and No Big Deal
June 12, 2013
A series by Jewish moms and dads with LGBTQ children.
When a child comes out, a coming out process begins for the entire family. In honor of Mother’s and Father’s Day, we bring you our third post in a series by parent leaders of Keshet’s Parent & Family Connection. The Connection is a confidential peer support program for parents and family members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews. We celebrate the support and love that these parents give their LGBTQ children – and the support they now offer other parents. This week’s post is by Ruth Loew, wife of a rabbi…
Learn More
Parashat Chukkat: Clean/Unclean
June 8, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. This week, Rabbi Jill Hammer considers the connections between impurities, power, and the roles of Moses’ sister Miriam.
Creative Common/REMY SAGLIER – DOUBLERAY
The biblical categories tahor and tamei, usually translated “pure” and “impure,” mean something like insider/outsider. One who is tahor can enter the sanctuary, the…
Learn More
Tammuz: Remembering Our Spiritual Center
June 7, 2013
How Jewish is the Hebrew Calendar? When we use a Hebrew word to identify a period of time, we may believe that we are making a more authentically Jewish choice. However, like so many words and concepts in ancient Judaism, the name “Tammuz” typifies the syncretic past of our people, fused together from various traditions.
Creative Common/photosteve101
We learn in the Book of Ezekiel:
“And God brought me to the entrance at the Gate of the House of the Lord which was at the north; and there were there women sitting, bewailing the Tammuz.” (8:14)
Why were the women bewailing…
Learn More
Previous1234Next
View our full blog at My Jewish Learning »
Blog
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Boston LGBT Pride 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7394732758/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Dancing at the Keshet Cabaret • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5529792107/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Marching in Colorado PrideFest • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775488728/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Margot Meitner and SuzieSchwartz @ Beit Midrash • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775479546/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Pride Shabbat • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775482972/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Blog
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareBlog
Creative-Commonone-lucky-guy.jpg
Parashat Ki Teitze: Amalek and the Good Soldier
August 12, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. This week, Noach Dzmura charges us not to forget the Torah’s “good soldier.”
Creative Common/one lucky guy
This Torah portion encompasses almost four chapters and is the source of more than 70 of the 613 mitzvoth. Because the parasha seems at first glance to be disjointed and…
Learn More
Creative-CommonSteven-Depolo.jpg
Parashat Shoftim: Doubling the Weight of Our Words
August 5, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. This week, Cantor David Reinwald investigates how the repetition of key words can inspire a continual struggle for justice.
Creative Common/Steven Depolo
The only way I can describe how one approaches Parashat Shoftim is with honor, as this portion surrounds itself in such ideals. I find that…
Learn More
Screen-shot-2013-05-22-at-10.01.48-AM.png
Queer Clergy in Action: Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell
August 2, 2013
Welcome to our fifth installment of “Queer Clergy in Action,” spotlighting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rabbis and cantors. This behind-the-scenes look at queer clergy covers both those who have paved the way and up-and-coming trailblazers. Here, we interview Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell.
Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell
Coming out can be really difficult and it can be especially risky for those who are, or aspire to be, clergy. Nonetheless, this vanguard has helped open up the Jewish world, and we’re very proud to shine an extra light on their work, their ideas, and their stories. You can also read the…
Learn More
Creative-CommonCharles-Roffey.jpg
Parashat Re’eh: Observe That Which I Enjoin Upon You
July 29, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. This week, Gregg Drinkwater, former Colorado Regional Director of Keshet, considers the “prophesy” of LGBT Jews, and how it can powerfully change Judaism.
Creative Common/Charles Roffey
In the opening lines of Parashat Re’eh, Moses shares both a blessing and a curse with the Israelites. “The blessing: if…
Learn More
Creative-Commonaloha-orangeneko.jpg
Pride and Pain in the Orthodox World
July 24, 2013
“There was a deep sense of comfort, of relief, of finally feeling like we could be ourselves.”
“I was amazed at how liberating it was to spend time with others with whom we have so much in common.”
“Being in a community that truly felt like a community for so many reasons that are absent in my day-to-day life experience in our Orthodox community.”
— Eshel Shabbaton attendees
When I was 24, I came out to my parents the day before the gay pride parade in New York City. My parents and I were closer than close, and they knew…
Learn More
Creative-CommonKey-Foster.jpg
Parashat Ekev: Taking Steps
July 22, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. This week, Amos Lassen considers what Moses can teach us about LGBT pride.
Boston Pride/Bonnie Rosenbaum
The book of Deuteronomy focuses on the time just before the death of Moses. The Israelites are encamped on a plateau in Moab, poised to enter the land of Israel. Parashat…
Learn More
Credit-Emily-Aviva-Kapor.jpg
Wrapping Myself in the Fringes
July 19, 2013
This was the d’var Torah (discourse) I gave at the Jewish service on Friday night at the Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference, 14 June 2013. In it, I build on and try to give a preliminary answer to a question I started to explore some time ago, as one conference participant put it, “What does a gal do with her bar mitzvah tallit?”
Credit Emily Aviva Kapor
The time was two o’clock in the morning, and I was about to complete the crafting project I’d been working on all evening. I sat on the couch with my scissors in one hand and…
Learn More
Creative-Commonphilippe-leroyer.jpg
Parashat Vaetchanan: A Less Innocent Love
July 16, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. This week, Jay Michaelson imagines how LGBT people can fulfill the commandment to love God with all of our hearts, souls, and might.
Creative Common/philippe leroyer
A tension: We are commanded, in Parashat Vaetchanan, to love God with all our heart, soul, and might – v’ahavta et…
Learn More
Creative-Common-Minneapolis-Institute-of-Arts.jpg
Queer Jewish Dating
July 15, 2013
What does it mean to be Jewish and queer? What about dating queer and Jewish? Does it make a difference?
Creative Common/Minneapolis Institute of Arts
I am Shaily Hakimian from Lincolnshire, Illinois studying elementary education at Indiana University. I have been working in the LGBT movement since I was 14 – so about 8 years. I grew up going to Solomon Schechter Day School where I received a Conservative Jewish education as a Sephardic Jew living in America. My dad is from Iran and my mom is from Morocco, though she spent part of her life in Israel. My mom…
Learn More
What I Wish I Had Known at 13
July 10, 2013
When the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would decide on the legality of California’s Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act in June, I decided to take a look at a speech I gave about lesbian and gay families for my synagogue’s oratory contest in 2004. At the time, Multnomah County, Oregon (a mile from where I lived) had briefly legalized same-sex marriage, bringing LGBTQ rights to the local forefront for the first time I could remember; I, as a not-yet-aware-I-was-queer 13-year-old, wanted to share my thoughts from a Jewish perspective. My speech (which won second place in…
Learn More
Parashat Devarim: Out from the Mountain: Finding the Good Land
July 8, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. This week, Marisa James sees common themes in the need for the ancient Israelites, and LGBT people throughout history, to keep moving forward.
Creative Common/Jong Soo(Peter) Lee
And God said unto Moses: it is time for a travelogue, so that the Israelites may see where they…
Learn More
Queer, Trans*, and In Israel
July 5, 2013
Living in Israel, for me, meant mastering the art of feigning ignorance. “Ani lo mevin, ani lo mevin. Rak midaber englit v sfardit,” I would often say. “I don’t understand, I don’t understand. I only speak English and Spanish.”
But I always knew exactly what the stranger in the kibbutz cafeteria or the shop-owner in the shuk or the security guard by the bathroom was saying as he chuckled to himself and asked, “Atah ben o bat?” with eyebrows raised. His Hebrew translates to, “Are you a boy or a girl?” but really what he’s getting at is, “Come on,…
Learn More
Previous1234Next
View our full blog at My Jewish Learning »
Blog
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Boston LGBT Pride 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7394732758/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Dancing at the Keshet Cabaret • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5529792107/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Marching in Colorado PrideFest • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775488728/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Margot Meitner and SuzieSchwartz @ Beit Midrash • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775479546/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Pride Shabbat • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775482972/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Blog
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareBlog
Gabriel.jpg
My Best Friend Came Out At Our Yeshiva
October 11, 2013
In September, a family member came out to me after months of struggling with his sexual orientation. He cited the earlier version of this very blog post, which appeared on my personal blog, as a source of strength. I hope it might help others as well. – GG
He stopped the music.
He stood up on the fireplace of the room that nearly every member of our school was occupying. He began to speak. He thanked all of us for welcoming him into our community, for making him feel like he had been here his entire life. What he had…
Learn More
DavidandJonathanWedding_Shannen-Norman.jpg
From My Orthodox Yeshiva to Standing With My Husband Under the Huppah
October 10, 2013
David and Jonathan’s Wedding by Shannen Norman
When I thought about my future as a kid, the image of a wedding would come into focus. A beautiful huppah, my beaming parents, and adult me standing next to the love of my life with whom I’d build a Jewish family. Judaism was always a strong and important force in my life, one I cherished. My commitment to carrying on my heritage was a given, particularly charged by the fact that I’m the grandson of Holocaust survivors. But as I grew into my teens, that image of my future became distorted when…
Learn More
Western-wall-Pensiero.jpg
My Journey to Authentic Living
October 9, 2013
We’re incredibly grateful to Yiscah for sharing this excerpt from her forthcoming book, 40 Years in the Wilderness: My Journey to Authentic Living. She describes her book as her “memoir of the joys and struggles with my own spirituality, gender identity, and commitment to living true to myself.” You can learn more about Yishcah here and learn more about the book here.
Western Wall by Pensiero
Approaching the Western Wall thrust me into the very consciousness that frightened me the most in my life and caused my chronic daily anxiety. The walk to touch the stones for myself, a powerful…
Learn More
Creative-CommonsNational-Institute-of-Health-Library.jpg
Parashat Noach: Apres le Deluge: Moi
September 30, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. This week, Michael Sarid sees echoes of Noah’s behavior after the flood among Holocaust survivors – and those who lived through the AIDS crisis.
Creative Commons/National Institute of Health Library
Imagine that you are alone in the world. A monumental calamity has destroyed life as you knew…
Learn More
Creative-CommonSteel-Wool.jpg
Simchat Torah: Circling Back
September 24, 2013
Rabbi Jane Litman first presented these words of Torah for Simchat Torah in 2006, as part of the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. Her message is just as profound and relevant today.
Creative Common/Steel Wool
Wow! Here we are – we have accomplished so much. We were oppressed, then came together and confronted the oppression. We built a movement, resolved internal disputes, struggled with leadership, created a new set of social norms, overcame setbacks, and moved forward. It’s taken a long time – many years – but now,…
Learn More
Creative-CommonRahel-Jaskow.jpg
What We Can Learn from the Rich Symbolism of Sukkot
September 14, 2013
There are more spiritually resonant symbols associated with the Festival of Sukkot than with any other major Jewish holiday. On Yom Kippur, the only visual marker is the special clothing many wear as symbols of teshuvah. On Passover, the redemptive symbol of matzah is joined by the visual and performative symbolism of the Seder. Shavuot has almost no visible reminders of the holiday other than the special liturgy. But Sukkot offers the 4 species (lulav, etrog, willows, and myrtle), each with their own multi-layered significance, as well as the sukkah itself, a symbolically powerful stage that encourages those celebrating the holiday to…
Learn More
Shipwreck_awallin.jpg
Shipwrecked with God
September 11, 2013
Shipwreck. photo credit: awallin
Communities, institutions, families and friendships create a sense of common identity, a sense of “we.” Since no two people – no two Jews, or gay men, or lesbians, or transgender people, or Orthodox Jews, or even identical twins – are the same, that sense of common identity is always created despite our differences, as when my family saw my sister as one of us despite the fact that she was the only blond, blue-eyed, left-handed member. Those were trivial differences, but they still made us uncomfortable; my parents teased my sister about them, and when she…
Learn More
Creative-CommonDead-Air.jpg
Sinking into Compassion: The Book of Jonah and Yom Kippur
September 9, 2013
In honor of Yom Kippur, this week we bring you two queer takes on The Book of Jonah. Tomorrow, poet and professor Dr. Joy Ladin offers her reading.
If it takes holy chutzpah to argue with God, Jonah has it in spades. God’s word steers him to Nineveh, the great Babylonian metropolis whose wickedness is driving the Divine to distraction, but instead of traveling to Nineveh to “proclaim judgment upon it” (Jonah 1:2) as God asks, Jonah books passage on a boat heading to Tarshish, in the opposite direction. Angered that Jonah would turn “away from the service of the…
Learn More
Creative-CommonMichael-Fawcett.jpg
Rosh HaShanah: Sanctifying Our In-Betweens
September 3, 2013
Rabbi Reuben Zellman delivered this D’var Torah on Erev Rosh HaShanah in 2006 at Congregation Sha’ar Zahav in San Francisco. Seven years later, his words remain relevant and meaningful.
Gut yontef, L’shanah Tovah, Shabbat Shalom!
Before I begin, I want to offer my deepest thanks to all of my beloved Sha’ar Zahav community for the opportunity to be here with you this year. It is a privilege and a joy, and at this time of year I am especially grateful to God and to all of you.
Creative Common/Michael Fawcett
We stand here tonight without knowing quite where we are.…
Learn More
transgender-and-jewish_homepage6.png
Jewish and Transgender: The Forward Series
August 29, 2013
Last week, Chelsea Manning, formerly known as Private first class Bradley Manning, made headlines. Her announcement that she would be living as a woman eclipsed the news of the previous day–her 35 year prison sentence for leaking classified government documents.
The media frenzy was palpable, the sensationalism undeniable. (MSNBC even ran a story tallying which media outlets were still misgendering Chelsea and continuing to refer to her as ‘he.’)
So while the mainstream media was tripping over itself, The Forward was wrapping up a terrific series exploring transgender and Jewish identity in all of its wondrous complexity. The series looked at how…
Learn More
Creative-CommonsJaydot.jpg
Parashat Nitzavim and Parashat Vayeilech: Four Gemstones
August 26, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. This week, Noach Dzmura examines a line promising inclusion for “queer doorways” that might open the verse, and its promises, up even wider.
A GenderQueer Doorway
Creative Commons/Jaydot
In Parashat Nitzavim, Moses relates the covenant between God and the Hebrews, explaining the curses that will befall them…
Learn More
Creative-CommonToby-Simkin.jpg
Parashat Ki Tavo: The Deuteronomy Dinner Party: As Many Chairs as We Need
August 20, 2013
Jews read sections of the Torah each week, and these sections, known as parshiyot, inspire endless examination year after year. Each week we will bring you regular essays examining these portions from a queer perspective, drawn from the Torah Queeries online collection, which was inspired by the book Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. This week, Marisa James discusses how the Biblical injunction to care for the vulnerable applies to today’s LGBT Jews. This week’s Torah Queeries essay was written in 2007.
Creative Common/Toby Simkin
As we read Parashat Ki Tavo, we’re also in the midst of the Haftorot of Consolation,…
Learn More
1234Next
View our full blog at My Jewish Learning »
Blog
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Boston LGBT Pride 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7394732758/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Dancing at the Keshet Cabaret • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5529792107/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Marching in Colorado PrideFest • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775488728/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Margot Meitner and SuzieSchwartz @ Beit Midrash • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775479546/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Pride Shabbat • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775482972/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareResources
Welcome to the Keshet Resources Library! Here you will find a variety of resources on all things LGBT and Jewish: articles, rituals, poetry, divrei torah/sermons, policies, and more. This is a dynamic collection of resources, written by a variety of authors, in different time periods, who offer a range of insight and perspective. We're grateful to the Institute for Judaism, Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity work curating and extraordinary collection of LGBT Jewish resources. While this is not an exhaustive library of resources on these topics, it is extensive and will be updated frequently. We always welcome new contributions and feedback on what’s here.
Search All Resources »
Visit the online Store»
Special Collections
Torah Queeries
The online Torah Queeries archive offers over 180 creative and incisive “queer” takes on the weekly Torah portions and major Jewish holidays, written by some of the Jewish world’s most dynamic scholars, rabbis, activists, and lay leaders.
Go to Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
Our library of marriage materials includes liturgy, guidelines, and sample rituals for clergy and couples interested in infusing unions of LGBTQ couples with Jewish tradition.
Go to the Marriage Project
TransTexts
An interactive exploration of what traditional Jewish texts have to say about transgender and gender nonconforming experiences and about gender in general. If the Talmud were a web page, it might look something like this!
Go to TransTexts
Wrestling with God
A collection of over 160 classical Jewish texts curated by Rabbi Steve Greenberg. These are the primary source texts Rabbi Greenberg explored in depth in his groundbreaking book, Wrestling with God & Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition. Here you can create customizable text-study and source sheets using the Wrestling with God texts for use in classrooms, synagogues, and other educational venues.
Go to Wrestling with God
Plus
Store
Purchase resources to promote LGBT inclusion in your institution.
Go to the Store
Multimedia
Check out videos and photos of LGBTQ Jewish community and activism!
Go to Photos and Videos
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareTraining & Consultation
Creating a safe space for Jewish kids
Photo: chiesADIbeinasco
Looking for ways to make your Jewish institution safe and inclusive for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Jews but don't know where to start? We're here to help.
For over 10 years, we've trained and supported Jewish educators, clergy, program staff, camp professionals, youth, and lay leaders to ensure that LGBTQ youth, families, and staff are safe, affirmed, and celebrated in all Jewish educational and community settings.
We believe that providing leaders and staff with knowledge, skills, tools, and resources is the key to creating long-term sustainable change.
Learn more about the 2014 Leadership Summits »
A MUST FOR ANYONE CONCERNED
“What Keshet has created is a must for anyone concerned about making each child feel safe to learn in all of our educational environments. This is not just about LGBT inclusivity – this is reframing the way we look at constructing educational spaces and should be mandatory for every teacher, educator, counselor and youth worker in the Jewish community.”
-Naomi Less, Co-creator, Addressing Evaded Issues in Jewish Education and Founder, Jewish Chicks Rock
We Offer
Workshops and professional development training for faculty and staff tailored to meet the specific needs of your community.
Learn more
.
Our signature Keshet Leadership Summit, a one day action-oriented gathering for leaders of Jewish institutions.
Learn more
.
Consultation with individual leaders, parents, and other community professionals.
Learn more
.
Educational resources on LGBT inclusion through a Jewish lens.
Learn more
.
Our Impact
Learn about the impact of our trainings.
Our Partners
See where we have worked.
Training & Consultation
Trainings
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Recently Added Resources
A Mikveh Ritual for Transitioning Gender
Ritual
Rainbow Blossoms On The Tree Of Life: How Torah Grows When Read Through GLBT Eyes
Article or Document, Torah Commentary
Women of the Wall
Lesson Plan/ActivitiesKeshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation > Training Institute Graduates
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareTraining Institute Graduates
Welcome!
This section is solely for graduates of our Training Institutes.
In this section you will find our Facilitator Training Manual, Hineini Curriculum Resource Guide, and additional training materials and lesson plans as they become available. As we develop new lesson plans and training materials, we will post them here for you to see first!
Get your password »
We’D love to hear from you!
How are you using and adapting our curricula and materials? We love to hear stories from your classrooms, youth groups, summer camps, and any other settings in which you've used Keshet's materials.
Share your story »
Training & Consultation
Trainings
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
For Training Institute Graduates
Keshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation > Where We Have Worked
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareWhere We Have Worked
We've worked with hundreds of Jewish institutions, helping them create more inclusive communities. Here's a sample of some of the committed institutions we have been lucky to work with:
Day Schools
American Hebrew Academy, Greensboro, NC
Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, Rockville, MD
Chicagoland Jewish High School, Deerfield, IL
Gann Academy, Waltham, MA
Jacob Pressman Academy, Los Angeles, CA
Jewish Community Day School, Pittsburgh, PA
Kehillah Jewish High School, Palo Alto, CA
Primary Day School of the Nation's Capital, Washington, D.C.
Rodeph Sholom School, New York, NY
San Diego Jewish Academy, San Diego, CA
Solomon Schechter School of Westchester, Hartsdale, NY
INVALUABLE
This is definitely one of the most valuable trainings I've seen at camp. Clearly the teens found it as valuable as the whole staff. Thank you for again for giving us the tools to continue having this conversation in an open and informed way.
-CIT Supervisor, Camp Pinemere
Camps
B'nai B'rith Beber Camp, Skokie, IL
Camp Tawonga, San Francisco, CA
Camp JRF, South Sterling, PA
Camp Yavneh, Northwood, NH
Capital Camps, Waynesboro, PA
Eisner Camp, Great Barrington, MA
Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst Day Camp, Brooklyn, New York
Youth Movements
BBYO International
North American Federation of Temple Youth
United Synagogue Youth
Young Judaea
Synagogues
Agudath Israel Congregation, Ottawa, Canada (Conservative)
Congregation Beth El, Berkeley, CA (Reform)
Congregation B’nei Israel, Boca Raton, FL (Reform)
Congregation Har Hashem, Boulder, CO (Reform)
Congregation Ohev Shalom, Wallingford, PA (Conservative)
Congregation Rodeph Sholom, New York, NY (Reform)
Kehilla Community Synagogue, Piedmont, CA (Renewal)
Temple Beth Abraham, Nashau, NH (Conservative)
Temple Emanuel, Newton, MA (Conservative)
Temple Israel of Boston, Boston, MA (Reform)
Temple Israel of Omaha, NE (Reform)
Temple Israel Center, White Plains, NY (Conservative)
Temple Sinai, Brookline, MA (Reform)
Other Community Institutions
CJP Boston
Foundation for Jewish Camp
Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay
Jewish Family and Children's Service of Greater Philadelphia
Conferences and Presentations
CAJE and NewCAJE
Creating Change
FJC Cornerstone and Leaders Assembly
Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly
Limmud Boston, Colorado, New York, UK, and South Africa
RAVSAK
TribeFest
URJ Biennial
USCJ Biennial
Learn about the different trainings we offer.
See the impact of our trainings
Training & Consultation
Trainings
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
Keshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Events
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareEvents
Join us for a text study, a holiday celebration, or a relaxed night out. All of our events are open to LGBTQ Jews, friends, and family. Volunteer committees of dedicated and fun-loving LGBTQ Jews plan all of our events!
Keshet hosts events in the areas we have offices: Boston, Denver, and the San Francisco Bay area. We also co-sponsor events in other cities.
Loading...
Find a Keshet Event Near You
Keyword: LocationColoradoIsraelMassachusettsSan Francisco Bay Area
DateOctober 2013November 2013December 2013
Your selections:
Reset SearchOther LGBTQ Events
Syndicated by GayGevalt.com
November 01st, 2013 – Shabbat Service
October 18th, 2013 – Marriage in America: The Supreme Court and LGBTQ Equality
See more LGBTQ Events at GayGevalt.com
Add your event
Event
October 19, 2013
Ruach HaYam Shabbaton
Massachusetts
Ruach HaYam, Congregation Am Tikva, and Keshet invite you to join us at a full day Shabbat retreat for LGBTQ Jews, friends, and family. Refresh your spirit and make new friends in this fabulous day of egalitarian davening, creative and thoughtful…
October 20, 2013
Taking Pride in ALL Our Choices
Colorado
A conversation on end-of-life decisions through an LGBT lens
Let’s broach a difficult conversation as a community. How do we make sure that our wishes and our bodies will be respected and that our deaths are treated as valuable within a Jewish…
October 25, 2013
October Shabbat Celebration
Massachusetts
Join us at any time during the evening for this family-friendly Shabbat celebration! Our services are egalitarian, participatory, and led by Keshet members. A kosher catered dinner will be provided.
Interested in leading/co-leading services…
October 25, 2013
A Conversation with Yehoshua Gurtler, Israeli GLBT Advocate and Attorney
Massachusetts
Come for an exciting conversation with Yehoshua Gurtler, a prominent GLBT advocate across many organizations in Israel. Learn about LGBT life in Israeli society, including the Israeli Orthodox world. Discuss the issues facing…
October 30, 2013
A Wider Bridge invites you on A Unique Journey Through Israel
Israel
Whether you’ve never been to Israel or go regularly, A Wider Bridge’s third annual LGBTQ Trip to Israel will give you an unparalleled opportunity to connect with the land, its people, and your roots. Traveling through Israel as an…
November 4, 2013
Wrestling With Our Sacred Texts
San Francisco Bay Area
Jbbi Steve Greenberg at the Oshman Family JCC for a lunch and learn where we will explore the topic of homosexuality and Jewish law.
Rabbi Greenberg will explore four rationales for the prohibition of sex between men which appear to be in the…
November 12, 2013
A Conversation with Joy Ladin and Norman Spack
Massachusetts
Moderated by Dr. Norman Spack, co-founder of Children’s Hospital’s Gender Management Service Clinic
In 2008, Joy made headlines when after years of teaching at an Orthodox Jewish university as a man, she returned as a woman. Join…
November 15, 2013
Thanksgiving Themed Shabbat Potluck with Beth Evergreen
Colorado
It’s been a long time since we’ve gotten together to celebrate Shabbat! Our friends at Congregation Beth Evergreen have lovingly asked us to join them for a Friday night of singing, food, laughter, and gratitude.
6 pm: Tot Shabbat…
November 17, 2013
Homos On A Hike
San Francisco Bay Area
Join us for a hike at the lovely Albany Bulb, just north of Berkeley. This hike is about a mile and a half round-trip over somewhat uneven terrain. Bring your friends, bring your families, bring your dogs – everyone is welcome.
No car?…
November 20, 2013
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Colorado
Transgender Day of Remembrance was created 15 years ago to give us an opportunity to grieve the loss of all transgender individuals that have been murdered in that past year. Please join our friends from the Gender Identity Center for this important…
December 7, 2013
Colorado Keshet Cabaret
Colorado
Sing, Dance, and Celebrate at the Keshet Cabaret!
Join us at the legendary Tracks nightclub for a rousing evening of music and performance by local entertainers. This fabulous fundraiser supports Keshet’s work in Colorado and around…
Events
Add Your Event
Other LGBT Jewish Events
Past Keshet Events
Keshet Cabaret: Colorado
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Making Challah • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7798312784/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Shabbat • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7782710026/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Tefillin Workshop • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7789153026/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7119201237/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Hannukah Celebration • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7789190726/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Events > Past Keshet Events
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesSharePast Keshet Events
October 16, 2013
LGBTQ Jewish Mixer
San Francisco Bay Area
This month, join us at El Rio for our monthly LGBTQ Jewish Mixer! Schmooze, flirt, make some new friends, and catch up with old ones.
Keshet’s work in the Bay Area is generously supported by the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund.…
October 9, 2013
Building Inclusion: Becoming a Jewish LGBTQ Ally
Colorado
A discussion and panel-based workshop
Learn concrete tools to be an advocate for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. Hear how local rabbis are becoming more inclusive of the LGBTQ community and ways to drive…
October 6, 2013
Melting Away Screening and Panel Discussion
Chicago
Melting Away, from director Doron Eran, marks the first time in Israeli cinema that a feature film depicts parents struggling with and learning about having a transgender child. Join the Keshet Parent & Family Connection‘s…
September 26, 2013
Simchat Torah Meetup
Massachusetts
Keshet takes on the Torah! Meet up with other Keshet members outside of Temple Beth Shalom in Cambridge (the Tremont Street Shul) and we’ll join the celebration together! Contact Jess for more information.
Meet up outside of Temple Beth…
September 21, 2013
Boulder Rainbow Sukkah Shabbat!
Colorado
Boulder Pride will be taking place on Sunday September 15th in Boulder’s Central Park from 11am-6pm. We are going to show our pride by gathering for a 3rd meal on Saturday September 21st at the Har Hashem sukkah. This event is open to LGBT…
September 20, 2013
Shabbat Service & Dinner IN THE SUKKAH!
Massachusetts
Join us at any time during the evening for this family-friendly Shabbat celebration in the sukkah! Our services are egalitarian, participatory, and led by Keshet members. A kosher catered dinner will be provided.
Interested in leading/co-leading…
September 19, 2013
Sukkot on the Farm
San Francisco Bay Area
We’re exicted to join Wilderness Torah for their seventh annual Sukkot on the Farm Festival—a three-night campout and celebration of the fall harvest as a multigenerational community at Green Oaks Creek Farm.
Come co-create…
September 19, 2013
GLBT Dinner in the Succah
San Francisco Bay Area
The South Bay GLBT Havurah welcomes family and friends of GLBT Jews to join us as we celebrate Sukkot with a Potluck dinner in the Sukkah at Congregation Shir Hadash.
Shir Hadash has hosted GLBT Jews on this occasion for the past 15 years. In addition…
September 14, 2013
Break Your Fast with EastBayJews, East Bay Minyan, Moishe House East Bay, KESHET and Wilderness Torah
San Francisco Bay Area
Join our community as we break the Yom Kippur fast at the Jewish Federation of the East Bay in Oakland. This is a vegetarian potluck dinner, so please sign up and let us know what you can bring!
Questions? Please contact Jessi Norris at jessi@jfed.org or 510-318-6411…
September 5, 2013
Ctrl +Alt + Del: Tashlique at Ocean Beach
San Francisco Bay Area
Join the JCCSF, Reboot and GET FED (with partners Interfaith Family, Keshet and The Kitchen) for our spin on the 600-year-old Rosh Hashanah ritual called Tashlich. This custom of ridding ourselves of all our bad vuggum (karma) from the previous…
August 31, 2013
An Evening With Bruce Vilanch
San Francisco Bay Area
Join the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center of Silicon Valley for An Evening with Bruce Vilanch. Bruce Vilanch is a renowned comedian, writer, actor, and LGBT activist. Mention Keshet when you purchase tickets to receive a discount!…
August 23, 2013
Keshet Shabbat Service & Dinner
Massachusetts
Join us at any time during the evening for this family-friendly summer Shabbat celebration before the High Holidays. Our services are egalitarian, participatory, and led by Keshet members. A kosher catered dinner will be provided. Interested…
August 23, 2013
Glitter Shabbat
San Francisco Bay Area
Join Glitter Kehilla (a community of young-ish adults) to welcome Shabbat, enjoy a communal meal, and sing fabulous songs. This Glitter Shabbat is a potluck with a light service. Please bring a vegetarian dish to share, along with bow ties…
August 21, 2013
LGBTQ Jewish Mixer
San Francisco Bay Area
Come join us for our monthly LGBTQ Jewish Mixer at The Lookout! Make some new friends and catch up with old ones.
Keshet’s work in the Bay Area is generously supported by the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund.…
August 21, 2013
Transgender Working Group Meeting
Massachusetts
We will have the opportunity to meet and welcome our new organizer Jessica Goldberg, discuss past exploits, savor them once again and determine if we want a repeat, and toss around ideas for the future.…
August 16, 2013
Shabbes Beat
San Francisco Bay Area
Our friends at Congregation Sha’ar Zahav invite you to a rocking service. It’s all about that Shabbes groove! Sing, dance, and pray. Joy up, relax, breathe, sway! Join Cantor Sharon and the Shabbes Beat band…
August 15, 2013
Beit Midrash: The High Holidays, Desire & Restraint
Massachusetts
What do you desire, deeply and truly? As we prepare for the High Holidays, join Keshet for learning and discussion around “Teshuvah” as it relates to the LGBTQ community. The tradition might surprise you. Using Psalm 27 as a guide, we will…
August 3, 2013
Glitter Havdalah
San Francisco Bay Area
Looking to dip your challah in some honey? Want to add a little spice to your box? Join Keshet and Glitter Kehilla for an unforgettable evening of making queer Jewish glittertastic memories. We’ll start at Oscar Grant Plaza with a quick…
July 28, 2013
LGBTQ Family Day at the Contemporary Jewish Museum
San Francisco Bay Area
Join Keshet as we celebrate the Contemporary Jewish Museum’s third annual LGBTQ Family Day: A Day for Families, Friends, and Allies. Picnic and play with old friends and new, join our contemporary family parade led by the SF Lesbian/Gay…
July 28, 2013
Jazz in the Park for Young Adults
Colorado
Join your Jewish young adult friends for ‘Jazz in the Park.’
This free concert will take place at the bandstand by the Pavilion on Ferril Lake in Denver’s City Park. Look for the blue and white balloons to find our tent where…
Events
Add Your Event
Other LGBT Jewish Events
Past Keshet Events
Keshet Cabaret: Colorado
Making Challah • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7798312784/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Shabbat • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7782710026/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Tefillin Workshop • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7789153026/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7119201237/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Hannukah Celebration • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7789190726/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Blog > Search for "secular"
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareSearch Results secular
Search Results
Rituals and Documents of Marriage and Divorce for Same-Sex Couples
Six years after approving three different teshuvah about homosexuality and gay and lesbian people, the Conservative movement’s Rabbinical Assembly approved these rituals and documents developed by Rabbis Dorff, Nevins, and Reisner. This document addresses the difficulties related to nomenclature, the importance of the suspension of rabbinic level prohibitions in order to ensure human dignity, issues of kiddushin, and the history of the document development. The document includes two wedding ceremonies – one which is more traditional and one that “starts fresh.” There is also a dissolution document included….
Read More »
What’s Different about Gay Wedding Ceremonies?
…Discusses some of the differences and commonalities between gay and straight weddings, from a secular-humanist rabbi. Highlights the author’s experience conducting interfaith ceremonies….
Read More »
Gay, Jewish, or Both? Sexual Orientation and Jewish Engagement
The authors chart the shifting place of gay and lesbian Jews within the organized Jewish community. They argue that the changes and controversies surrounding the participation of lesbian and gay Jews in Jewish life raise questions about the extent to which such Jews actively engage in Judaism both privately and in communal settings. In this context, questions of identity must take into account the sociological and demographic particularities of gay men and lesbians in the United States….
Read More »
Synagogue Survey 2009 – Diversity and LGBT Inclusion
Results of a survey of over 3000 North American congregations comparing levels of diversity, focusing on inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community members and best practices for welcoming these members….
Read More »
A Concurring Opinion to Rabbi Leonard Levy's Teshuvah: "Same-Sex Attraction and Halakhah" (Committee on Jewish Law and Standards)
This concurrence argues that the Conservative Movement is becoming too lax in its relationship to Halakha (Jewish law) and that the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards should not be “legitimizing private acts in the public sphere.” The author argues that the movement should continue the halachic prohibitions against homosexual acts even as individual Jews can decide for themselves on how they want homosexual acts to be considered within the American legal system….
Read More »
We Can’t Legitimate Homosexuality Halakhically
In a talk published in the United Synagogue Review, Rabbi Joel Roth, a member of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, writes about the Conservative Movement’s relationship to halakha (Jewish law) and what he sees as a clear Biblical prohibition against gay sex. He is clear that this prohibition is not about people, thoughts, or fantasies but is specific to actions….
Read More »
Our Vision of Society Requires A "No" Vote on the Marriage Amendment, or "Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself"
In this sermon, Conservative Rabbi Gary Creditor encourages congregants to vote no on a same-sex marriage amendment in Virginia, arguing that civil law should respect, reflect and accommodate all people of our society….
Read More »
Update My Listing in the Equality Guide
…filling this form out for yourself or for an organization/institution?* I am an individual and would like to add myself. I am filling this out for my organization or institution. I am a…* Camp – Day Camp – Residential Cantor Day School Hebrew High School Hillel/Jewish student organization (college) JCC Jewish Federation JFCS/JFS (Jewish Family & Children’s Services/Jewish Family Services) Mohel Moishe House/Other young adult program Rabbi Ritual Facilitator/Spiritual Leader/Rabbinical Student Senior Housing Community Summer Program for High School Youth Synagogue/Congregation/Havurah/Minyan with religious school Synagogue/Congregation/Havurah/Minyan without religious school Youth Group I would like to add a…* Camp – Day Camp – Residential Cantor Day School Hebrew High School Hillel/Jewish student organization (college) JCC Jewish Federation JFCS/JFS (Jewish Family & Children’s Services/Jewish Family Services) Mohel Moishe House/Other young adult program Rabbi Ritual Facilitator/Spiritual Leader/Rabbinical Student Senior Housing Community Summer Program for High School Youth Synagogue/Congregation/Havurah/Minyan with religious school Synagogue/Congregation/Havurah/Minyan without religious school Youth Group If your organization type is not listed here please see below. Would you like to add an organization that is not listed above? Yes What type of organization would you like to add?* Affiliation?* Conservative No affiliation Orthodox Pluralistic/Post-Denominational/Non-Denominational Reconstructionist Reform Renewal Secular Secular Humanist…
Read More »
Chalamti: I have dreamt
…Blog written by a gay Orthodox Jew. Opinions on the various issues that face gay frum Jews. The author’s thoughts and opinions are all rooted in an attempt to find a balance between Orthodox spirituality and immersion in the secular world….
Read More »
A Covenant of Same-Sex Nisu’in and Kiddushin
The author explores the details of traditional Jewish wedding ceremonies according to halakha (Jewish law) and provides a detailed adaptation for gay and lesbian couples to use….
Read More »
Aleph Melbourne
…
Read More »
A Less Innocent Love (Parashat Vaetchanan)
…The author explores the characteristics of love in different religious and secular writing and argues that queer religious love, when it is realized, is necessarily self-aware, because it has been tested, as Abraham’s love was tested….
Read More »
Journeys with Acharei Mot (Parashat Acharei Mot)
…The author discusses his personal relationship with Judaism and Biblical text, having grown up secular. He focuses specifically on his struggle with the verses of Leviticus that condemn gay sex….
Read More »
The Wreathed Chanukah Wand: Sukkot in December
Compares the holidays of Hannukah and Christmas and discusses the issue of when Jesus was actually born, which was probably around Sukkot….
Read More »
Beyond Stick Figures (Parashat Vayechi)
The author discusses gender diversity in Jewish tradition and in both Biblical and Rabbinic text, weaving together contemporary stories of gender non-conforming and intersex people….
Read More »
History of Jewish Lesbianism
A short survey-style chronological history of Jewish views of lesbianism from biblical to modern times….
Read More »
Pluralism in Action
This role play debate gives students the opportunity to examine what pluralism looks like in action. Students take on the roles of members of a religious policy committee at a new school to discuss, debate, and determine school policy on three issues….
Read More »
Mobilize the Jewish Community for LGBTQ Rights in Massachusetts
We are in a watershed moment for LGBT rights. Across the country, the secular world is grappling with issues like: Equal marriage rights Equal employment protections for LGBT citizens Civil rights for transgender citizens Adoption for LGBT parents Hate crimes laws Safe schools for LGBT students and many more. SACRED WORK “It is sacred work to make sure that in this Commonwealth, all are treated equally, all have the right to live a safe life, and every citizen is counted as a whole and complete person created in the image of God and reflecting the blessing of wholeness.” -Rabbi Stephanie Kolin, speaking at the Massachusetts State House, Transgender Lobby Day From 2004-07, we mobilized the Jewish community to support equal marriage in Massachusetts. (Here are two Keshet leaders celebrating as the verdict was delivered!) After this success, we launched a statewide campaign to garner faith-based support for a transgender civil rights bill. In November 2011, “An Act Relative to Gender Identity” passed! Our work on this campaign began in 2008, when we spearheaded the Jewish community presence on the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality (ICTE), a multi-faith alliance to mobilize support for transgender rights legislation in Massachusetts. As far as we know, the ICTE is the only interfaith group in the country working for transgender inclusion and civil rights. We obtained signatures of more than 80 Jewish clergy and institutions and more than 50 lay leaders for a formal declaration of support for the civil rights…
Read More »
Orthodox Response to Same-Sex Marriage
This statement by Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union, presents his opinion on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. He states, ” Homosexual behavior between males or between females is absolutely forbidden by Jewish law, beginning with the biblical imperative, alluded to numerous times in the Talmud and codified in the Shulchan Aruch.” I’m a test link Dolore twee carles narwhal put a bird on it ut mumblecore, thundercats semiotics fixie assumenda. Dolor letterpress pour-over lo-fi. Anim tofu echo park, velit nisi eu gluten-free. Direct trade dreamcatcher exercitation, four loko in street art voluptate labore dolor leggings wolf delectus flexitarian lo-fi mollit. Biodiesel artisan ethical, typewriter brooklyn vinyl raw denim pop-up ut messenger bag marfa mustache high life. Aute carles etsy do beard, scenester gentrify et excepteur authentic fap occupy bicycle rights. Excepteur accusamus minim, deserunt et laboris VHS semiotics food truck letterpress mlkshk cliche irony occupy marfa….
Read More »
Being Gay In The Orthodox World: A Conversation with Members of the YU Community
A transcript from an historic event in 2009 at Yeshiva University about being gay and Orthodox. Three young gay men tell their personal stories of being gay in the Orthodox world, focusing on their relationships with family and their time in yeshivot and other Orthodox institutions….
Read More »
Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation and Youth
This factsheet about sexual orientation and youth was developed by a group of education, health, mental health, and religious organizations that all share a concern for the health and education of all students in schools, including lesbian, gay, and bisexual students. Reviews basic concepts and definitions about sexual orientation from a religious framework….
Read More »
Balak and Balaam: Language and Knowledge, Speech and Power (Parashat Balak)
The author argues that this Torah portion is a story about speech: who has the power of the tongue, and what impact words can have. As members of the queer community, we can glean something from this portion when we encounter hate speech and as we lobby for equal rights….
Read More »
Parent & Family Connection: Massachusetts
Join the Parent & Family Connection » The Keshet Parent & Family Connection is a national mentoring and leadership program for Jewish parents and family members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews.* The program originated in Boston with a group of parents who are long-time Keshet members. They brought the idea to Keshet and worked together with Keshet staff for a year to develop the project. In fall of 2011, we launched the Connection in Boston and one year later, we launched nationally. Meet the members of the Massachusetts Parent & Family Connection MAY 2: Join us for a film screening and panel discussion. Learn more! What we provide: Parent mentors provide confidential peer support by phone, email, video chat, or in person for parents and family members dealing with any stage of their family member’s coming out process, and for young adults who are struggling with how to tell their parents and other family members about their identities. Who are the mentors? The mentors are Jewish parents and family members, spanning the gamut of Jewish identities and affiliations from secular through Orthodox. Mentors have children and family members of various ages, at different points in the “coming out” process. All of the mentors have worked through their own process of accepting, understanding, and celebrating their children and their LGBTQ identities. They have come together to affirm the space in Judaism and Jewish community for themselves and for their children and family members. Where is this happening? The Parent…
Read More »
Lessons from the Margins: What Interfaith Couples and Families Can Learn from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Activism
The author draws parallels between the experiences of being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender and being in an interfaith relationship. The judgment and alienation that many interfaith couples and families experience is similar (although not identical) to that of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people….
Read More »
Gender Variant People in the Bay Area Jewish Community
Report and recommendations based on meetings conducted by Kol Tzedek with community members and rabbinic leaders to informally explore how transgender and gender variant people currently interact, or not interact, with the organized Jewish community. Report highlights the perceived organizational, social and ritual needs of transgender and gender variant persons, and the authors’ wish to understand and serve this community’s needs better….
Read More »
The First Commandment Revisited (Parashat Yitro)
The author describes the event of the giving of the Ten Commandments and explains that the first commandment actually occurs at the beginning of the Torah: “be fruitful and multiple.” He explores the common push in Jewish communities for people to have children, arguing that this can be alienating for LGBT Jews….
Read More »
Of Barbary Lane and Lorraine Hall: Notes from a Tour and an Introductory Conversation
The author’s interview with an elderly Jewish transgender woman at Barbary Lane, an LGBT-friendly elder-care facility in Oakland….
Read More »
Coming out, a young gay man finds self-acceptance
A charming, funny, and captivating story about a young Jewish man, finding his voice and place in the Jewish community as a gay man. For Isaac Lobel’s bar mitzvah, his parents got him a laptop. For what I searched for on it, they got him a shrink!…
Read More »
Billy Dalwin Pre-School of Temple Emunah
…
Read More »
Judaism, Reform Judaism and Gay Judaism
Rabbi Joe Hample was asked to speak to Gays and Lesbians in Grace, the LGBT group of Grace Cathedral, an Episcopal church in San Francisco. This is the talk that he gave to that group. It paints a long and large panorama of Jewish history as it relates to homosexuality (and other issues), and how it has evolved through time to be re-interpreted as a living religion….
Read More »
Treyf
A film by Alisa Lebow and Cynthia Madansky 1998, 55 minutes, Color, VHS/16mm TREYF —”unkosher” in Yiddish— is an unorthodox documentary by and about two Jewish lesbians who met and fell in love at a Passover seder. With personal narration, real and imagined educational films, and haunting imagery, filmmakers Alisa Lebow and Cynthia Madansky examine the Jewish identity of their upbringings and its impact on their lives. TREYF is iconoclastic and intelligent, humorous and poignant. A reflection on culture, community, and individual desire, this witty film follows the filmmakers as they discover what they thought was most profoundly “treyf” about their worldviews still has roots in Jewish history….
Read More »
Stop an Anti-marriage Constitutional Amendment
Article by Renewal Rabbi Arthur Waskow urging Jews to oppose an anti-marriage constitutional amendment and to support gay marriage, with concrete steps….
Read More »
Harvey Milk – A Jewish Hero?
Uses the film “Milk” to discuss homophobia in the US, both past and present. Uses this discussion and opinions in both American and Jewish law to argue in favor of same-sex marriage. The author also compares Harvey Milk to Joseph in the week’s Torah portion….
Read More »
Response to Rabbinical Assembly’s Decisions Regarding Ordination of Gays and Lesbians, and "Commitment Ceremonies"
Statement from the Rabbinical Council of America reacting negatively to the Conservative Movement’s ordination of gays and lesbians as rabbis and cantors and giving permission to Conservative rabbis to officiate at same-sex commitment ceremonies. The statement states that this decision represents yet another significant step in the further estrangement of the Conservative movement from Jewish law (halakha) and tradition….
Read More »
Come Out Come Out Wherever You Are (Parashat Bo)
The author discusses God’s commandment for the Hebrews to smear the blood of a sheep on their doorpost to ensure their protection from the Angel of Death as a sort of “coming out.” She argues that if we read this story as a collective “coming out” of the Hebrew people in Egypt, we may also understand “coming out” as a mitzvah and an act of faith. …
Read More »
A Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Ally Haggadah
A Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Ally Haggadah which follows the traditional structure of the Passover Seder but contains readings and discussion questions pertaining to GLBT identity and life….
Read More »
A “Great Moral Issue” of Our Time (Parashat Vayera)
In this sermon. Rabbi Carl Perkins discusses discrimination and bigotry against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the Jewish community and in mainstream American society, specifically in the context of the rise in LGBT suicides in the fall of 2010. He discusses the case of a wedding announcement of a gay couple in a Jewish newspaper that angered Orthodox readers, and the response given by the paper’s editors. He argues that as religious people, we must stop condemning homosexuality as a matter of life and death….
Read More »
Responding in Prayer and Practice to Same-Sex Marriages
Three addenda to marriage rituals by rabbis Phyllis Berman and Arthur Waskow….
Read More »
Covenant of Love – Brit Reyut
Rabbi Stuart Kelman’s Brit Reyut ceremony was constructed on the assumptions underlying a teshuva (rabbinic responsa) that he wrote on gay and lesbian inclusion in his synagogue in the early 1990s, titled Community and Diversity – A Teshuva on Gay and Lesbian Couples at Congregation Netivot Shalom. Rabbi Kelman’s ceremony replaces the chuppah with a sukkah-like canopy, includes a form of exchange called chalifin for a ring ceremony, and made some changes to the traditional sheva berakhot….
Read More »
Parent & Family Connection: Colorado
Join the Parent & Family Connection » The Keshet Parent & Family Connection is a peer-run support program for Jewish parents and family members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews.* Meet the members of the Colorado Parent & Family Connection What we provide: Parent mentors provide confidential peer support by phone, email, video chat, or in person for parents and family members dealing with any stage of their family member’s coming out process, and for young adults who are struggling with how to tell their parents and other family members about their identities. Who are the mentors? The mentors are Jewish parents and family members, spanning the gamut of Jewish identities and affiliations from secular through Orthodox. Mentors have children and family members of various ages, at different points in the coming out process. All of the mentors have worked through their own process of accepting, understanding, and celebrating their children and their LGBTQ identities. They have come together to affirm the space in Judaism and Jewish community for themselves and for their children and family members. Where is this happening? The Parent & Family Connection is a national program offering support to parents and family members of LGBTQ children across the country. They are matched with parent mentors who are currently being trained in the following five areas: Boston Chicago Denver/Boulder Philadelphia Washington DC/Baltimore If your situation is urgent, please contact one of these crisis hotlines: The Trevor Project Helpline: 1.866.4.U.TREVOR. Fenway Community Health’s…
Read More »
It's the Purity, Stupid: Reading Leviticus in Context (Parashat Tazria and Parashat Metzora)
Sexual practices are forbidden not because of the convenient rationales one often hears today, but because they are maasei mitzrayim, acts of Egypt, and thus taboo for Israelites, who are exhorted to live a life circumscribed by distinctions. The prohibitions are part of Leviticus’s “Holiness Code,” which is chiefly about maintaining cultic and ritual purity – not ethics, not family, and not “nature.”…
Read More »
Not a Deathly Hallows: A Year of Queer Torah (Parashat Vayikra)
The author shares what he believes the Ba’al Shem Tov would think of Torah Queeries, summarizing the content of the year of queeries….
Read More »
Coming Out in the Orthodox World; Being Out as a Jew in Lesbian Circles
The author’s personal story of falling in love with a woman, coming out to her family and community, and eventually having a commitment ceremony….
Read More »
Finding the Good Side: A Portrait of the Priestly Class (Parashat Tetzaveh)
The author explores some questions and difficulties he sees in animal sacrifice, arguing that it is easier to think about these “sacrifices” as part of a tribal economy with the Covenant as its ethical center. He also creates a connection between the Covenant, sacrifice, and the development of social class and social inequality….
Read More »
Balancing on the Mechitza
While the Jewish mainstream still argues about homosexuality, many transgender and gender-variant people sit in the congregation, marry under the chuppah, and create Jewish families. Balancing on the Mechitza gives voice to this movement in Jewish culture. Contributors share their theoretical contemplations as well as rite-of-passage and other transformative stories….
Read More »
Defending Love, Defending Marriage
An article about legislative gay marriage victories and gay marriage within the Jewish community, particularly in the Reconstructionist community. The author argues that the movement should support the right of gays and lesbians to take on the responsibilities and privileges of marriage….
Read More »
Bridging Differences in Gay and Lesbian Interfaith Partnerships
Discusses some of the issues and questions regarding family, community, and theology facing gay and lesbian interfaith partners….
Read More »
Breaking news from the Jerusalem Open House: Terror and hate crimes suspect held by police for crimes against LGBTQ community and other minorities
A press release from the Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance after the arrest of Yaakov Teitel, who is suspected of carrying out an attack against young people at a Tel Aviv LGBT Youth Center….
Read More »
The Gay Orthodox Underground
Article about gay and lesbians in the Orthodox community. Many gay and lesbian individuals and couples say that they are neither “advertising” their identities and lifestyles, nor are they keeping them a secret….
Read More »
Aliyah: Trans(Per)forming Jewish Ritual
The author recounts his person experience of being a transgender person at synagogue….
Read More »
Support Families
The Keshet Parent & Family Connection is a national mentoring and leadership program for Jewish parents and family members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews.* What we provide: Parent mentors provide confidential peer support by phone, email, video chat, or in person for parents and family members dealing with any stage of their family member’s coming out process, and for young adults who are struggling with how to tell their parents and other family members about their identities. WHEN MY DAUGHTER CAME OUT “When my daughter came out, I was surprised by how cut off I felt. She was going into this world, and all these experiences, that I knew nothing about. All parents of LGBT kids just want to hear that their children can live safe, normal lives, and it was through meeting others through Keshet that I realized this was possible, that it was possible to be part of a welcoming Jewish community. Keshet helped me connect. And now I know that we, the parents and families of LGBT kids, have the ability to be tremendous allies in helping to accomplish the advocacy work Keshet has been doing so incredibly.” -Jayne Guberman, founding member of the Parent & Family Connection Join the Parent & Family Connection » Who are the mentors? The mentors are Jewish parents and family members, spanning the gamut of Jewish identities and affiliations from secular through Orthodox. Mentors have children and family members of various ages, at different points in the…
Read More »
Birkat HaChama – 1925, 1953, 1981, 2009, 2037
A description of Birkat HaChama (blessing of the sun), a ritual celebrated every 28 years. Connects Birkat HaChama to LGBT liberation….
Read More »
Emerging Torah of Same-Sex Marriage
The author explores arguments used against same-sex marriage, including “be fruitful and multiply” and the sacredness of sex. He both in an LGBTQ-positive light….
Read More »
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Equal Rights
Official document of the Religious Action Center of the Reform Movement reviewing the relevant political issues in 2006 to LGBT people in the United States, including employment non-discrimination, partner immigration, a landmark Supreme Court case involving a gay leader of a Boy Scouts troop, gay marriage, gay adoption, and don’t ask don’t tell. The document concludes with the Reform Movement’s position on these issues….
Read More »
The Former Rain and the Latter Rain: A Queer Jew in Diaspora Wrestling with Tradition and Progress (Parashat Ekev)
In this commentary, the author discusses their personal experience of the changing text of the siddur, specifically its translation of the V’Ahavta prayer….
Read More »
From The Look Of Love, From The Eyes Of Pride (Tu B’Av)
The author remarks on Jewish time: it goes in cycles from Shabbat to Shabbat, and one year to the next, with lots of ups and downs for the different emotions of different holidays. He explores the holiday of Tu B’Av, the Jewish love holiday, and its proximity to Tisha B’Av, a day of mourning….
Read More »
Jewish Stars and Pink Triangles
The author documents his journey as a speechwriter for a leading Reform rabbi from writing words first of derision for, then of acceptance and tolerance of, and finally of full embracing gays and lesbians, arguing that in the US, gay rights should not be dependent at all upon religious acceptance of homosexuality….
Read More »
The Hillel LGBTQ Resource Guide
A resource guide designed for Hillel professionals with articles by different authors on a variety of topics, including inclusive vocabulary, Jewish LGBTQ history, skill-building towards inclusiveness, rituals, and more….
Read More »
Religious Action Center – Reform Movement Perspective on Gay & Lesbian Rights & Jewish Values
Summary of the Reform Movement’s positions on issues relating to Gay and Lesbian Rights and Jewish values. Covers positions on Biblical texts, thoughts on human dignity, gay marriage, and Boy Scouts of America. Also includes links to related resolutions passed by the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR)….
Read More »
How I Ended Up at the Jerusalem Same Sex Attraction Discussion Group
In observance of Jewish Social Action Month, Zeek Magazine staff decided to look within the community and focus space in the magazine regarding who is “vulnerable to violence, repression and subjugation.” The essay, written in a first person narrative, takes a sometimes humorous look at the author’s life, his move to study at a haredi yeshiva in Jerusalem and the phenomenon of conversion therapy in the Jewish community….
Read More »
Gender Variant People in the Bay Area Jewish Community
In this report, Kol Tzedek recommends that the Jewish federations of the San Francisco Bay Area address the needs of gender variant Jews, a growing, struggling and threatened population of Jews in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Many members of this population are eager to increase their participation in Jewish communal life and organizations, though they suffer from discrimination and transphobia, which hinders from from fully participating….
Read More »
Being Gay In The Orthodox World: A Conversation with Members of the YU Community
Video from an historic event in 2009 at Yeshiva University about being gay and Orthodox. Three young gay men tell their personal stories of being gay in the Orthodox world, focusing on their relationships with family and their time in yeshivot and other Orthodox institutions….
Read More »
BEKI (Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel)
…
Read More »
Aleph Melbourne
…
Read More »
Transforming Beitecha – A Guide to Creating LGBTQ Ritual, Spiritual, and Pastoral Homes
Produced by Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) in New York, the guide contains resources on pastoral care with elders, developing LGBTQ affirming liturgies, how to talk about both problematic and celebratory texts, glossary of terms, and innovative ritual. These resources are based on the workshops that were originally intended for cantorial and rabbinical students….
Read More »
« Older EntriesNewer Entries »Transforming Beitecha – A Guide to Creating LGBTQ Ritual, Spiritual, and Pastoral HomesKeshet at Boston LGBT Pride 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7394832188/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>PrideFest, Denver • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410685968/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Making Your Own Tallit Workshop • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7790391800/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Tracks, Denver • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7790364374/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Bar Night 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7376139310/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareHineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
The story of a whole community inspired and changed by one girls courage
Hiniei: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Buy the DVD
HINEINI (Hebrew for ‘Here I am') chronicles the story of one student's courageous fight to establish a gay-straight alliance at a Jewish high school in the Boston area and the transformative impact of her campaign on her entire community.
Longing to connect more deeply with her Jewish identity, Shulamit Izen enters 9th grade at The New Jewish High School (now Gann Academy) in Waltham, Massachusetts. She also starts school as an out lesbian.
Using interviews with Shulamit, her family, teachers, and other students – both those who support her campaign and those who oppose it – the film allows the members of this community to tell their own stories. What emerges is a potent and inspiring story of Jewish pluralism and a community navigating the cross-currents of Jewish tradition and social change.
Beyond the struggle to create a supportive environment for gay and lesbian students and teachers at the school, this is the story of a community wrestling with the very definition of pluralism and diversity in a Jewish context.
From sanctifying same-sex marriages to ordaining gay rabbis, discussions of GLBT identity and inclusion are taking place across the Jewish religious spectrum. Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School offers a vital new framework in which to understand these issues and a powerful catalyst for discussion and dialogue in all communities.
Learn about the making of Hineini
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Making Hineini
The Filmakers
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now
KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > Wrestling with God
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareWrestling with God
On1foot.com logoHosted by our partner, On1Foot.org, this is an interactive collection of more than 160 classical Jewish texts curated by Rabbi Steve Greenberg. These are the primary source texts Rabbi Greenberg explored in depth in his groundbreaking book, Wrestling with God & Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition. Here you can create customizable text-study and source sheets using the “Wrestling with God” texts for use in classrooms, synagogues, and other educational venues.
Deuteronomy 23:20
February 27, 2012
You shall not deduct interest from loans to your countrymen, whether in money or food or anything else that can be deducted as interest. [Translation by Rabbi Steve Greenberg] ????? ?”?:?’ ??? ????????? ????????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?????? ????????: Suggested Discussion…
Exodus 22:24
February 27, 2012
If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, do not act toward them as a creditor; exact no interest from them. [Translation by Rabbi Steve Greenberg] ???? ?”?:?”? ??? ?????? ???????? ??? ?????? ??? ??????? ??????? ??? ??????? ??? ????????? ??? ?????????? ?????? ???????: Suggested Discussi…
Ecclesiastes 4:1
February 27, 2012
I further observed all the oppressions that goes on under the sun. Behold, the tears of the oppressed. There is no one to comfort them. In the hands of their oppressors there is power, and there is no one to comfort them. [Translation by Rabbi Steve Greenberg] ???? ?:? ??????????? ?????, ????????? ?…
Exodus 20:12
February 27, 2012
Honor your father and your mother, so that you may long endure on the land that the Lord your God is assigning to you. [Translation by Rabbi Steve Greenberg] ???? ?:?? ??????? ???-???????, ?????-???????–???????, ?????????? ???????, ??? ?????????, ??????-?????? ????????? ????? ???? Suggested Discuss…
Deuteronomy 22:28
February 27, 2012
Then the man who lay with her shall give to the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he has humbled her, he may not put her away all his days. [Translation by Rabbi Steve Greenberg] ????? ??:?? ????-??????? ?????, ?????? ???????? ?????? ???-????????, ???????????,…
Next »
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > All Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareAll Resources
Resources are tagged by topic and media type, and where applicable, holiday and grade level. Use the drop-down menus or simply type a keyword into the box. As you choose items from the drop-down menus, your selections will appear on the right-hand side. You may use keywords in conjunction with any of the drop-down menus. You can also try using multiple topics at once. Results will appear and update in real time underneath the search box as you enter and update your search terms.
Loading...
Search Resources
Use these dropdowns to select multiple search criteria.
Keyword: TopicsActivism & Civil RightsAllyBullying or HarassmentComing OutConservative MovementDIY LGBT Jewish EventsDating and RelationshipsFamilies and ParentingFeminismHolocaustInterfaithJewish LawJewish ValuesJews by ChoiceJews of ColorLegislationLesbianLifecycle EventsMarriage and WeddingsOrthodox MovementPolicies and Best PracticesReconstructionist MovementReform MovementRenewal MovementRitual/Liturgy/PrayerSupport & HelplinesTransgender and Gender IdentityYouth
HolidaysDay of SilenceFast DaysHanukkahHolocaust Remembrance DayNational Coming Out DayPassoverPridePurimRosh ChodeshRosh Hashanah and Yom KippurShavuotSimchat TorahSukkotTransgender Day of Remembrance
Author14th St. YALEPH: Alliance for Jewish RenewalAaronAaron WeiningerAbi WeissmanAlana SuskinAlex CarterAlex WeissmanAlice Sparberg AlexiouAlisa LebowAmerican Academy of PediatricsAmerican Association of School AdministratorsAmerican Conference of CantorsAmerican Counseling AssociationAmerican Federation of TeachersAmerican Psychological AssociationAmerican School Health AssociationAmichai Lau-LavieAmos LassenAmy SandlerAmy SouleAndrea GuerraAndrew RamerAnn AbramsAnonymousAriAri Lev FornariAri Y. KelmanArthur GoldbergAsher BruskinAsher GellisAudrey Beth SteinAvi KopstickAvi RoseB'nei Brith Youth OrganizationBBYOBarbara PenznerBatya BaumanBen SchneiderBenjyBeth M. GilbertBrett Genny BeemynB’nai JeshurunCantor David E. ReinwaldCarla CantorCarrie KaufmanCaryn AvivCentral Conference of American RabbisChaim ElbaumChaim LevinChaim Moshe haLevi (Marc Howard Landas)Charlie AndersChaya Kaplan-LesterCindy MarshallCole KrawitzCommittee on Jewish Law and StandardsCommittee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical AssemblyCongregation B'nai JeshurunCongregation Beit Simchat TorahCongregation Beit TikvahCynthia HoffmanCynthia MadanskyDanielDaniel BelascoDarren LipmanDavid KatzenelsonDavid LevyDavid ShneerDavis SchwartzDebora A. Larry KearneyDiane KleinDr. Caitlin RyanDr. Dana BeyerDr. Debra Reed BlankDr. Jaime M. GrantDr. Joel L. KushnerDr. Judith VeinsteinDr. Kate M. OttDr. Lynn PontonDr. Mandell I. GanchrowDr. Sarah PessinDr. Sharon GrovesDr. Stephen M. CohenDr. Virginia Ramey MollenkottD’ror Chankin-GouldEitan FreedenbergElaine Shizgal CohenElaine Silodor BerkElana BrochinElianna GoldsteinElisabeth KushnerElizabeth LeibowitzEly WinklerEmily SilverErika DavisExecutive Board of the Commission on Social Action of Reform JudaismEyal LevinsonFamily Acceptance ProjectGLSENGay & Lesbian Victory Fund and InstituteGregg DiGregg DrinkwaterGwynn KesslerHaim TabakmanHarvey BlitzHoward SolomonHoward SteiermannHuman Rights CampaignICCJIgael Gurin-MalousIlana Goldhaber-GordonIlil AlexanderInstitute for Judaism and Sexual OrientationInstitute for Public AffairsInterfaith Alliance FoundationIrena FayngoldIsaac LobelJ. Simone PosnerJF&CSJP PayneJQ InternationalJack HarrisonJake PyneJakob HeroJaredJase SchwartzJay MichaelsonJay StantonJeffry SchecknerJennifer BersdaleJeremy SchwartzJessica MeyerJewish Community Federation of San FranciscoJill DearmanJim Davis RosenthalJo Ellen Green KaiserJo HirschmannJody L. HermanJoe HampleJoel KushnerJohn E. HirschJohn HirschJonathanJoseph A. ShapiroJoshJosh FurmanJoy LadinJudith PlaskowJulia Watts BelserJustin TannisKadin HenningsenKaren ErlichmanKaren KushnerKaren Lee ErlichmanKaren PerolmanKate BornsteinKendra LubalinKerrick LuckerKerry ChaplinKeshetKol TzedekKolot: The Center for Jewish Women’s and Gender Studies of RRCLawrence BushLeah KoenigLev RaphaelLisa A. MottetLog Cabin RepublicansMa'yanMaggid Jhos SingerMakella CraeliusMara Ellen BerdeMara KeislingMargaret BlankersMargaux BuckMarisa Elana JamesMartha AckelsbergMartin Rawlings-FeinMatt GoodmanMayyim HayyimMeir HobermanMelanie WeissMembers of Congregation Sha'ar ZahavMerav DosterMichael GoldMichael SaridMichal EdenMijael VeraMiriam IgnatoffMiryam KabakovMordechai LevovitzMoshe Ben ChaconMovement Advancement ProjectNCSYNFTYNaomi GrossmanNathan J. DiamentNational Association of School PsychologistsNational Association of Social WorkersNational Center for Transgender EqualityNational Conference of Synagogue YouthNational Education AssociationNational Federation of Temple YouthNational Stonewall DemocratsNicole NussbaumNili YoshaNoach DzmuraNoah BranmanOlivia WiznitzerOrthodox UnionPacific Southwest CouncilPhil S. SteinProgressive Jewish AllianceRabbah Emily Aviva KaporRabbi Aaron AlexanderRabbi Aaron MacklerRabbi Adina LewittesRabbi Alexander SchindlerRabbi Amber PowersRabbi Andrea MyersRabbi Andrew SacksRabbi Arnold M. GoodmanRabbi Arthur WaskowRabbi Avi Katz-OrlowRabbi Avram ReisnerRabbi Ayelet CohenRabbi Baruch Frydman-KohlRabbi Ben Zion BergmanRabbi Benay LappeRabbi Bruce Bromberg SeltzerRabbi Camille Shira AngelRabbi Carl M. PerkinsRabbi Chaim RapoportRabbi Dan ShevitzRabbi Daniel BrennerRabbi Daniel NevinsRabbi Daniel SiegelRabbi Daniel WolpeRabbi Danya RuttenbergRabbi David FineRabbi David GreensteinRabbi David LazarRabbi David LernerRabbi David M. FrankRabbi David MitchellRabbi David SapersteinRabbi Denise EgerRabbi Elissa KohenRabbi Elliot DorffRabbi Elliot KuklaRabbi Eric YoffieRabbi Gail LabovitzRabbi Gary CreditorRabbi Gordon TuckerRabbi Harold M. SchulweisRabbi Harry RosenfeldRabbi Haviva Ner DavidRabbi Herman BlumbergRabbi Howard HandlerRabbi Jacob J. StaubRabbi James GreeneRabbi Jane KanarekRabbi Jane Rachel LitmanRabbi Jason KleinRabbi Jill HammerRabbi Jo DavidRabbi Joel AlterRabbi Joel RothRabbi Jonah PesnerRabbi Joseph ProuserRabbi Joshua LesserRabbi Kassel AbelsonRabbi Kenneth CarrRabbi Laurence EdwardsRabbi Leonard LevyRabbi Leslie BergsonRabbi Lina ZerbariniRabbi Lisa EdwardsRabbi Liz BoltonRabbi Loel M. WeissRabbi Marc MargoliusRabbi Margaret Moers WenigRabbi Mayer RabinowitzRabbi Melissa B. SimonRabbi Melissa SimonRabbi Menachem CreditorRabbi Michael Adam LatzRabbi Michael BealsRabbi Michael BernsteinRabbi Michael NamathRabbi Michael RothbaumRabbi Miriam JerrisRabbi Mychal CopelandRabbi Myron GellerRabbi Nancy H. WienerRabbi Neil JanesRabbi Phyllis BermanRabbi Rachel GurevitzRabbi Rebecca T. AlpertRabbi Reuben ZellmanRabbi Reuven KimelmanRabbi Rick BrodyRabbi Robert FineRabbi Robert J. SaksRabbi Robin Fryer BodzinRabbi Robin NafshiRabbi Roni HandlerRabbi SaraLeya SchleyRabbi Seth GorenRabbi ShafranRabbi Sharon KleinbaumRabbi Sharon StiefelRabbi Shmuel JablonRabbi Simchah RothRabbi Stephen ArnoldRabbi Steven GreenbergRabbi Stuart KelmanRabbi Sue Levi ElwellRabbi Susan GulackRabbi Susan SchnurRabbi Toba SpitzerRabbi Tracee L. RosenRabbi Tzvi Hersh WeinrebRabbi Victor ReinsteinRabbi Yaakov LevadoRabbi Yosef BlauRabbinical Council of AmericaRabbinical Council of America and Union of Orthodox Congregations of AmericaRachel AckermanRachel BarenblatRachel BialeRachel BrodieRachel PepperRaimi MarxRayees ShahReb KaplanRebbetzin Hadassah GrossRebecca AlpertRebecca WaxRebecca WeinerReconstructionist Rabbinical AssociationReconstructionist Rabbinical CollegeReligious Action CenterRev. Allyson RobinsonRev. Chris GlaserRev. Dr. Erin SwensonRev. Drew PhoenixRev. Elizabeth MacaulayRev. Phyllis V. PenneseRev. Sarah Carpenter-VascikRi J. TurnerRoberta IsraeloffRoni AlperinS. Bear BergmanSandi Simcha DubowskiSandy WarshawSarah EpsteinSasha T. GoldbergSaul DavidSeth KrosnerShulamit IzenStacy TrevenonStephanie SilbersteinSteven M. CohenSusan SapiroSusan SaxeSusan Weidman SchneiderSuzanne FeinspanTamar PragerThe Aleph Project at Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY)The Jewish Community Center of San FranciscoThe Shalom CenterTracey RogersTucker LiebermanUAHC Task Force on Lesbian and Gay InclusionUAHC-CCAR Joint Commission on Social ActionUSYUnion for Reform JudaismUnion of American Hebrew CongregationsUnited Synagogue YouthUnited Synagogue of Conservative JudaismUnknownVanessa "Vinny" PrellVered MeirVirginia SpatzWomen of Reform JudaismY. Gavriel A. Levi AnsaraYonatan GherYoung JudaeaZack HudsonZvi Bellin
Media TypeArticle or DocumentBlogBooksEducational ToolFilmInterviewLesson Plan/ActivitiesPostersPromotional MaterialRitualTeaching GuidelinesTorah CommentaryVideosWebsite
Grade LevelCollege and AdultEarly ChildhoodElementaryHigh SchoolMiddle School
Your selections:
Reset SearchShow 102550100 entriesShowing 1 to 25 of 640 entriesFirstPrevious12345NextLastResource Name
18 Ways to Make Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Members Feel Welcome in Your Congregation
November 28, 2008 | Union for Reform Judaism
Ideas on how make LGBT Jews feel at home and a welcome part of a community.…
Policies and Best Practices | Reform Movement
Download
All Gender LGBTQ Tefillin Workshop
January 22, 2012 | JP Payne
The act of laying tefillin is an act of intimacy between a Jewish person and God. In this workshop, we encourage people of all genders to partake in this ancient ritual. We also encourage participants to engage in a text study which examines the…
DIY LGBT Jewish Events
Download
Andrea Jacobs @ Vigil for Tel Aviv LGBT Center
Keshet Director of Education Andrea Jacob’s speech at a vigil for victims of Tel Aviv’s GLBT Center shooting.…
Activism & Civil Rights
Article or Document
"Gay Judaism" and the Struggle for Inclusion
October 1, 2003 | Rabbi Joshua Lesser
The author writes of his decision to go to rabbinical school and the history behind the Reconstructionist Rabbinical School’s inclusive attitude towards gay and lesbian students. He also addresses some landmark legislative cases…
Activism & Civil Rights | Reconstructionist Movement
Download
Article or Document, Blog, Torah Commentary
What’s Jewish about Gay Pride?
June 2, 2012 | David Levy
A sermon in honor of Gay Pride about the connections to be made between the Torah portion and Gay Pride. Includes personal stories and reflections from the author.…
Activism & Civil RightsPride
Article or Document, Blog
Arise
August 14, 2012
Author’s personal story of becoming a bat mitzvah following transitioning genders from male to female. Focuses on choosing a new name and the powerful role it plays in one’s bar/bat mitzvah, particularly following gender transition.…
Lifecycle Events | Ritual/Liturgy/Prayer | Transgender and Gender Identity
Article or Document, Blog
Coming out, a young gay man finds self-acceptance
June 12, 2013 | Isaac Lobel
A charming, funny, and captivating story about a young Jewish man, finding his voice and place in the Jewish community as a gay man. For Isaac Lobel’s bar mitzvah, his parents got him a laptop. For what I searched for on it, they got him…
Coming Out | Families and Parenting | Youth
Article or Document, Blog
Modelling Respect
May 10, 2012 | Rabbi Avi Katz-Orlow
Blog post by an Orthodox rabbi, making a case against homophobia and bullying and in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage using Jewish texts about respecting our fellow human beings.…
Marriage and Weddings | Orthodox Movement
Article or Document, Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Transforming Beitecha – A Guide to Creating LGBTQ Ritual, Spiritual, and Pastoral Homes
Congregation Beit Simchat Torah
Produced by Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) in New York, the guide contains resources on pastoral care with elders, developing LGBTQ affirming liturgies, how to talk about both problematic and celebratory texts, glossary of terms,…
Policies and Best Practices
Download
Article or Document, Educational Tool, Ritual
The Velveteen Rabbi’s Haggadah for Pesach
Rachel Barenblat
A free and open-source LGBT-inclusive haggadah for Passover which combines traditional texts with poetry and creative interpretations.…
Ritual/Liturgy/PrayerPassover
Download
Article or Document, Educational Tool, Website
Queerly Created
Rabbi Elliot Kukla, Rabbi Reuben Zellman
Examining the creation of humanity in Jewish sacred texts from the Bible until today, Queerly Created is the first section of Jewish Mosaic’s TransTexts section.…
Transgender and Gender Identity
Article or Document, Educational Tool
Creating a Jewish Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA): Youth Organizing Manual
The Aleph Project at Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY)
A 30 page step-by-step guide to creating a GSA in a Jewish environment. Includes an explanation of GSAs, concrete steps to take to starting a GSA, talking points, tips for running successful meetings, and other resources. To download this…
Activism & Civil Rights | Policies and Best Practices | Youth
Article or Document, Educational Tool
Jewish Pride: Celebrating LGBT Voices in Our Community
July 8, 2009 | Karen Kushner
A brochure with biographies of six bay area Jewish members of the LGBT community, each followed by each person’s answer to the question, “When you go to a new synagogue, what do you look for to feel welcome?”…
Download
Article or Document, Educational Tool
Making Your Community More Transgender-Friendly: Guidelines for Individuals and Congregations
January 1, 2004 | Rabbi Reuben Zellman
Guidelines for how to Jewish communities can make their institutions more transgender friendly. Includes general tips for individuals.…
Policies and Best Practices | Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Article or Document, Educational Tool
Making Your Jewish Congregation or Community More Transgender Friendly
January 1, 2007 | Rabbi Elliot Kukla, Rabbi Reuben Zellman
A brochure with concrete steps that Jewish communities can take to be more inclusive of transgender members.…
Policies and Best Practices | Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Article or Document, Educational Tool
National Coming Out Day: Planning Manual
The Aleph Project at Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY)
Step-by-step guide to planning a National Coming Out Day (NCOD) observance in a Jewish educational setting. The NCOD campaign is a one-day campaign that engages the community to take a stand against bullying and harassment against gay,…
Activism & Civil Rights | Bullying or Harassment | Coming Out | Policies and Best Practices | YouthNational Coming Out Day
Article or Document, Educational Tool
The Berman Jewish Policy Archive – LGBT Section
Open access to a growing library of 14,000+ policy-relevant documents from leading authors, journals, and organizations. LGBT section contains over 150 policies.…
Conservative Movement | Jewish Law | Marriage and Weddings | Orthodox Movement | Policies and Best Practices | Reconstructionist Movement | Reform Movement
Article or Document, Educational Tool
What Does Gay Mean?: How to Talk with Kids about Sexual Orientation and Prejudice
Dr. Lynn Ponton
Published by Mental Health America (MHA), this pamphlet is designed to help parents have honest conversations with their kids about sexual orientation. Discusses the positive effects of having these conversations, followed by concrete…
Bullying or Harassment | Youth
Download
Article or Document, Educational Tool
What to Do When a Teen Comes Out to You
Keshet
A short list of concrete suggestions for responses and reactions for when a teenager comes out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer.…
Coming Out | Youth
Download
Article or Document, Interview
Interview With a Transsexual Within the Orthodox Jewish Community
October 3, 2008 | Unknown
An interview with an Orthodox transsexual individual about their personal experience transitioning and negotiating community and family space.…
Orthodox Movement | Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Article or Document, Interview
Of Barbary Lane and Lorraine Hall: Notes from a Tour and an Introductory Conversation
July 28, 2009 | Noach Dzmura
The author’s interview with an elderly Jewish transgender woman at Barbary Lane, an LGBT-friendly elder-care facility in Oakland.…
Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Article or Document, Interview
Sacred Sexuality: An Interview with Jay Michaelson
February 20, 2007 | Cole Krawitz, Jay Michaelson
The author interviews writer Jay Michaelson about his latest book, God in Your Body; the organization Michaelson founded, Nehirim; gay, lesbian, transgender, and queer identity, and Rabbinic literature.…
Download
Article or Document, Lesson Plan/Activities
Gender Diversity in Aggada
March 1, 2007 | Rabbi Elliot Kukla
Text study on gender and gender diversity in ancient Jewish texts. Includes discussion questions.…
Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Article or Document, Lesson Plan/Activities
Gender Diversity in Halacha (The Way We Walk)
March 1, 2007 | Rabbi Elliot Kukla
Rabbinic texts on the tumtum and adrogynous, beings created by the rabbis to explore the limits of law, and now used by many contemporary teachers to discuss trans/gender identity in Jewish law and antiquity. Concludes with study questions.…
Jewish Law | Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Article or Document, Lesson Plan/Activities
Oy Vey! The Rabbi is Gay! A Children's Tale for All the Conservative Synagogue Educators Who Might Need a Little Extra Help Next Week
December 1, 2006 | Rabbi Daniel Brenner
A gay-positive short story for children about a congregation whose new rabbi turns out to be gay.…
Youth
Download
Showing 1 to 25 of 640 entriesFirstPrevious12345NextLastResources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > Torah Queeries
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareTorah Queeries
Keshet's Torah Queeries archive offers more than 150 creative and incisive “queer” takes on the weekly Torah portions and major Jewish holidays, written by some of the Jewish world’s most dynamic scholars, rabbis, activists, and lay leaders.
For a collection of Torah Queeries essays, check out the Torah Queeries book.
Loading...
Search Resources
Use these dropdowns to select multiple search criteria.
Keyword: TopicsActivism & Civil RightsBullying or HarassmentComing OutDating and RelationshipsFamilies and ParentingJewish LawLesbianLifecycle EventsMarriage and WeddingsOrthodox MovementReform MovementRitual/Liturgy/PrayerTransgender and Gender Identity
HolidaysFast DaysHanukkahPassoverPridePurimRosh Hashanah and Yom KippurShavuotSimchat TorahSukkotTransgender Day of Remembrance
AuthorAbi WeissmanAlex CarterAmichai Lau-LavieAmos LassenAmy SouleAndrew RamerAri Lev FornariCantor David E. ReinwaldCaryn AvivChaim Moshe haLevi (Marc Howard Landas)Cynthia HoffmanDarren LipmanDavid KatzenelsonDavid LevyDavid ShneerDebora A. Larry KearneyDr. Sarah PessinGregg DrinkwaterHoward SteiermannIgael Gurin-MalousJ. Simone PosnerJase SchwartzJay MichaelsonJay StantonJeremy SchwartzJo HirschmannJohn E. HirschJoseph A. ShapiroJoy LadinJulia Watts BelserKaren Lee ErlichmanKaren PerolmanKerrick LuckerLev RaphaelMaggid Jhos SingerMarisa Elana JamesMeir HobermanMichael SaridMijael VeraMiryam KabakovMoshe Ben ChaconNoach DzmuraRabbi Adina LewittesRabbi Amber PowersRabbi Andrew SacksRabbi Carl M. PerkinsRabbi David GreensteinRabbi David LazarRabbi Elliot KuklaRabbi Jacob J. StaubRabbi James GreeneRabbi Jane Rachel LitmanRabbi Jill HammerRabbi Joshua LesserRabbi Laurence EdwardsRabbi Lisa EdwardsRabbi Melissa B. SimonRabbi Rachel GurevitzRabbi Reuben ZellmanRabbi Rick BrodyRabbi Robin NafshiRabbi Seth GorenRabbi Steven GreenbergRachel BarenblatRachel BialeRachel BrodieRebbetzin Hadassah GrossRebecca WeinerRi J. TurnerSasha T. GoldbergStephanie SilbersteinTucker LiebermanVanessa "Vinny" PrellY. Gavriel A. Levi AnsaraZvi Bellin
Media TypeArticle or DocumentBooksEducational ToolTorah CommentaryWebsite
Grade LevelCollege and AdultHigh School
Your selections:
Reset SearchShow 102550100 entriesShowing 1 to 25 of 175 entriesFirstPrevious12345NextLastResource Name
Article or Document, Torah Commentary
High Healing: A Purim Message
March 14, 2006 | Amichai Lau-Lavie, Rebbetzin Hadassah Gross
A tongue-in-cheek essay by Rebbetzin Hadassah Gross, the drag queen persona of Amichai Lau-Lavie, about the meaning behind Purim. She writes about some of the issues facing the Jewish community and gives some advice for how rabbis might deal…
Purim
Download
Article or Document, Torah Commentary
On the Thirteenth Day (Parashat Naso)
June 9, 2006 | Jo Hirschmann
The author asks why a census must be taken. To be counted is to be blessed. To count others is to bestow a blessing upon them. She argues that this is what LGBT Jews have been doing since the 1970's: started synagogues and organizations,…
Download
Article or Document, Torah Commentary
Singing for Our Lives (Parashat Be’Ha’alotekha)
June 16, 2008 | Gregg Drinkwater
The author explores the story of Miriam and Aaron challenging Moses’ authority as a prophet and speak “against Moses regarding the Cushite woman he had married.” For this, God punishes Miriam by afflicting her with tzaaras, a skin condition…
Download
Article or Document
The Wreathed Chanukah Wand: Sukkot in December
December 17, 2008 | Chaim Moshe haLevi (Marc Howard Landas)
Compares the holidays of Hannukah and Christmas and discusses the issue of when Jesus was actually born, which was probably around Sukkot.…
Hanukkah | Sukkot
Download
Books, Educational Tool, Torah Commentary, Website
Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible
September 1, 2009 | David Shneer, Gregg Drinkwater, Rabbi Joshua Lesser
Buy the Torah Queeries book »
See Torah Queeries essays online »
This book brings together some of the world’s leading rabbis, scholars, and writers to interpret the Torah through a queer lens. Use these essays in your weekly parsha text…
Torah Commentary
"A Simple Matter of Justice" Achare Mot-Kedoshim
April 29, 1993 | Rabbi Lisa Edwards
The author writes about the verses in Leviticus that forbid gay sex and the dangers in heeding them too closely, highlighting other verses instead that call for love and respect.…
Reform Movement
Download
Torah Commentary
"And God Called": The Process is the Message (Parashat VaYikra)
April 1, 2006 | Rabbi Jane Rachel Litman
The author discusses our human urge to connect with God and its relationship to struggling with verses of Torah that do not speak to us as LGBT Jews. We know that some of the Torah’s words seem homophobic, sexist, insensitive to disabled people,…
Download
Torah Commentary
"Hey Yaacov, Someone’s Calling your Name!" "If it isn’t Yisrael, I’m not Home." (Parashat Vayishlach)
December 12, 2008 | Zvi Bellin
The author explores why Jacob was renamed twice in this Torah portion, and argues that each one of us has an ideal vision of who we want to be and how we wish to be perceived in our communities.…
Download
Torah Commentary
"Queer" Tribes: Finding a Place for Alternative Families (Parashat B’midbar)
May 25, 2006 | Gregg Drinkwater
The author reviews the notion of family and family lineage in the parasha, comparing it with his own non-traditional family.…
Families and Parenting
Download
Torah Commentary
A Generation’s Judge (Parashat Devarim)
July 24, 2009 | Cynthia Hoffman
The author discusses the position the Torah portion appears to take on the issue of rendering judgment, and the ways in which distance from certain events permits clearer judgment of the events themselves. She asks what it means for the next…
Marriage and Weddings
Download
Torah Commentary
A Less Innocent Love (Parashat Vaetchanan)
August 5, 2006 | Jay Michaelson
The author explores the characteristics of love in different religious and secular writing and argues that queer religious love, when it is realized, is necessarily self-aware, because it has been tested, as Abraham’s love was tested.…
Dating and Relationships
Download
Torah Commentary
A Little Bit of Soap (Parashat Chukat)
July 4, 2008 | Noach Dzmura
Short commentary on the use of a red cow’s ashes to ritually purify a person, and the preparation of Miriam’s body for burial.…
Download
Torah Commentary
A Mandatory Donation (Parashat Terumah)
February 19, 2010 | David Katzenelson
The author explores the notion of terumah, translated as gift, portion, offering, or donation. He asks how this can be considered a donation if, in the context of this Torah portion, God commands the Israelites to give a terumah. Further, why…
Download
Torah Commentary
A New Vision of the Scapegoat (Parashat Pinchas)
July 18, 2008 | Ri J. Turner
Commentary on the scapegoat. Whether killed by the knife or abandoned in the woods, the sin-offering goat is a potent symbol. What does it mean to release our sins—or relieve our worries about being held accountable—not by repairing the…
Download
Torah Commentary
A Parade of Welcome (Parashat Beha’alotecha)
May 28, 2010 | Rabbi James Greene
The author discusses the imagery of the Israelites wandering through the wilderness, focusing on a midrash that says that each tribe moved in its own unique way. He sees the LGBTQ community as its own tribe within the congregation of Israel.…
Download
Torah Commentary
A Revolution With Boundaries (Parashat Korach)
June 30, 2006 | Rebecca Weiner
The author relates her own experience of struggling with her relationship to halakha (Jewish law) to Korach doing something similar in this parsha. She names two lessons she learns from this parsha, that you have to pick your battles, and that…
Jewish Law
Download
Torah Commentary
A Well in the Desert (Parashat Vayera)
November 14, 2008 | David Katzenelson
The author compares the experience of Hagar in the desert, after having been cast out by Sarah, to the experience of LGBT Jews.…
Download
Torah Commentary
A “Great Moral Issue” of Our Time (Parashat Vayera)
October 23, 2010 | Rabbi Carl M. Perkins
In this sermon. Rabbi Carl Perkins discusses discrimination and bigotry against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the Jewish community and in mainstream American society, specifically in the context of the rise in LGBT…
Bullying or Harassment
Download
Torah Commentary
Affirming the Sanctity of Same-Sex Love (Parashat B'reshit)
October 20, 2006 | Gregg Drinkwater
In this commentary, the author argues that LGBT Jews spend a lot of time defending ourselves against misunderstood Torah verses that supposedly forbid same-sex relationships. Rarely do we have the opportunity to pro-actively affirm, rather…
Download
Torah Commentary
Amalek and The Good Soldier (Parashat Ki Teitze)
September 12, 2008 | Noach Dzmura
This commentary discusses the literary themes and narrative structure of the Torah portion. The author argues that there is an overarching meta-narrative to the portion which suggests that the ethical behavior of soldiers will lead to ultimate…
Download
Torah Commentary
Apres le Deluge: Moi (Parashat Noach)
October 28, 2006 | Michael Sarid
The author explores the question of how Noah’s enormous personal losses affect his life after the flood. He cultivates the world’s first vineyard, drinks the world’s first wine, and, upon drinking himself into oblivion, becomes the…
Download
Torah Commentary
Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?: Pharaoh, the Plagues, and His Mutinous Magicians (Parashat Vaera)
January 23, 2009 | Marisa Elana James
The author writes about power-hungry Pharaoh, who is more interested in upholding his own power than protecting his own people, and the cunning strategy of the Egyptians magicians: to use their powers on the Egyptian people – not on Moses…
Download
Torah Commentary
Balak and Balaam: Language and Knowledge, Speech and Power (Parashat Balak)
July 11, 2008 | Jeremy Schwartz
The author argues that this Torah portion is a story about speech: who has the power of the tongue, and what impact words can have. As members of the queer community, we can glean something from this portion when we encounter hate speech and as…
Download
Torah Commentary
Ba’al Ha’Chalomot: Keepers of the Dreams (Parashat Vayeshev)
November 29, 2007 | Karen Lee Erlichman
This Torah portion focuses on the story of Joseph, a dreamer and a visionary who was reviled and exiled by his own siblings. The author argues that this story is profoundly relevant to LGBTQ Jews. Many of us can recall our first feelings of being…
Download
Torah Commentary
Bind These Words (Parashat Ekev)
August 11, 2006 | Ari Lev Fornari
The authors writes of his personal experience being transgendered and wearing a chest binder, interwoven with instructions of tying the tzitzit (fringes) of a tallit (prayer shawl).…
Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Showing 1 to 25 of 175 entriesFirstPrevious12345NextLastResources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > Torah Queeries
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareTorah Queeries
Keshet's Torah Queeries archive offers more than 150 creative and incisive “queer” takes on the weekly Torah portions and major Jewish holidays, written by some of the Jewish world’s most dynamic scholars, rabbis, activists, and lay leaders.
For a collection of Torah Queeries essays, check out the Torah Queeries book.
Loading...
Search Resources
Use these dropdowns to select multiple search criteria.
Keyword: TopicsActivism & Civil RightsBullying or HarassmentComing OutDating and RelationshipsFamilies and ParentingJewish LawLesbianLifecycle EventsMarriage and WeddingsOrthodox MovementReform MovementRitual/Liturgy/PrayerTransgender and Gender Identity
HolidaysFast DaysHanukkahPassoverPridePurimRosh Hashanah and Yom KippurShavuotSimchat TorahSukkotTransgender Day of Remembrance
AuthorAbi WeissmanAlex CarterAmichai Lau-LavieAmos LassenAmy SouleAndrew RamerAri Lev FornariCantor David E. ReinwaldCaryn AvivChaim Moshe haLevi (Marc Howard Landas)Cynthia HoffmanDarren LipmanDavid KatzenelsonDavid LevyDavid ShneerDebora A. Larry KearneyDr. Sarah PessinGregg DrinkwaterHoward SteiermannIgael Gurin-MalousJ. Simone PosnerJase SchwartzJay MichaelsonJay StantonJeremy SchwartzJo HirschmannJohn E. HirschJoseph A. ShapiroJoy LadinJulia Watts BelserKaren Lee ErlichmanKaren PerolmanKerrick LuckerLev RaphaelMaggid Jhos SingerMarisa Elana JamesMeir HobermanMichael SaridMijael VeraMiryam KabakovMoshe Ben ChaconNoach DzmuraRabbi Adina LewittesRabbi Amber PowersRabbi Andrew SacksRabbi Carl M. PerkinsRabbi David GreensteinRabbi David LazarRabbi Elliot KuklaRabbi Jacob J. StaubRabbi James GreeneRabbi Jane Rachel LitmanRabbi Jill HammerRabbi Joshua LesserRabbi Laurence EdwardsRabbi Lisa EdwardsRabbi Melissa B. SimonRabbi Rachel GurevitzRabbi Reuben ZellmanRabbi Rick BrodyRabbi Robin NafshiRabbi Seth GorenRabbi Steven GreenbergRachel BarenblatRachel BialeRachel BrodieRebbetzin Hadassah GrossRebecca WeinerRi J. TurnerSasha T. GoldbergStephanie SilbersteinTucker LiebermanVanessa "Vinny" PrellY. Gavriel A. Levi AnsaraZvi Bellin
Media TypeArticle or DocumentBooksEducational ToolTorah CommentaryWebsite
Grade LevelCollege and AdultHigh School
Your selections:
Reset SearchShow 102550100 entriesShowing 1 to 25 of 175 entriesFirstPrevious12345NextLastResource Name
Article or Document, Torah Commentary
High Healing: A Purim Message
March 14, 2006 | Amichai Lau-Lavie, Rebbetzin Hadassah Gross
A tongue-in-cheek essay by Rebbetzin Hadassah Gross, the drag queen persona of Amichai Lau-Lavie, about the meaning behind Purim. She writes about some of the issues facing the Jewish community and gives some advice for how rabbis might deal…
Purim
Download
Article or Document, Torah Commentary
On the Thirteenth Day (Parashat Naso)
June 9, 2006 | Jo Hirschmann
The author asks why a census must be taken. To be counted is to be blessed. To count others is to bestow a blessing upon them. She argues that this is what LGBT Jews have been doing since the 1970's: started synagogues and organizations,…
Download
Article or Document, Torah Commentary
Singing for Our Lives (Parashat Be’Ha’alotekha)
June 16, 2008 | Gregg Drinkwater
The author explores the story of Miriam and Aaron challenging Moses’ authority as a prophet and speak “against Moses regarding the Cushite woman he had married.” For this, God punishes Miriam by afflicting her with tzaaras, a skin condition…
Download
Article or Document
The Wreathed Chanukah Wand: Sukkot in December
December 17, 2008 | Chaim Moshe haLevi (Marc Howard Landas)
Compares the holidays of Hannukah and Christmas and discusses the issue of when Jesus was actually born, which was probably around Sukkot.…
Hanukkah | Sukkot
Download
Books, Educational Tool, Torah Commentary, Website
Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible
September 1, 2009 | David Shneer, Gregg Drinkwater, Rabbi Joshua Lesser
Buy the Torah Queeries book »
See Torah Queeries essays online »
This book brings together some of the world’s leading rabbis, scholars, and writers to interpret the Torah through a queer lens. Use these essays in your weekly parsha text…
Torah Commentary
"A Simple Matter of Justice" Achare Mot-Kedoshim
April 29, 1993 | Rabbi Lisa Edwards
The author writes about the verses in Leviticus that forbid gay sex and the dangers in heeding them too closely, highlighting other verses instead that call for love and respect.…
Reform Movement
Download
Torah Commentary
"And God Called": The Process is the Message (Parashat VaYikra)
April 1, 2006 | Rabbi Jane Rachel Litman
The author discusses our human urge to connect with God and its relationship to struggling with verses of Torah that do not speak to us as LGBT Jews. We know that some of the Torah’s words seem homophobic, sexist, insensitive to disabled people,…
Download
Torah Commentary
"Hey Yaacov, Someone’s Calling your Name!" "If it isn’t Yisrael, I’m not Home." (Parashat Vayishlach)
December 12, 2008 | Zvi Bellin
The author explores why Jacob was renamed twice in this Torah portion, and argues that each one of us has an ideal vision of who we want to be and how we wish to be perceived in our communities.…
Download
Torah Commentary
"Queer" Tribes: Finding a Place for Alternative Families (Parashat B’midbar)
May 25, 2006 | Gregg Drinkwater
The author reviews the notion of family and family lineage in the parasha, comparing it with his own non-traditional family.…
Families and Parenting
Download
Torah Commentary
A Generation’s Judge (Parashat Devarim)
July 24, 2009 | Cynthia Hoffman
The author discusses the position the Torah portion appears to take on the issue of rendering judgment, and the ways in which distance from certain events permits clearer judgment of the events themselves. She asks what it means for the next…
Marriage and Weddings
Download
Torah Commentary
A Less Innocent Love (Parashat Vaetchanan)
August 5, 2006 | Jay Michaelson
The author explores the characteristics of love in different religious and secular writing and argues that queer religious love, when it is realized, is necessarily self-aware, because it has been tested, as Abraham’s love was tested.…
Dating and Relationships
Download
Torah Commentary
A Little Bit of Soap (Parashat Chukat)
July 4, 2008 | Noach Dzmura
Short commentary on the use of a red cow’s ashes to ritually purify a person, and the preparation of Miriam’s body for burial.…
Download
Torah Commentary
A Mandatory Donation (Parashat Terumah)
February 19, 2010 | David Katzenelson
The author explores the notion of terumah, translated as gift, portion, offering, or donation. He asks how this can be considered a donation if, in the context of this Torah portion, God commands the Israelites to give a terumah. Further, why…
Download
Torah Commentary
A New Vision of the Scapegoat (Parashat Pinchas)
July 18, 2008 | Ri J. Turner
Commentary on the scapegoat. Whether killed by the knife or abandoned in the woods, the sin-offering goat is a potent symbol. What does it mean to release our sins—or relieve our worries about being held accountable—not by repairing the…
Download
Torah Commentary
A Parade of Welcome (Parashat Beha’alotecha)
May 28, 2010 | Rabbi James Greene
The author discusses the imagery of the Israelites wandering through the wilderness, focusing on a midrash that says that each tribe moved in its own unique way. He sees the LGBTQ community as its own tribe within the congregation of Israel.…
Download
Torah Commentary
A Revolution With Boundaries (Parashat Korach)
June 30, 2006 | Rebecca Weiner
The author relates her own experience of struggling with her relationship to halakha (Jewish law) to Korach doing something similar in this parsha. She names two lessons she learns from this parsha, that you have to pick your battles, and that…
Jewish Law
Download
Torah Commentary
A Well in the Desert (Parashat Vayera)
November 14, 2008 | David Katzenelson
The author compares the experience of Hagar in the desert, after having been cast out by Sarah, to the experience of LGBT Jews.…
Download
Torah Commentary
A “Great Moral Issue” of Our Time (Parashat Vayera)
October 23, 2010 | Rabbi Carl M. Perkins
In this sermon. Rabbi Carl Perkins discusses discrimination and bigotry against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the Jewish community and in mainstream American society, specifically in the context of the rise in LGBT…
Bullying or Harassment
Download
Torah Commentary
Affirming the Sanctity of Same-Sex Love (Parashat B'reshit)
October 20, 2006 | Gregg Drinkwater
In this commentary, the author argues that LGBT Jews spend a lot of time defending ourselves against misunderstood Torah verses that supposedly forbid same-sex relationships. Rarely do we have the opportunity to pro-actively affirm, rather…
Download
Torah Commentary
Amalek and The Good Soldier (Parashat Ki Teitze)
September 12, 2008 | Noach Dzmura
This commentary discusses the literary themes and narrative structure of the Torah portion. The author argues that there is an overarching meta-narrative to the portion which suggests that the ethical behavior of soldiers will lead to ultimate…
Download
Torah Commentary
Apres le Deluge: Moi (Parashat Noach)
October 28, 2006 | Michael Sarid
The author explores the question of how Noah’s enormous personal losses affect his life after the flood. He cultivates the world’s first vineyard, drinks the world’s first wine, and, upon drinking himself into oblivion, becomes the…
Download
Torah Commentary
Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?: Pharaoh, the Plagues, and His Mutinous Magicians (Parashat Vaera)
January 23, 2009 | Marisa Elana James
The author writes about power-hungry Pharaoh, who is more interested in upholding his own power than protecting his own people, and the cunning strategy of the Egyptians magicians: to use their powers on the Egyptian people – not on Moses…
Download
Torah Commentary
Balak and Balaam: Language and Knowledge, Speech and Power (Parashat Balak)
July 11, 2008 | Jeremy Schwartz
The author argues that this Torah portion is a story about speech: who has the power of the tongue, and what impact words can have. As members of the queer community, we can glean something from this portion when we encounter hate speech and as…
Download
Torah Commentary
Ba’al Ha’Chalomot: Keepers of the Dreams (Parashat Vayeshev)
November 29, 2007 | Karen Lee Erlichman
This Torah portion focuses on the story of Joseph, a dreamer and a visionary who was reviled and exiled by his own siblings. The author argues that this story is profoundly relevant to LGBTQ Jews. Many of us can recall our first feelings of being…
Download
Torah Commentary
Bind These Words (Parashat Ekev)
August 11, 2006 | Ari Lev Fornari
The authors writes of his personal experience being transgendered and wearing a chest binder, interwoven with instructions of tying the tzitzit (fringes) of a tallit (prayer shawl).…
Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Showing 1 to 25 of 175 entriesFirstPrevious12345NextLastResources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > Marriage Project
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareMarriage Project
Jewish Weddings for LGBTQ Couples
Search the Marriage Project»
Rabbis affiliated with Judaism’s Reform and Reconstructionist movements in the United States have long been officiating at weddings and partnership ceremonies for LGBT couples.* In 2006, after years of impassioned study and debate, the Conservative Movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS, the movement’s authority on Jewish law) made an historic policy change in normalizing the status of gay and lesbian Jews in Conservative-affiliated synagogues and organizations and legalizing the ordination of gay and lesbian rabbis .
When the 2006 responsum, or Jewish legal ruling, was approved by members of the CJLS, the authors of the responsum were not prepared to offer guidance on ceremonies and legal instruments for creating and dissolving gay and lesbian unions but made it clear that they favored “the establishment of committed and loving relationships for gay and lesbian Jews.” In May 2012, the authors of the 2006 responsum that opened the doors for gay and lesbian rabbis shared a new ritual framework for officiating at unions for same-sex couples. The two model ceremonies they created will likely become templates that Conservative rabbis will rely upon when officiating at ceremonies in their own communities. Our Resource Guide offers additional models and includes discussions of the relevant Jewish legal frameworks.
The Resource Guide is geared for those within Jewish communities who have already accepted the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships may focus on the question of what forms these rituals and liturgies might take. The guide offers ceremonies and articles grounded in considerations of halacha (Jewish law), as well as the opportunity to dialogue and contribute to the evolving innovation and development of this relatively new ritual area of Jewish life. We have included liturgy, guidelines, ritual, and legal materials that respond to the diverse needs of clergy and couples.
Isaiah’s words capture our efforts. He preached to those in exile who might return to their homeland:
Widen the place of your tent,
Stretch the curtains of your dwellings – stint not!
Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes (Isaiah 54:2)
The image is of a tent flexible enough to expand to contain those who had not been included in the past – but also capable of rooting itself in the soil of Jewish law, culture, and tradition – so it does not remain too loose to be able to stand firm. Our established and created rituals are the places in which we dwell and create meaning, and the strength of our future community is grounded within them.
Thank You
Thank you to Rabbi Tracy Nathan, the project editor. Rabbi Nathan is the Rabbi of Temple Beth Israel in Waltham, MA. She taught on the faculty at Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston and served as rabbi of Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco. She received her rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she served as a Cooperberg-Rittmaster Rabbinical Intern at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, New York City’s synagogue for LGBT Jews, their friends, and families. Many thanks to Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, who began the work of researching authors and ceremonies for this project and to countless individuals who consulted with Keshet on the formation of this Guide.
*The Reform Movement ‘s Central Conference of American Rabbis gave official sanction to its affiliated clergy in 2000 and the Reconstructionist Movement gave official sanction indirectly in 1993 and directly in 2004. In both movements, individual clergy had been officiating at unions for LGBT couples long before the official policy shifts.
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > LGBT Jewish Education Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareLGBT Jewish Education Resources
Here's an easy-to-use collection of educational resources. Whether you’re looking for materials to create a queertext study or activities to create a workshop for the teens in your community, Keshet has it all. You can find LGBTQ-inclusive lesson plans, resource guides and best practices for creating LGBTQ-inclusive camps and youth groups, as well as samples of educational programs created by other educators, youth professionals, and Jewish youth leaders. We're always looking to build our collection so please send us any resources you come across that would be a good fit.
Share your resource »
Loading...
Search Resources
Use these dropdowns to select multiple search criteria.
Keyword: TopicsActivism & Civil RightsAllyBullying or HarassmentComing OutConservative MovementFamilies and ParentingFeminismHolocaustInterfaithJewish LawJewish ValuesJews by ChoiceJews of ColorLegislationLesbianLifecycle EventsOrthodox MovementPolicies and Best PracticesReconstructionist MovementReform MovementRitual/Liturgy/PrayerTransgender and Gender IdentityYouth
HolidaysHolocaust Remembrance DayNational Coming Out DayPurimRosh Chodesh
AuthorAndrea GuerraAnn AbramsBBYOJennifer BersdaleKendra LubalinKeshetMartin Rawlings-FeinNili YoshaRabbi Steven GreenbergRachel AckermanRebecca WeinerRoni Alperin
Media TypeArticle or DocumentEducational ToolLesson Plan/ActivitiesTeaching Guidelines
Grade LevelCollege and AdultEarly ChildhoodElementaryHigh SchoolMiddle School
Your selections:
Reset SearchShow 102550100 entriesShowing 1 to 25 of 46 entriesFirstPrevious12NextLastResource Name
Article or Document, Teaching Guidelines
Top 10 Ways to Respond to “That’s So Gay!”
September 4, 2013 | Keshet
This Top 10 List was complied from responses gathered from participants of Keshet’s National Training Institutes.…
Ally | Bullying or Harassment | Policies and Best Practices
Download
Article or Document
Creating Inclusive Curricula
Suggestions for inclusive lesson planning at the Elementary level and how to include GLB/Trans experiences and perspectives in the
curriculum.…
Download
Article or Document
LGBT Jewish Resource List
September 4, 2013 | Ann Abrams, Keshet
This is a list of suggested resources for Jewish educators, parents, and youth program leaders. It includes books, film, and websites. The document features a focused list of key resources that we think may be most helpful to Jewish educators,…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Abraham Joshua Heschel and the Civil Rights Movement
This lesson is designed for use with Hineini or as part of a curriculum in history, social studies, or civics. Using small group work, class discussion, text analysis, and writing exercises, students examine the writing and actions of Rabbi…
Activism & Civil Rights
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Gender Boxes
Hands-on activity for students to discuss proscribed gender roles. For all all ages with adjusted discussion questions for age and developmental appropriateness.
…
Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Hiding and Coming Out
This “chalk-talk” activity is an empathy–building exercise about the risks individuals take (or are afraid to take) in order to be seen and known within their community. After viewing the film, students will reflect on the experiences…
Coming Out
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Identity Molecule
This exercise gives participants an opportunity to investigate how a perceived shared identity can in fact contain significant diversity. By articulating all the different aspects of their identities, participants have an opportunity…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Institutional LGBTQ Inclusion Audit Workshop
This session gives some guidelines for helping institutions and organizations understand the multi-faceted process of bringing the ideological and spiritual practice of inclusion into alignment with the material and cultural “face”…
Policies and Best Practices
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Looking at Change in Jewish Law: The Evolving Legal Status of the Deaf Person
This lesson looks at original source materials to see how the Jewish legal code’s standards about the status of deaf people have changed over the centuries. It suggests that the Jewish legal position about homosexuality could also change…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Pluralism in Action
This role play debate gives students the opportunity to examine what pluralism looks like in action. Students take on the roles of members of a religious policy committee at a new school to discuss, debate, and determine school policy on three…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Pluralism Is Jewish: The Houses of Hillel and Shammai
In this activity, students examine a text about the differences between the rabbinic schools of Hillel and Shammai. This activity helps students understand the meaning of pluralism both in action and as a value in Judaism.…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Stand Up For Each Other: Rainbow of Tolerance
BBYO
Curriculum providing an educational, yet interactive way for people to learn about the Stand Up For Each Other campaign and the LGBT community.…
Youth
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Step Into the Circle
Participants stand in a circle and are asked to step in if a statement applies to them. After all the statements are read, participants are asked if they want to share any reflections on what they noticed.…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
What Does It Mean to Be an Ally?
This activity begins with a short text study of Talmudic teachings about communal responsibility. Students then explore together the role of an “ally” in creating change. Students are asked to recall moments when they stood up for someone…
Ally
Download
Educational Tool
LGBTQI Terminology
A glossary of basic terminology for LGBTQI sexual orientation and gender identity.…
Lesbian | Policies and Best Practices | Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Educational Tool
Sample Agenda for Integrated Gender Diversity & Sexual Orientation Workshop
To be used in conjunction with Keshet’s Curriculum Resource Guide. Sample workshop (group of curricula) for half day on gender diversity and sexual orientation.…
Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Educational Tool
What to Do When a Teen Comes Out to You
Some concrete suggestions to consider when a teenager comes out to you.…
Coming Out | Policies and Best Practices | Youth
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
5773 Hits
September 3, 2013 | Kendra Lubalin
This lesson designed for 5th–12th graders will help students explore Jewish identity through social media and online culture. Students will research different YouTube videos and explore different expressions of Jewish culture.…
Activism & Civil Rights | Coming Out | Interfaith | Jewish Values | Jews by Choice | Jews of Color | Lifecycle Events | Transgender and Gender Identity | Youth
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
613 and More
Kendra Lubalin
This lesson for 4th-12th graders looks at how to apply mitzvot to contemporary life. It examines how Responsa shaped mitzvot and Jewish law so it evolved through time. This is a loosely structured lesson plan that can be tailored to different…
Jewish Law
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
And G-d Chose Zoe Too
September 3, 2013 | Rebecca Weiner
This is a Jewish LGBT children’s story for pre-K — 3rd graders that focuses on the themes of a single parent home, adoption, being chosen by G-d, and chosen family. Through this story, students will learn about a Jewish family that…
Coming Out | Families and Parenting | Jewish Law | Jewish Values
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Bal Tashchit
September 3, 2013 | Martin Rawlings-Fein
This lesson was designed to help students understand the main ways that we can fulfill the mitzvah of Bal Taschit, “Do not destroy.” The lesson explores this theme through environmental concerns and values that help humans to…
Activism & Civil Rights | Holocaust | Jewish LawHolocaust Remembrance Day
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Building a Welcoming Tent
September 3, 2013 | Rabbi Steven Greenberg
This lesson plan was developed for Keshet by Rabbi Steve Greenberg, author of Wrestling with God and Men. In this half hour text study designed for K-3rd graders, students will use biblical text explore the fundamental values of welcome and…
Jewish Values
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Coming Out at Camp
September 9, 2013 | Rachel Ackerman
The goal of this lesson, designed for high school aged Counselors in Training, is to create a space for participants to think critically about how accessible camp is for those who are LGBT. At the end of this lesson, participants will be able…
Ally | Coming OutNational Coming Out Day
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Engaging with the Other
August 29, 2013 | Rabbi Steven Greenberg
This lesson plan was developed for Keshet by Rabbi Steve Greenberg, author of Wrestling with God and Men. In this hour-long text study designed for 9th-12th graders and adults, students will explore the Jewish value of inclusivity, as well…
Ally | Jewish Values
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Etz Chayim Glee
Rebecca Weiner
This resource is a script for a post-modern Purim Spiel that can be performed and/or adapted. Use it to engage students in a Purim Shpeil that explores contemporary themes of bullying and inclusion and helps students to relate the Purim story…
Ally | Bullying or Harassment | Jewish ValuesPurim
Download
Showing 1 to 25 of 46 entriesFirstPrevious12NextLastResources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > The Purim Superhero
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareThe Purim Superhero
Cover of The Purim SuperheroThe first LGBT-inclusive Jewish Children’s Book in English
and
Winner of Keshet’s National Book-writing contest!
About the Book
Nate has a Purim dilemma. He loves aliens and really wants to wear an alien costume for Purim, but his friends are all dressing as superheroes and he wants to fit in. What will he do? With the help of his two dads he makes a surprising decision.
Published by Kar-Ben Publishing, an award-winning publisher of Jewish children's books,the manuscript is the winner of Keshet's national book-writing contest. We're so proud to have played such a key role in the publication of this book. Watch the book trailer»
Buy the book or donate a copy»
Celebrate the Release!
Be part of history and host a party to celebrate this milestone or join an existing party! We've created a bunch of materials to help you throw a fabulous party.
Host your own party!
The Purim Superhero parties are happening across the country
(Parties will be added as they are scheduled. Details to come for events not in bold. ):
2/2: Miami at Next@19th
2/2: San Francisco at Sha'ar Zahav (with author Elisabeth Kushner!)
2/3: Berkeley, CA at Afikomen Judaica (with author Elisabeth Kushner!)
2/3: Philadelphia, PA at the Big Blue Marble Bookstore
2/9: Seattle, WA at Congregation Beth Shalom
2/10: Seattle, WA at Temple Beth Am
2/17: Beacon, NY at Beacon Hebrew Alliance
2/17: Denver, CO at the Mizel Museum
2/17: Vancouver, Canada (with author Elisabeth Kushner!)
2/21: NYC, Bronx (private party)
2/23: Portland, OR (private party)
2/24: Atlanta, GA at the Marcus Jewish Community Center
2/24: Boston, MA at the Leventhal-Sidman JCC
2/24: Hartford, CT at the Mandel JCC
2/24: San Diego, CA at Temple Solel
3/22: Elmira, NY at Congregation Kol Ami
4/2: Long Island, NY with the Aleph Project of the LI GLBT Center
Story Overview
Nate loves everything about aliens. He loves to draw aliens, he loves to read about aliens, and loves to think about aliens. So when it comes time to choose a costume for Purim, Nate naturally knew what he was going to be; that is until his friends at Hebrew school told him that all the boys would be dressing up as superheroes.
Worried about being different from his classmates, Nate seeks advice from his two dads, who suggest that being different can sometimes be a good thing. The reader might expect Nate's dads to use their own family as an example. Instead, they point Nate to the lesson of Purim which celebrates Queen Esther, a girl whose courage to be true to herself ends up saving her people.
Young readers may be surprised what Nate learns from this lesson and what costume he finally chooses.
For ages 4-9, Grades: Pre K-3, 32 pages
About the Author and Illustrator
Elisabeth Kushner, author
I’m very excited that this is a picture book about a kid with same-sex parents where his family structure is not the problem, but is still an important part of the story. I think that kids like my daughter and her friends, and like many of the kids I knew at the Jewish Day School, who’ve been lucky enough to grow up in inclusive and accepting communities, will recognize children like themselves and their friends in this story. And I hope that kids with any kind of family and any religious background who feel weird and self-conscious because they like different things than their friends or classmates—and I think that’s all kids, at some point—will find inspiration and sustenance in Nate’s story.
Elisabeth Kushner
Elisabeth lives in Vancouver, Canada, with her family and a jumble of books and musical instruments. She spent nine years as the librarian at the Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle so she knows a thing or two about children’s books! If she were a superhero, she'd be Orange Ukulele Girl. Her favorite kind of hamentaschen is poppyseed. This is her first children’s book.
Read an interview with the author on Keshet’s blog
Read an interview with the author on Kar-Ben Publishing’s blog
See what the press is saying about this groundbreaking book
Mike Byrne
Mike grew up near Liverpool in the United Kingdom, moving to London to work as an illustrator by day and a crayon wielding crime fighter by night. He lives in the English countryside with his wife and two cats, where he spends his days doodling and creating children's books.
This project was made possible by the generous support of:
Jane Fantel and Laura Galinson
John and Beth Gamel
Harold Grinspoon and Diane Troderman
Jeff Grinspoon and Jon Foley
National Co-sponsors:
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
Host a Book Party
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > The Purim Superhero > Host a Book Party
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareHost a Book Party
Celebrate the release of the first LGBT-inclusive Jewish children’s book!
1.Download the Do It Yourself Party Guide.
2.Pick a date and location and register your party.
3.Advertise your party with these Flyers (pdf) and this Poster (18 x 24). Flyers also available as Word Docs so you can customize. Download a white flyer or yellow flyer.
4.Download the Study Guide for ideas for discussion topics for your party.
5.Download a Book Order Form to give to guests at your party.
Buy the book »
Learn more about the book »
(Parties will be added as they are scheduled. Details to be announced for events not in bold.)
2/2: Miami at Next@19th
2/2: San Francisco at Sha'ar Zahav (with author Elisabeth Kushner!)
2/3: Berkeley, CA at Afikomen Judaica (with author Elisabeth Kushner!)
2/3: Philadelphia, PA at the Big Blue Marble Bookstore
2/9: Seattle, WA at Congregation Beth Shalom
2/10: Seattle, WA at Temple Beth Am
2/17: Beacon, NY at Beacon Hebrew Alliance
2/17: Denver, CO at the Mizel Museum
2/17: Vancouver, Canada (with author Elisabeth Kushner!)
2/21: NYC, Bronx (private party)
2/23: Portland, OR (private party)
2/24: Atlanta, GA at the Marcus Jewish Community Center
2/24: Boston, MA at the Leventhal-Sidman JCC
2/24: Hartford, CT at the Mandel JCC
2/24: San Diego, CA at Temple Solel
3/22: Elmira, NY at Congregation Kol Ami
4/2: Long Island, NY with the Aleph Project of the LI GLBT Center
This project was made possible by the generous support of:
Jane Fantel and Laura Galinson
John and Beth Gamel
Harold Grinspoon and Diane Troderman
Jeff Grinspoon and Jon Foley
National Co-Sponsors:
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
Host a Book Party
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > TransTexts
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareTransTexts
Exploring Gender in Jewish Sacred Texts
Created by Rabbis Reuben Zellman and Elliot Kukla, TransTexts explores what traditional Jewish texts have to say about transgender and gender nonconforming experiences and gender in general.
Over several years, we have heard the stories of hundreds of people—people from many different backgrounds, Jews and non-Jews, across the sex and gender spectrum. Many of us are in search of answers to some critical questions:
How can Jewish texts continue to shed light on contemporary lives and spiritual struggles?
As our understandings about sex and gender continue to develop and change in today’s world, how might ancient teachings guide us in our response?
If I want to explore Jewish understandings of gender and sexual identity where do I begin?
Learn more about the project
Queerly Created
God created the adam in God's image;
in the image of God [God] created him—
male and female [God] created them.
—Genesis 1:27…
View Queerly Created »
Cross-Dressing and Drag
A woman should not put on the apparel of a man; nor should a man wear the clothing of a woman—for whoever does these things—it is a to’evah [completely off-limits behavior] to the Eternal your God.
Deuteronomy 22:5…
View Cross-Dressing and Drag »
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Learn about TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > TransTexts > Learn about TransTexts
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareLearn about TransTexts
Exploring Gender in Jewish Sacred Texts
Created by Rabbis Reuben Zellman and Elliot Kukla, TransTexts explores what traditional Jewish texts have to say about transgender and gender nonconforming experiences and gender in general.
Explore TransTexts»
Our Goal
Our goal for this project is to create a portal to Jewish traditions. It is not our intention to provide a complete or “authoritative” interpretation of these multi-faceted texts. Rather, we want to offer a variety of ways of looking at these remarkable texts — which have been, and still are, largely inaccessible to the general public. Some of the content of this site may be familiar to you; some of it might be very surprising. We invite you to read on and engage with all of it, in the great Jewish tradition of study and discussion.
Inside this guide you will find translations of a number of Jewish texts dealing with sex and gender. You will also find commentaries on these texts, representing the work of Jewish scholars from ancient times to the present day. Jewish texts have their own particular logic and language. This means that a straightforward translation is often challenging. However, every primary source text in this site includes a translation — you do not need to know any Hebrew, or have any background in Judaism, to use this site! Every primary text also has a “Further Explanation” section that will provide more context of each passage.
Who Might Want to Use TransTexts?
Educators of all varieties could use these texts as the basis of a class or discussion group.
Community leaders may use this information as background for social justice initiatives.
Rabbis and other spiritual leaders may want to consult these texts to begin to answer some of the questions being raised in many congregations about Jewish attitudes towards gender.
Transgender, intersex and gender nonconforming people, as well as family members, allies and friends,might use this site in order to better understand the depth of history and the many meanings of gender diversity in Judaism.
We thank the fantastic, hardworking TransTexts Advisory Board:
Dr. Rachel Adler
Micah Bazant
Rabbi Lisa Edwards
Devra Felder Noily
Dr. Charlotte Fonrobert
Ari Lev Fornari
Rabbi Steven Greenberg
Dr. Gwynne Kessler
Rabbi Benay Lappe
Rabbi Joshua Lesser
Dr. Sarra Lev
Dr. Judith Plaskow
Or Rose
Maggid Jhos Singer
Max Strassfeld
Michael Waldman
Rabbi Margaret Moers Wenig
TransTexts also extends our thanks to Congregation Sha’ar Zahav, San Francisco, for use of facilities, in-kind assistance, and unflagging support of this work.
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Learn about TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > Multimedia
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareMultimedia
Videos
Creating an LGBTQ Inclusive Jewish CommunityKeshet: Our StoryLGBTQ Jewish Teen and Allly ShabbatonHineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School trailer
View more videos »
Photos
DOMA Rally, Denver, CO, 6/26/13 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/9161622558/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Reciting prayers • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/8291691795/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Meff 'n jojo's Tiny Instrument Revue • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5093390043/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Cabaret 2010 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4440690177/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Front page of Miami Herald, 5/27/2013 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/9161596982/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>DOMA Rally, Denver, CO, 6/26/13 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/9161623842/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>DOMA Rally, Denver, CO, 6/26/13 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/9159398487/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>DOMA Rally, Denver, CO, 6/26/13 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/9161625084/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
View more photos »
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Videos
Photos
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > Torah Queeries
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareTorah Queeries
Keshet's Torah Queeries archive offers more than 150 creative and incisive “queer” takes on the weekly Torah portions and major Jewish holidays, written by some of the Jewish world’s most dynamic scholars, rabbis, activists, and lay leaders.
For a collection of Torah Queeries essays, check out the Torah Queeries book.
Loading...
Search Resources
Use these dropdowns to select multiple search criteria.
Keyword: TopicsActivism & Civil RightsBullying or HarassmentComing OutDating and RelationshipsFamilies and ParentingJewish LawLesbianLifecycle EventsMarriage and WeddingsOrthodox MovementReform MovementRitual/Liturgy/PrayerTransgender and Gender Identity
HolidaysFast DaysHanukkahPassoverPridePurimRosh Hashanah and Yom KippurShavuotSimchat TorahSukkotTransgender Day of Remembrance
AuthorAbi WeissmanAlex CarterAmichai Lau-LavieAmos LassenAmy SouleAndrew RamerAri Lev FornariCantor David E. ReinwaldCaryn AvivChaim Moshe haLevi (Marc Howard Landas)Cynthia HoffmanDarren LipmanDavid KatzenelsonDavid LevyDavid ShneerDebora A. Larry KearneyDr. Sarah PessinGregg DrinkwaterHoward SteiermannIgael Gurin-MalousJ. Simone PosnerJase SchwartzJay MichaelsonJay StantonJeremy SchwartzJo HirschmannJohn E. HirschJoseph A. ShapiroJoy LadinJulia Watts BelserKaren Lee ErlichmanKaren PerolmanKerrick LuckerLev RaphaelMaggid Jhos SingerMarisa Elana JamesMeir HobermanMichael SaridMijael VeraMiryam KabakovMoshe Ben ChaconNoach DzmuraRabbi Adina LewittesRabbi Amber PowersRabbi Andrew SacksRabbi Carl M. PerkinsRabbi David GreensteinRabbi David LazarRabbi Elliot KuklaRabbi Jacob J. StaubRabbi James GreeneRabbi Jane Rachel LitmanRabbi Jill HammerRabbi Joshua LesserRabbi Laurence EdwardsRabbi Lisa EdwardsRabbi Melissa B. SimonRabbi Rachel GurevitzRabbi Reuben ZellmanRabbi Rick BrodyRabbi Robin NafshiRabbi Seth GorenRabbi Steven GreenbergRachel BarenblatRachel BialeRachel BrodieRebbetzin Hadassah GrossRebecca WeinerRi J. TurnerSasha T. GoldbergStephanie SilbersteinTucker LiebermanVanessa "Vinny" PrellY. Gavriel A. Levi AnsaraZvi Bellin
Media TypeArticle or DocumentBooksEducational ToolTorah CommentaryWebsite
Grade LevelCollege and AdultHigh School
Your selections:
Reset SearchShow 102550100 entriesShowing 1 to 25 of 175 entriesFirstPrevious12345NextLastResource Name
Article or Document, Torah Commentary
High Healing: A Purim Message
March 14, 2006 | Amichai Lau-Lavie, Rebbetzin Hadassah Gross
A tongue-in-cheek essay by Rebbetzin Hadassah Gross, the drag queen persona of Amichai Lau-Lavie, about the meaning behind Purim. She writes about some of the issues facing the Jewish community and gives some advice for how rabbis might deal…
Purim
Download
Article or Document, Torah Commentary
On the Thirteenth Day (Parashat Naso)
June 9, 2006 | Jo Hirschmann
The author asks why a census must be taken. To be counted is to be blessed. To count others is to bestow a blessing upon them. She argues that this is what LGBT Jews have been doing since the 1970's: started synagogues and organizations,…
Download
Article or Document, Torah Commentary
Singing for Our Lives (Parashat Be’Ha’alotekha)
June 16, 2008 | Gregg Drinkwater
The author explores the story of Miriam and Aaron challenging Moses’ authority as a prophet and speak “against Moses regarding the Cushite woman he had married.” For this, God punishes Miriam by afflicting her with tzaaras, a skin condition…
Download
Article or Document
The Wreathed Chanukah Wand: Sukkot in December
December 17, 2008 | Chaim Moshe haLevi (Marc Howard Landas)
Compares the holidays of Hannukah and Christmas and discusses the issue of when Jesus was actually born, which was probably around Sukkot.…
Hanukkah | Sukkot
Download
Books, Educational Tool, Torah Commentary, Website
Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible
September 1, 2009 | David Shneer, Gregg Drinkwater, Rabbi Joshua Lesser
Buy the Torah Queeries book »
See Torah Queeries essays online »
This book brings together some of the world’s leading rabbis, scholars, and writers to interpret the Torah through a queer lens. Use these essays in your weekly parsha text…
Torah Commentary
"A Simple Matter of Justice" Achare Mot-Kedoshim
April 29, 1993 | Rabbi Lisa Edwards
The author writes about the verses in Leviticus that forbid gay sex and the dangers in heeding them too closely, highlighting other verses instead that call for love and respect.…
Reform Movement
Download
Torah Commentary
"And God Called": The Process is the Message (Parashat VaYikra)
April 1, 2006 | Rabbi Jane Rachel Litman
The author discusses our human urge to connect with God and its relationship to struggling with verses of Torah that do not speak to us as LGBT Jews. We know that some of the Torah’s words seem homophobic, sexist, insensitive to disabled people,…
Download
Torah Commentary
"Hey Yaacov, Someone’s Calling your Name!" "If it isn’t Yisrael, I’m not Home." (Parashat Vayishlach)
December 12, 2008 | Zvi Bellin
The author explores why Jacob was renamed twice in this Torah portion, and argues that each one of us has an ideal vision of who we want to be and how we wish to be perceived in our communities.…
Download
Torah Commentary
"Queer" Tribes: Finding a Place for Alternative Families (Parashat B’midbar)
May 25, 2006 | Gregg Drinkwater
The author reviews the notion of family and family lineage in the parasha, comparing it with his own non-traditional family.…
Families and Parenting
Download
Torah Commentary
A Generation’s Judge (Parashat Devarim)
July 24, 2009 | Cynthia Hoffman
The author discusses the position the Torah portion appears to take on the issue of rendering judgment, and the ways in which distance from certain events permits clearer judgment of the events themselves. She asks what it means for the next…
Marriage and Weddings
Download
Torah Commentary
A Less Innocent Love (Parashat Vaetchanan)
August 5, 2006 | Jay Michaelson
The author explores the characteristics of love in different religious and secular writing and argues that queer religious love, when it is realized, is necessarily self-aware, because it has been tested, as Abraham’s love was tested.…
Dating and Relationships
Download
Torah Commentary
A Little Bit of Soap (Parashat Chukat)
July 4, 2008 | Noach Dzmura
Short commentary on the use of a red cow’s ashes to ritually purify a person, and the preparation of Miriam’s body for burial.…
Download
Torah Commentary
A Mandatory Donation (Parashat Terumah)
February 19, 2010 | David Katzenelson
The author explores the notion of terumah, translated as gift, portion, offering, or donation. He asks how this can be considered a donation if, in the context of this Torah portion, God commands the Israelites to give a terumah. Further, why…
Download
Torah Commentary
A New Vision of the Scapegoat (Parashat Pinchas)
July 18, 2008 | Ri J. Turner
Commentary on the scapegoat. Whether killed by the knife or abandoned in the woods, the sin-offering goat is a potent symbol. What does it mean to release our sins—or relieve our worries about being held accountable—not by repairing the…
Download
Torah Commentary
A Parade of Welcome (Parashat Beha’alotecha)
May 28, 2010 | Rabbi James Greene
The author discusses the imagery of the Israelites wandering through the wilderness, focusing on a midrash that says that each tribe moved in its own unique way. He sees the LGBTQ community as its own tribe within the congregation of Israel.…
Download
Torah Commentary
A Revolution With Boundaries (Parashat Korach)
June 30, 2006 | Rebecca Weiner
The author relates her own experience of struggling with her relationship to halakha (Jewish law) to Korach doing something similar in this parsha. She names two lessons she learns from this parsha, that you have to pick your battles, and that…
Jewish Law
Download
Torah Commentary
A Well in the Desert (Parashat Vayera)
November 14, 2008 | David Katzenelson
The author compares the experience of Hagar in the desert, after having been cast out by Sarah, to the experience of LGBT Jews.…
Download
Torah Commentary
A “Great Moral Issue” of Our Time (Parashat Vayera)
October 23, 2010 | Rabbi Carl M. Perkins
In this sermon. Rabbi Carl Perkins discusses discrimination and bigotry against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the Jewish community and in mainstream American society, specifically in the context of the rise in LGBT…
Bullying or Harassment
Download
Torah Commentary
Affirming the Sanctity of Same-Sex Love (Parashat B'reshit)
October 20, 2006 | Gregg Drinkwater
In this commentary, the author argues that LGBT Jews spend a lot of time defending ourselves against misunderstood Torah verses that supposedly forbid same-sex relationships. Rarely do we have the opportunity to pro-actively affirm, rather…
Download
Torah Commentary
Amalek and The Good Soldier (Parashat Ki Teitze)
September 12, 2008 | Noach Dzmura
This commentary discusses the literary themes and narrative structure of the Torah portion. The author argues that there is an overarching meta-narrative to the portion which suggests that the ethical behavior of soldiers will lead to ultimate…
Download
Torah Commentary
Apres le Deluge: Moi (Parashat Noach)
October 28, 2006 | Michael Sarid
The author explores the question of how Noah’s enormous personal losses affect his life after the flood. He cultivates the world’s first vineyard, drinks the world’s first wine, and, upon drinking himself into oblivion, becomes the…
Download
Torah Commentary
Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?: Pharaoh, the Plagues, and His Mutinous Magicians (Parashat Vaera)
January 23, 2009 | Marisa Elana James
The author writes about power-hungry Pharaoh, who is more interested in upholding his own power than protecting his own people, and the cunning strategy of the Egyptians magicians: to use their powers on the Egyptian people – not on Moses…
Download
Torah Commentary
Balak and Balaam: Language and Knowledge, Speech and Power (Parashat Balak)
July 11, 2008 | Jeremy Schwartz
The author argues that this Torah portion is a story about speech: who has the power of the tongue, and what impact words can have. As members of the queer community, we can glean something from this portion when we encounter hate speech and as…
Download
Torah Commentary
Ba’al Ha’Chalomot: Keepers of the Dreams (Parashat Vayeshev)
November 29, 2007 | Karen Lee Erlichman
This Torah portion focuses on the story of Joseph, a dreamer and a visionary who was reviled and exiled by his own siblings. The author argues that this story is profoundly relevant to LGBTQ Jews. Many of us can recall our first feelings of being…
Download
Torah Commentary
Bind These Words (Parashat Ekev)
August 11, 2006 | Ari Lev Fornari
The authors writes of his personal experience being transgendered and wearing a chest binder, interwoven with instructions of tying the tzitzit (fringes) of a tallit (prayer shawl).…
Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Showing 1 to 25 of 175 entriesFirstPrevious12345NextLastResources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Resources > Marriage Project
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareMarriage Project
Jewish Weddings for LGBTQ Couples
Search the Marriage Project»
Rabbis affiliated with Judaism’s Reform and Reconstructionist movements in the United States have long been officiating at weddings and partnership ceremonies for LGBT couples.* In 2006, after years of impassioned study and debate, the Conservative Movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS, the movement’s authority on Jewish law) made an historic policy change in normalizing the status of gay and lesbian Jews in Conservative-affiliated synagogues and organizations and legalizing the ordination of gay and lesbian rabbis .
When the 2006 responsum, or Jewish legal ruling, was approved by members of the CJLS, the authors of the responsum were not prepared to offer guidance on ceremonies and legal instruments for creating and dissolving gay and lesbian unions but made it clear that they favored “the establishment of committed and loving relationships for gay and lesbian Jews.” In May 2012, the authors of the 2006 responsum that opened the doors for gay and lesbian rabbis shared a new ritual framework for officiating at unions for same-sex couples. The two model ceremonies they created will likely become templates that Conservative rabbis will rely upon when officiating at ceremonies in their own communities. Our Resource Guide offers additional models and includes discussions of the relevant Jewish legal frameworks.
The Resource Guide is geared for those within Jewish communities who have already accepted the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships may focus on the question of what forms these rituals and liturgies might take. The guide offers ceremonies and articles grounded in considerations of halacha (Jewish law), as well as the opportunity to dialogue and contribute to the evolving innovation and development of this relatively new ritual area of Jewish life. We have included liturgy, guidelines, ritual, and legal materials that respond to the diverse needs of clergy and couples.
Isaiah’s words capture our efforts. He preached to those in exile who might return to their homeland:
Widen the place of your tent,
Stretch the curtains of your dwellings – stint not!
Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes (Isaiah 54:2)
The image is of a tent flexible enough to expand to contain those who had not been included in the past – but also capable of rooting itself in the soil of Jewish law, culture, and tradition – so it does not remain too loose to be able to stand firm. Our established and created rituals are the places in which we dwell and create meaning, and the strength of our future community is grounded within them.
Thank You
Thank you to Rabbi Tracy Nathan, the project editor. Rabbi Nathan is the Rabbi of Temple Beth Israel in Waltham, MA. She taught on the faculty at Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston and served as rabbi of Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco. She received her rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she served as a Cooperberg-Rittmaster Rabbinical Intern at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, New York City’s synagogue for LGBT Jews, their friends, and families. Many thanks to Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, who began the work of researching authors and ceremonies for this project and to countless individuals who consulted with Keshet on the formation of this Guide.
*The Reform Movement ‘s Central Conference of American Rabbis gave official sanction to its affiliated clergy in 2000 and the Reconstructionist Movement gave official sanction indirectly in 1993 and directly in 2004. In both movements, individual clergy had been officiating at unions for LGBT couples long before the official policy shifts.
Resources
All Resources
Torah Queeries
Marriage Project
LGBT Jewish Education Resources
The Purim Superhero
TransTexts
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
Wrestling with God
Multimedia
Store
Zippy Ostroy, Temple Sinai, Brookline Rainbow Committee • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4460206051/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3599094944/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792960187/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Boston Pride: Steven and Jacob • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4792964335/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop. 8 Protest and Rally, Boston • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3039581622/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Equality Guide > Are you a… > For Youth
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareFor Youth
Welcome to Keshet! We’re so glad you found us!
BBYO youth at march for equality
BBYO youth at The March for Equality
Do you think you are or might be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer?
Learn about out upcoming LGBTQ and Ally Teen Shabbaton
Figuring out who you are and how you identify, and potentially coming out to the people you love isn’t always easy, but you’re not alone. Keshet has a lot of things you can read and explore to understand how some queer Jews relate to being LGBTQ and Jewish, and how our allies are taking action. Here are some ways you can find others to connect with and find support.
Watch Marina’s story
See how other LGBTQ Jewish teens about feel about their identity.
Jeremy Burton, Keshet Board Member and Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston, talks about being gay and Jewish, and why LGBTQ Jews are integral members of our communities.
Jewish youth groups are becoming more and more inclusive. Check out this video from BBYO and see a letter that all of the major youth movements signed committing to ending bullying.
Are you or your family is Orthodox, traditional, observant, or frum?
Check out Jewish Queer Youth (JQYouth or JQY), a social and support group for frum and formerly frum LGBT Jews ages 17-30.
Visit Eshel, an organization dedicated to creating understanding and support for LGBT people in traditional communities. They offer great events and resources designed espeically for observant Jews.
Watch this video from other LGBTQ gay Orthodox Jews who want you to know that it does get easier.
Looking for a safe place to ask questions about sexuality, gender identity, and sex?
Check out Scarleteen. Scarleteen offers inclusive, comprehensive, and smart sexuality information for folks in their teens and 20s.
Planned Parenthood will text you answers to your questions about sexual heath, totally anonymous.
Are you in crisis or are thinking about suicide?
Please talk to someone you trust or call The Trevor Project Lifeline for immediate help at 866-4-U-TREVOR (866.488.7386). Available 24/7. Calls are confidential and toll-free.
Jewish tradition teaches us that all people – without exception – are created B’Tzelem Elohim, in God’s image. You are imbued with holiness and your life is sacred. We want to meet you one day, to count you among the tens of thousands of LGBT and ally Jews in our community fighting to make this world safer and more whole for all of us. Please reach out for help. We need you to stick around.
Not in crisis, but having a hard time?
Kate Bornstein wrote an awesome book, Hello Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks, and Other Outlaws. You can buy it here, and read a few snippets here. You can also watch her “It Gets Better” Video here.
Visit TrevorChat, a confidential and secure messaging service to ask questions or get advice: Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 1:00 pm – 7 pm Pacific (4:00 pm- 10 pm Eastern).
Have a friend who recently came out to you?
Not sure what to do? Here is a list of tips for supporting your friends when they come out to you.
Do you want to see LGBT Jewish role models on the walls of your synagogue or school?
Want to know more about some of the awesome LGBT Jews throughout history? Check it out: http://lgbtjewishheroes.org. We've also got a whole library of LGBT Jewish resources here.
Thinking about starting a GSA (GLBTQ-Straight Alliance) or other LGBTQA community group at your school, synagogue, camp, or youth group?
A GSA is a club which provides a safe place for students to meet, support each other, talk about issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity, and work to end homophobia. GSAs are a great way to build community at your school and lessen the isolation that GLBTQ students might otherwise experience.
Check out the movie we made, Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School, which tells the story of a student at a pluralistic Jewish Day School and her courageous campaign to start a GSA. You can order a copy for yourself or your institution here.
You can also take a look at this toolkit, put together by GLSEN, the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network, on tips and tools for creating a GSA: GLSEN Jump-Start Guide for Gay Straight Alliances. Visit the GSA Network for other ideas on creating a GSA at your school.
Jewish LGBT Youth Groups
Rockville Open House (Washington DC) Monthly Meeting (1st Thursday each month). Rockville Open House (ROH) is a supervised, safe gathering space for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer, questioning,or intersex (LGBTQQI) teens, and their friends and allies, between the ages of 13-18 yrs old. ROH is open once a month,from 7:00 pm – 9:45 pm at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington Youth Lounge, 6125 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD. Check out Rockville Open House on Facebook.
Fairfax Open House (Fairfax Virginia) Monthly Meeting (2nd Monday each month) Fairfax Open House is a monthly support group for LGBT Jewish teens that meets the second Monday a month at the JCC in Northern Virginia. Check Out Fairfax Open House on Facebook.
Brooklyn Jewish GSA (Brooklyn, NY) A group that is a safe, supportive and social place to discuss issues, ask questions, and celebrate. Participation in the Brooklyn Jewish GSA is free, open to interested high school students, meets once a month at the Park Slope Jewish Center in Brooklyn. See our Wall for info on dates and times. The Brooklyn Jewish GSA is led by adult Jewish facilitators who are committed to mentoring the LGBTQ and ally youth of Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Jewish GSA is an initiative of the Park Slope Jewish Center and Kolot Chayeinu, in collaboration with Congregation Beit Simchat Torah.
Queer Jewish Teen Group (San Francisco) - Events for LGBTQIQ Jewish Teens! Based at the Jewish Community Center of San Francsisco. Check out their Facebook page.
Atlanta: New GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender or Questioning) group for teens (from 12-16 years) will start at Jewish Family & Career Services in Dunwoody. The group will meet every other Wednesday, 6-7:30pm, January 30 through April 24 (members can join at any time). A concurrent group for parents of any GLBTQ teen will be held the last Wednesday of the month, starting January 30. In lieu of a participation fee, a donation of any amount is greatly appreciated. All participants are required to attend an individual meeting prior to joining the group. To set up a meeting, or for more information, please contact Dan Arnold at darnold@jfcs-atlanta.org , 770.677.9314.
Jewish High Schools with Gay Straight Alliances
The following schools currently have (or have had in the past) an active Gay-Straight Alliance.
The Abraham Joshua Heschel School (New York, NY) - Alliance For Respect
American Hebrew Academy, (Greensboro, NC) - Diversity Alliance
Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, (Rockville, MD) - Gay Straight Alliance
Chicagoland Jewish High School, (Morton Grove, IL)
Frankel Jewish Academy, (West Bloomfield Township, MI) – Diversity Club
Gann Academy – The New Jewish High School of Greater Boston (Waltham, MA) – Open House
Golda Och Academy (West Orange New Jersey) – Gay Straight Alliance
Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy (Bryn Mawr, PA ) – Alliance
Milken Community High School (Los Angeles, CA) - Gay Straight Alliance
New Community Jewish High School (West Hills, CA) – B'tselem Elohim/Gay-Straight Alliance
San Diego Jewish Academy (San Diego, CA)
Shoshana S. Cardin School (Baltimore, MD)
Does your school have a GSA? Let us know! Want help starting one but don't know where to start? Give Joanna Ware a call at 617.524.9227 or send us an email.
Equality Guide
Join the Equality Guide
Rabbi Joel Alter @ Tallit Workshop • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775526070/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607336855/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Challah Back: A Keshet Community Event • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7165501796/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rally for Tel Aviv GLBT Center • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3794649231/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>LGBT Israel Trip • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7801985586/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Equality Guide > Are you a… > For Parents & Families
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareFor Parents & Families
Shulman Brochstein FamilyWelcome! Keshet has a number of resources for parents of LGBTQ children as well as parents who are LGBTQ.
For Parents of LGBTQ Children (of any age)
Get Support: The Keshet Parent & Family Connection
When a child comes out, it can be a major life change for the whole family. It might raise new questions, fears, challenges, and opportunities. The Keshet Parent and Family Connection is a diverse network of parents and family members of LGBTQ Jews across the country who are available to offer support to other parents dealing with any stage of their child's coming out process.
Learn more
Synagogues, Youth Groups, Schools and More!
Looking for a synagogue or school where your family will feel welcomed and embraced? Check out the Equality Guide where you'll find profiles of hundreds of Jewish institutions and clergy who are committed to inclusion.
Learn more
Resources
Want to learn more about LGBT Jewish issues? Our Resource Library has over 500 entries: articles, rituals, poetry, Divrei Torah/sermons, policies, and more. There is a section devoted just to families and parenting.
Learn more
Advocacy and Training
Want to learn how to make your Jewish community more inclusive and safe for your child? Parents are often the best advocates for change in their communities. Consider attending one of our Training Institutes or have your professional staff schedule a training for your synagogue, JCC, day school, or other Jewish communal institution.
Learn more
Support Inclusion: Parents Circle
Join other parents in supporting Keshet's work for a Jewish community that is safe and welcoming for your child and every child.
Learn more
LGBTQ Parents
Meet Other Parents
Check out our events in Massachusetts, Colorado, and the Bay Area — many of them are family friendly. You can also find a list of Jewish LGBT events hosted by synagogues and other organizations.
Learn more
Synagogues, Youth Groups, Schools and More!
Looking for a synagogue or school where your family will be welcomed? Check out the Equality Guide, where you can learn about the Jewish institutions and clergy in your neighborhood.
Learn more
Resources
Want to learn more about LGBT Jewish issues? Our Resource Library has over 500 entries: articles, rituals, poetry, Divrei Torah/sermons, policies, and more. There is a section devoted just to families and parenting.
Learn more
The Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association has a series of life cycle certificates available, including on the arrival of children, consecration, bar/bat mitzvah, confirmation, appreciation, and conversion.
Learn more
Equality Guide
Join the Equality Guide
Rabbi Joel Alter @ Tallit Workshop • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775526070/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607336855/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Challah Back: A Keshet Community Event • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7165501796/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rally for Tel Aviv GLBT Center • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3794649231/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>LGBT Israel Trip • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7801985586/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Equality Guide > Are you a… > For Educators
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareFor Educators
Welcome. We’re so glad you've found us. Keshet has many resources for informal and formal Jewish educators alike.
Whether you’re looking for a workshop to learn how to create safe space for LGBTQ youth and address homophobic bullying, to deepen your staff’s understanding of the intersection between Jewish and LGBTQ identity, looking for ways to inspire youth to take a lead in combating homophobia in your community, we can help.
Resources and Best Practices
Wondering what to say if a teen comes out to you?
Here’s a good place to start
Looking for lesson plans you can use with teens? Or suggestions for ways to make your curriculum more LGBTQ-inclusive?
Check out our Resource Library for suggestions and activities as well as the Keshet store for posters, books, curriculum and other resources we've developed.
Looking for language for a comprehensive anti-bullying or anti-discrimination policy?
Here's a sample non-discrimination and anti-bullying policy that can get you started. You can also find samples in our Resource Library under “Best Practices.”
Want to bring a queer text study to your class or a staff or faculty meeting?
Browse our collection of Torah Queeries, queer takes on the weekly Torah portion, or check out these texts from Rabbi Steven Greenberg's book, Wrestling with God and Men.
Want to talk with other Jewish educators committed to LGBTQ inclusion?
Our Leadership Team would is here to offer support and guidance.
What are the best ways to support LGBTQ youth in Jewish community?
Here's an exercise you can do with youth to brainstorm the top 10 ways to build an inclusive community.
Have a great LGBT inclusive lesson plan or program description you want to share with other Jewish educators?
Tell us about it! We're creating a library of activities and lessons that will benefit everyone working to create fully inclusive Jewish communities.
Looking for a job in the Jewish community where you can be your full self?
Check out our Equality Guide, a listing of hundreds of organizations and clergy that are committed to LGBTQ-inclusion.
Training, Workshops, and Consultation
We'll design a training that addresses the specific needs of your organization. Learn about all of our trainings.
We offer:
professional development workshops
a train-the-trainer intensive training
workshops for teens
community programs on LGBGTQ issues
Seeking advice about a specific issue that has come up at your school or camp?
Contact us for a consultation.
Already know you want to bring a workshop to train staff at your organization?
Tell us what you want and we'll start the ball rolling!
LGBTQ Educational Organizations
These organizations do great work in the secular community around equality and LGBTQ inclusion in schools:
Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network
Gay Straight Alliance Network
Equality Guide
Join the Equality Guide
Rabbi Joel Alter @ Tallit Workshop • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775526070/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607336855/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Challah Back: A Keshet Community Event • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7165501796/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rally for Tel Aviv GLBT Center • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3794649231/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>LGBT Israel Trip • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7801985586/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Equality Guide > Are you a… > For Rabbis and Cantors
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareFor Rabbis and Cantors
COMING SOON!
Equality Guide
Join the Equality Guide
Rabbi Joel Alter @ Tallit Workshop • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775526070/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607336855/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Challah Back: A Keshet Community Event • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7165501796/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rally for Tel Aviv GLBT Center • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3794649231/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>LGBT Israel Trip • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7801985586/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Equality Guide > Are you a… > For Jewish Community Professionals
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareFor Jewish Community Professionals
COMING SOON!
Equality Guide
Join the Equality Guide
Rabbi Joel Alter @ Tallit Workshop • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775526070/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607336855/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Challah Back: A Keshet Community Event • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7165501796/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rally for Tel Aviv GLBT Center • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3794649231/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>LGBT Israel Trip • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7801985586/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Equality Guide > Are you a… > For LGBTQ Jews
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareFor LGBTQ Jews
For College Students:
Ahava: University of Michigan
Aliz: Hampshire College
Gayava: Columbia University/Barnard College.
Hamsa: University of Maryland
J-Bagel: University of Pennsylvania
Jewish Alliances for GLBTs and Straights (JAGS): University of Southern California
Jewish Queers: Stanford University
Jewish Queer Students at Tufts (JQUEST) and their allies: Tufts University
Kehilat Keshet: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Keshet: Indiana University
Keshet: New York University
Mishpacha: UCLA
Out Young Jew (OyJ): American University
Queers and Allies of Faith: Oberlin College
Shalem: Brandeis University
More info coming soon!
Equality Guide
Join the Equality Guide
Rabbi Joel Alter @ Tallit Workshop • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775526070/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607336855/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Challah Back: A Keshet Community Event • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7165501796/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rally for Tel Aviv GLBT Center • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3794649231/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>LGBT Israel Trip • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7801985586/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Bookmark & ShareXClose AddThis Expanded MenuSelect from these web-based feed readers:
AOLBloglinesGoogle ReaderMy MSNNetvibesNewsisfreePageflakesYahooSharing Service FilterNo matching services..netShoutout100zakladok2 Tag2linkmeA97abiAdftyAdifniADV QRAmazonAmen Me!AOL MailAPSenseArtoAviary CaptureAzadegiBaangBaiduBallTribeBeat100BeboBentioBiggerPocketsBit.lyBizSugarBland takkinnBlinklistBlipBloggerBloggyBlogkeenBlogmarksBlurpaliciousBO.LTBobrdobrBonzoBoxBookmarkingNetBookmarky.czBookmerkenBrainifyBryderi.seBuddyMarksBufferBuzzzyCamyooCardThisCare2Cherry ShareChimeChiqCiripCiteULikeClassicalPlaceCleanPrintCleanSaveclipDOCndigColivia.deCommunicateConnoteacOOtopiaCopy LinkCOSMiQCSS BasedCurate.usDeliciousDesignBumpDigaCulturaDiggDiggitaDigoDigThisHostDigzignDiigoDipdiveDoMelhorDostiDotNetKicksDoubanDraugiem.lvDrimioDropjackDuduDzoneEdelightEFactoreKudoselefanta.plEmailEmail AppEmbarkonseuCliqueiEvernoteextraplayEzySpotFabDesignFabulously40FacebookFarkFarkindaFashiolistaFAVableFavesfavlogFavoritenFavoritesFavoritusFlakerFloss.proFolkdFormspringFreeDictionaryFresquiFriendFeedfunPfwispGabbrGamekickerGGGiftery.meGigBasketGiveALinkGlobalGrindGmailGo.vnGood NoowsGoogleGoogle+GreaterDebaterHaber.gen.trHacker NewsHadash HotHatenaHealthimizeHedgehogsHelloTxthistoriousHot BookmarkHotklixHotmailHTML ValidatorHyvesIdenti.caIDibbItihavegotIndex4IndexorInformazioneInstapaperInvestorLinksiOrbixIRepeateriSocietyiWiWJamespotJappy TickerJoliPrintJollyJumptagsKaboodleKaevurKaixin RepasteKetnooiKindle ItKipupKledyKommentingLa tafaneraLibrerioLiDAR OnlineLifestreamLink NinjaLinkedInLinks GutterLinkSharesLinkuj.czLiveJournalLockerBloggerLogger24Mail.ruMarkmeMashantMashbordme2daymeinVZMekusharimMemonicMemori.ruMendeleyMenv©ameMessengerMindbodygreenMister WongMixiMoemesto.ruMoikrugmototagzmRcNEtwORKMultiplymyAOLMyHayastanMylinkvaultMyspaceN4GNasza-klasaNetLogNetvibesNetvouzNewsMeBackNewsTrustNewsvineNujijOdnoklassnikiOKNOtizieOneviewOrkutOyylaPackgPafnetPDF OnlinePDFmyURLPhoneFavsPing.fmPinterestPlanypusPlaxoPlurkPochvalPocketPoliticNotePosteezyPosterousPrati.baPrintPrintFriendlyPushaQRF.inQRSrc.comQuantcastQzoneRedditRediff MyPageRedKumResearchGateRideFixSafelinkingScoop.atScoop.itSekomanSelect2GetherSettings...SharerShavehShe Told MeSina WeiboSkyrock BlogSMISodaHeadSonicoSpeedtileSpinSnapSpreadlyspringpadSquidooStartaidStartlapStoryFollowerstudiVZStuffpitStumbleUponStumpediaSunlizeSUP BROSurfingbirdSvejoSymbalooTaazaShareTagzaTaringa!TarpipeTextmeThe FancyThe Web BlendThinkfinityThisNextThrowpileto.lyTopSitelerTransferrTranslateTuentiTulinqTumblrTvinxTwitterTwitThisTypepadUpnews.itUrlaubswerkURLCaptViadeoVirbVisitezMonSiteVKontaktevKruguDruzeiVOX SocialVybraliSMEVyoomWebnewsWebShareWerKenntWenWhois LookupWindy CitizenWireFanWordPressWorioWowBoredWrite Your RepWykopXangaXINGY! BookmarksY! MailYammerYardbarkerYemleYiggYookosYoolinkYorumcuyumYoublrYoubookmarksYouMobYuubyZakladok.netZicZacZingMeZukmoDoneMessage sent! Share again.
Sending message...AddThis for Internet ExplorerMake sharing easier with AddThis for Internet Explorer.Download
Don't show theseTo: (email address)From: (email address)Note: (optional)255 character limitMore:AddThisPrivacy Bookmark & ShareXMake sharing easier with AddThis for Internet Explorer.Don't show theseFacebookTwitterEmailPrintGmailStumbleUponFavoritesMore... (337)Settings...Sign InAddThisPrivacy
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Equality Guide > Are you a… > For Friends & Allies
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareFor Friends & Allies
What should you do and say when a friend comes out to you?
See some suggestions
More coming soon!
Equality Guide
Join the Equality Guide
Rabbi Joel Alter @ Tallit Workshop • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775526070/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607336855/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Challah Back: A Keshet Community Event • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7165501796/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rally for Tel Aviv GLBT Center • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3794649231/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>LGBT Israel Trip • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7801985586/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > About Us
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareAbout Us
Welcome!
Pride Flag in RainKeshet is a national grassroots organization that works for the full equality and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Jews in Jewish life. Led and supported by LGBT Jews and straight allies, Keshet strives to cultivate the spirit and practice of inclusion in all parts of the Jewish community. We began as a small, grassroots group working for change in the Greater Boston area, and we are now a national organization with offices in the Bay Area and Denver, in addition to our national office in Boston.
See what folks are saying about Keshet.
Why is Keshet unique?
Keshet is the only organization in the U.S. that works for LGBT inclusion in all facets of Jewish life – synagogues, Hebrew schools, day schools, youth groups, summer camps, social service organizations, and other communal agencies. Through training, community organizing, and resource development, we partner with clergy, educators, and volunteers to equip them with the tools and knowledge they need to be effective agents of change.
What do we do?
Learn about the many ways we help create an inclusive Jewish community.
Build Community for LGBT Jews
Support Families
Train for LGBT Inclusion
Create safe space for LGBT teens and allies
Fight for LGBT Civil Rights
Produce Jewish LGBT Resources
Advance the Movement for LGBT Jewish Inclusion and Equality
Our Theory of Change
We believe that in order to bring about long-term, sustainable change we must work in partnership with community leaders to identify their own priorities, strategies, and paths to inclusion. This community-driven model informs all of our work, from our social events to our educational trainings.
About Us
Our Story
Board of Directors
Staff
Support Keshet
Join Us
Our Supporters
Jobs & Internships
Contact Us
Press
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Keshet Cabaret • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7790733794/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Cabaret 2008 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7789061024/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Members of the Jewish contingent in the parade • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686174/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Pride Shabbat, Denver • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410684558/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7070797333/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > About Us > Our Story
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareOur Story
Not too long ago lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Jews were largely invisible in American Jewish life. Marriage Equality wasn't on anyone’s radar — certainly not on the radar of most synagogues and Jewish organizations — and there was not a single Gay-Straight Alliance at a Jewish high school. Many LGBT Jews felt they needed to hide a primary part of themselves in order to remain involved in their Jewish communities. Other queer Jews left their Jewish communities altogether and never returned.
Two gay Jewish men in Boston, Jonathan Krasner and Jared Goldfarb, envisioned a different reality. They envisioned a world in which they could live integrated lives; a world in which their Jewish selves and their gay selves could be fully expressed and embraced. In 1996, they founded Keshet, a local volunteer-run organization committed to the full inclusion and equality of LGBT Jews in Jewish life.
In the fall of 2001, after several years as a volunteer, Idit Klein became Keshet’s founding executive director. With community organizing as a foundation, Keshet built a base of activists and leaders. We organized social events such as LGBT Jewish speed-dating and mobilized Jewish community support for marriage equality and transgender rights in Massachusetts.
In 2005, Keshet entered the national arena by producing Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School, a one-hour documentary film that chronicles the story of one girl’s fight to establish a Gay-Straight Alliance at her Jewish high school, the first in the country. On the heels of Hineini’s premiere, Keshet developed educational resources and trainings for Jewish educators in how to combat homophobia and promote safe, inclusive, and celebratory communities for LGBT youth, staff, and families.
In 2010, Keshet merged with Jewish Mosaic, a Denver-based national Jewish LGBT inclusion organization. Now, with offices in Colorado and the Bay Area, and our headquarters in Boston, Keshet offers a dynamic array of community events for queer Jews while also working directly for change in the broader Jewish communities of Greater Boston, Denver and Boulder, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Nationwide, Keshet offers signature train-the-trainer institutes, giving educators and community leaders the skills and tools they need to train their peers in fostering safe, inclusive classrooms, youth groups, summer camps, and more.
Keshet has certified trainers in over 200 Jewish communities around the country. They are building a powerful base of leaders and change agents.
So much has changed since 1996, but much more work remains to be done. We know from Jewish youth, parents, and educators that anti-gay bullying and gender policing are still endemic in Jewish youth settings. We know that there are still Jewish professionals who are pressured to remain closeted if they want to keep their jobs. We know that many LGBT Jewish adults who seek a home in the Jewish community feel unseen and unwanted.
However long it takes, Keshet will work for a day in which Jews of all sexual orientations and gender identities can live fully integrated Jewish lives.
We envision a Jewish world in which LGBT Jews are not merely tolerated or accepted; we envision communities where the ethos of justice, caring, and inclusion that encapsulates the best of Jewish tradition is seen and felt by all Jews.
Join us in making this vision a reality.
“Keshet”
Keshet (???, KEH-shet) is a Hebrew word, meaning both “rainbow,” a symbol of LGBT pride, and “bow,” an instrument for action.
About Us
Our Story
Board of Directors
Staff
Support Keshet
Join Us
Our Supporters
Jobs & Internships
Contact Us
Press
Keshet Cabaret • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7790733794/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Cabaret 2008 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7789061024/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Members of the Jewish contingent in the parade • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686174/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Pride Shabbat, Denver • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410684558/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7070797333/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > About Us > Board of Directors
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareBoard of Directors
Idit_Klein
Idit Klein
Executive Director
Idit Klein has been an activist for equality and social justice for the past 20 years. Since 2001, she has served as Executive Director of Keshet. During this time, Klein has built Keshet from a one-person, local organization with an annual budget of $42,000 to a 16-person, national organization with an annual budget of over one million. Under her leadership, Keshet developed a comprehensive training curriculum for LGBT inclusion and trained educators in hundreds of Jewish communities around the country. In Massachusetts, Klein helped mobilize Massachusetts rabbis and synagogue members to defeat the proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Klein also served as the Executive Producer of Keshet’s award-winning documentary film Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School.
Prior to leading Keshet, Klein was an activist in the queer women’s community in Israel and played a role in early organizing efforts to create the Jerusalem Open House. She has worked for social justice organizations in Jerusalem and in Boston including SHATIL, the Israel/Palestine Center for Research & Information, and Community Work Services. A magna cum laude graduate of Yale University, Klein received her Master’s in Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a focus on social justice and anti-oppression education. She is also a certified facilitator of the Center for Leadership Initiatives.
Klein was among eight recipients of the 2003-2005 Joshua Venture Fellowship for young Jewish social entrepreneurs and was a plenary speaker at the 2007 Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly. A board member of JOIN for Justice and a past fellow, Klein was honored by the Jewish Women’s Archive with a Women Who Dared award.
Martin_H_Tannenbaum
Martin H Tannenbaum, Chair
Founder, Tannenbaum Associates
Martin Tannenbaum brings more than 30 years experience helping nonprofit and for-profit organizations learn, grow and innovate. He developed his expertise through a series of senior leadership positions at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith (as Group Vice President, Business Financial Services), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (as Executive Director of New and Traditional Products), and as Chief Operating Officer at The Idea Factory. Past consulting clients include BJC Health Systems, The Boston Foundation, Chubb Insurance, Citibank, Federal Express, Nissan, John Hancock, The Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, and The Northern California Community Loan Fund.
Currently, Martin consults to nonprofit organizations focused on applied learning programs and building business and innovation capabilities. He also teaches executives at Boston University’s Entrepreneurial Management Institute, provides board coaching and fund development guidance for the Center for Justice and Accountability, and leads a Synagogue/Federation partnership program assisting Jewish organizations in innovation and infra-structure building. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Boston University’s School of Management where he has developed several graduate, undergraduate and executive training programs focused on innovation and the intersection of business practices and nonprofit management.
Martin received a B.A., magna cum laude in Psychology and English from Harvard University, and an MBA, with honors, from Boston University.
David_Shneer
David Shneer, Ph.D., Vice Chair
Director, Program in Jewish Studies and Associate Professor of History, University of Colorado, Boulder
David Shneer is the Singer professor of history and director of the Program in Jewish Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder. Called “pathbreaking” by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Shneer's newest book, Through Soviet Jewish Eyes: Photography, War, and the Holocaust (Rutgers University Press, 2011), finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, looks at the lives and works of two dozen Soviet Jewish World War II military photographers to examine what kinds of photographs they took when they encountered evidence of Nazi genocide on the Eastern Front. In fall 2011, the travelling museum exhibit Through Soviet Jewish Eyes debuted at the CU Art Museum in Boulder, Colorado. Through Soviet Jewish Eyes is currently on display at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City until April 2, 2013.
His other books include Queer Jews, finalist for the Lambda Literary award, Yiddish and the Creation of Soviet Jewish Culture, finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, and New Jews: The End of the Jewish Diaspora, which has sparked discussion in publications like the Economist and the Jerusalem Post. His new project, Not On Their Last Road, examines Yiddish musical culture's role in the clash between fascism and Communism through the life and work of Lin Jaldati, a Dutch-Jewish Yiddish-singing cabaret singer, who survived the Holocaust and was the last person to see Anne Frank alive. After the war, she moved to East Germany and became the Yiddish diva of the Communist world until her death in 1988.
Shneer has lived and worked as a scholar and writer in Russia, Germany, and Israel and has written for the New York Times, Huffington Post, Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post as well as publications dedicated to Jewish life and culture, including Forward, Pakntreger, Jewcy, and Nextbook. Shneer has taught or been a scholar-in-residence at the University of California campuses at Berkeley and Davis, and at the University of Illinois, the National Yiddish Book Center, the University of Wisconsin, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, serving as the Pearl Resnick Fellow, and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. He serves as consultant to numerous Jewish agencies on questions of contemporary Jewish identity, and serves on the board of directors of the Association for Jewish Studies. He has won prestigious fellowships from the Social Science Research Council, Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, the International Research and Exchange Council, and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Mus eum.
David Shneer was co-founder of Jewish Mosaic, the first national Jewish LGBT organization, and former education director of Congregation Sha'ar Zahav, the LGBT outreach synagogue of the San Francisco Bay Area. His work with the Jewish non-profit world includes consulting with organizations around issues of integrating Soviet and former Soviet Jews into Jewish communal life, having a leadership role in Limmud Colorado, and working with Facing History and Ourselves, a global non profit dedicated to fostering a democratic, human-rights oriented education in high schools.
a_zelermyer_hs
B. Andrew Zelermyer, Treasurer
Director, Goulston & Storrs Counsellors at Law
As a Director at Goulston & Storrs Counsellors at Law, Andrew conducts a broad-based real estate practice. He represents real estate development companies, financial institutions and architectural firms in all aspects of commercial real estate law, including land use and development, construction and permanent financing, construction and design, leasing, acquisitions and sales.
Andrew’s professional and communal involvement include serving as a Member of the Retail Solar Task Force of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, a Founding Board Member of MassEquality, Treasurer and Trustee at Temple Israel of Boston, Board member of the Boston Preservation Alliance, and an alumnus of Lead Boston Class of 2001.
David Levy headshot for Keshet website
David Levy, Secretary
Marketing Director, the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America
David is the Marketing Director at the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. Most recently he was the Managing Editor of JewishBoston.com, CJP’s one-stop website for all things Jewish in the Greater Boston area. He was the 2005-08 chair of Keshet's Board of Directors, and served as a past chair of the Safe Schools committee, and as a member of the Cabaret Committee, Development Committee, and Community Events Committee. Prior to joining JewishBoston.com in 2010, David was the Associate Director of Prozdor, the high school program of Hebrew College, where he was also the founding director of Makor, Hebrew College’s innovative middle school collaboration between Prozdor and area synagogues. He has also worked as a synagogue Youth Educator, a reporter for the Jewish Advocate, the resident tutor in Drama, Religion, and Sexuality at Harvard’s Adams House, and, long ago, as the Vice President of Operations for an independent record label called Fynsworth Alley.
David holds two master's degrees from Hebrew College, in Jewish Studies and Jewish Education, and a bachelor's degree from Harvard in English and American Literature and Languages. David is a former editor and occasional contributor to Jewschool.com, and the former Boston-area theater critic for TalkinBroadway.com.
Dana-Beyer-M.D.
Dana Beyer, MD
Executive Director, Gender Rights Maryland
DANA BEYER, M.D., a retired eye surgeon, is Executive Director of Gender Rights Maryland, chair of the national advisory board of Freedom to Work, and a weekly columnist at the Huffington Post. A well-known advocate for health issues as well as gender rights, she practiced medicine and surgery in D.C., Miami, Mississippi, Africa and Asia. She was a candidate for Maryland State Delegate in 2006 and 2010. She has been Vice President of Equality Maryland, Executive Vice President of Maryland NOW, a member of the Board of Governors of the Human Rights Campaign, a founding member of the Progressive Working Group, Maryland’s newest progressive alliance, a steering committee member of Progressive Neighbors, and a board member at Mobile Medical Care, Montgomery County’s primary service provider of health care to the uninsured. She is currently a board member of Keshet, the nation’s foremost Jewish LGBT organization, as well as the National Center for Transgender Equality. She co-authored The Dallas Principles in 2009. She has served as Senior Adviser to Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg of the Montgomery County Council, and on the Rules Committee of the Democratic party. A mother of two adult sons, she lives in Chevy Chase, MD.
Jeremy_Burton
Jeremy Burton
Executive Director, Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston
Jeremy Burton is the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston (JCRC), promoting a society that reflects the best of American and Jewish values; in Greater Boston, Israel and around the world. Through advocacy, organizing, service and partnerships, JCRC pursues social justice, ensures a vibrant Jewish community, and builds a network of support for Israel.
Jeremy, who has been a Keshet Board member since 2008, also serves on the advisory boards for the Human Rights Campaign’s Jewish Workplace Equality Program and of Eshel; creating understanding and support for LGBT people in traditional Jewish communities
He writes and speaks widely on issues of Jewish inclusion and on finding meaning and acting through timeless Jewish values.
Jeremy lives in Cambridge, MA. He avidly tweets about his passions including sports and science fiction.
Gali_Cooks
Gali Cooks
VP of Operations at LearnBop
Gali Cooks is the VP of Operations at LearnBop. Previously she was the Executive Director of the Rita J. & Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation, Inc., where she worked with three generations of the Kaplan family, helping them create strategic and meaningful philanthropy. Gali began her philanthropic career in 2004, when she took a brisk walk with Harold Grinspoon who told her about an idea to give away free Jewish children's books to young Jewish families as a way of increasing cultural literacy; nine months later The PJ Library was born, with Gali as its Founding Director. Before delving into philanthropy, Gali held positions in the political and diplomatic arenas in Washington, DC. In addition to her role at the Kaplan Family Foundation, Gali serves on the Board of the Association of Small Foundations, the largest philanthropy affinity group in the United States. A resident of Brooklyn, NY, where she lives with her wife, Keren, Gali holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.B.A. from the NYU Stern School of Business.
Ann Falchuck_for web
Ann Falchuk
Ann was born in Miami and attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville where she studied education. After a stint abroad, she worked as a marketer at a publishing company in New York City. She met her husband, Myron, in Boston where they married and began building a family. Ann has served on multiple boards including Solomon Schechter (a Jewish day school), her synagogue, and Jewish Family and Children Services. She has worked as a fundraiser (with Mass Equality among others) and led a synagogue capital campaign (for Temple Emanuel). She and her husband Myron have three daughters and two grandchildren. Her daughters, one of whom is queer, are her passion. Ann currently lives in Newton, MA, and New York City. She recently attended Keshet's New York City Training Institute, has been a generous Keshet donor, and has brought energy and know-how to the Keshet Cabaret Committee.
S.Asher_Gelman
S. Asher Gelman
Ouroboros Dance Company
Asher has an extensive history of LGBT activism both in the Jewish community and in the broader world. As a high school junior, Asher founded Rainbow Youth DC, a youth-run social group for GLBT youth in the Washington DC metropolitan area. At the time, RYDC was the area's largest queer youth group. Asher also headed up Rainbow Connection, the Gay-Straight Alliance at Georgetown Day High School, and initiated several programs including a highly successful Day of Silence. At the same time, he served on the board of the Washington, DC, GLSEN chapter. While a student at Bard College, Asher was an active member of the National Union of Jewish LGBT Students and has served as a member of the NUJLS’ Board of Governors. Since 2003, Asher has been active in the Israeli GLBT rights movement. In 2006, Asher moved to Tel Aviv where he played a key role in organizing and building the new GLBT Community Center. He has served in the Israeli Defense Forces from 2008-09, and is in the process of founding a dance collective. He recieved a Masters of Fine Arts in Dance from George Washington University.
Karla_Goldman
Karla Goldman, Ph.D.
Sol Drachler Professor of Social Work, University of Michigan
Karla is the Sol Drachler Professor of Social Work at the University of Michigan, where she directs the school’s Jewish Communal Leadership Program. Karla taught American Jewish history at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, from 1991 to 2000. She worked from 2000 to 2008 as historian in residence at the Jewish Women’s Archive in Brookline, MA. She is the author of Beyond the Synagogue Gallery: Finding a Place for Women in American Judaism (Harvard University Press, 2000) and is working on a history of the Jews of Cincinnati.
Daniel Heller
Daniel Heller
Founder and CEO, The Welcoming Committee
Daniel Heller is the founder of The Welcoming Committee, an events and travel business that is building a movement of people who think it’s time for LGBT folks to experience every bar, sports game, major event, and travel destination the same way straight people do. Before founding TWC, Daniel worked in business development and product management at Amazon.com and strategy consulting for Infosys Consulting, where he built India’s first LGBT corporate affinity group. Daniel holds a BA in economics from Wesleyan University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Mark Kravitz
Mark Kravitz
Vice President, Jenco Properties
Mark is the Vice President of Jenco Properties , a real estate management and investment firm located in South Florida.
Born and raised in Miami, Mark graduated at the top of his class at the Samuel Scheck Hillel Community Day School in 1991. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University and his law degree from Yeshiva University's Cardozo School of Law, Mark practiced law in New York City until he moved back to Miami in 2002.
A fellow of the Wexner Heritage program, Mark demonstrates his commitment to diverse concerns through his involvement on the Greater Miami Jewish Federation's Board of Directors and on various committees. This past year he chaired the Super Sunday Committee and also chairs the Day School Committee, the Jewish Volunteer Center, and is actively involved in the Planning and Allocations Committee. In 2011, Mark won Federation's Sandra C. Goldstein's Young Leadership Award.
Mark also serves on the Board of Directors of the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE) and as a Board Member at Beth Torah Congregation, a conservative synagogue located in Aventura, Florida.
Mark resides in North Miami Beach with his partner, Jonathan, and their two children.
Stuart Kurlander
Stuart S. Kurlander, Past Chair
Partner, Latham & Watkins
Stuart Kurlander has a long history of involvement in the Jewish and GLBT communities. He is currently Vice President for Campaign, member of the Executive Committee, and a member of the Board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. He previously served as Vice-President for Israel and Overseas, Vice President at Large, Co-Chair of the Campaign’s Philanthropic Leadership Group, and Co-Chair of Operation Promise for the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the United Jewish Endowment Fund. He is the Founder and Chair of the Kurlander Program on Gay and Lesbian Outreach and Engagement at the District of Columbia Jewish Community Center, the first program of its type at a Jewish community center. He was National Chair of the first United Jewish Communities LGBT Pride Mission to Israel in 2005.
Stuart also serves as a member of the UJC Financial Relations Committee, a board member of the District of Columbia Jewish Community Center and a board member of the Washington DC Chapter of the American Jewish Committee. In 2008, he received the Judge Learned Hand Award from the American Jewish Committee. He is also a Wexner Heritage program alumni and a former member of the National Young Leadership Cabinet of United Jewish Communities.
Professionally, Stuart is a Washington, DC Partner, Global Co-Chair of the Israel Practice Group, and Founding Partner and former Chair of the Washington, DC Health Care and Life Sciences Practice Group (HLS) and also former Global Co-Chair of the HLS Practice Group of the international law firm Latham & Watkins, LLP.
Joy_Ladin
Joy Ladin, Ph.D.
Professor of English, David and Ruth Gottesman Chair in English, Stern College for Women of Yeshiva University
Dr. Joy Ladin is a professor of English and holds the David and Ruth Gottesman Chair in English at Stern College for Women of Yeshiva University. She is the first openly transgender employee of an Orthodox Jewish institution. Her memoir of transition, Through the Door of Life: A Jewish Journey Between Genders, was a finalist for a 2012 National Jewish Book Award. In 2012, she also became the first openly transgender person named to the Forward 50 list of influential or courageous American Jews. Her essays on gender identity, Judaism, and poetry have been widely published, and she has taught and spoken about Judaism and gender identity around the country. She has served on the Board of Nehirim, and on the Advisory Board for the Human Rights Campaign's Jewish Organizational Equality Index.
Joy is the author of six books of poetry, The Definition of Joy (2012), Coming to Life (2010), Psalms (2010), Transmigration (2009), The Book of Anna (2006), and Alternatives To History (2003), as well as a critical study, Soldering the Abyss: Emily Dickinson and Modern American Poetry (2010). Her poems and essays have been widely published. Joy was a finalist for the 2009 Lambda Literary Award. She has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize for Poetry and received an American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship. She was also a Fulbright Scholar. She received her Ph.D. at Princeton, M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College.
Betty_Morningstar
Betty Morningstar, Ph.D.
Psychotherapist in private practice, faculty member, Smith College School for Social Work
Betty works as a psychotherapist in private practice, as well as a core faculty member for the Advanced Certificate Program in Contemplative Clinical Practices at Smith College School for Social Work. She has served as chaplaincy intern at Hebrew Rehabilitation Hospital and SPARK Center (the children's medical and mental health center of Boston Medical Center). She has been involved with Keshet for several years as a member of the Advisory Committee and the Development Committee. Betty is president of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and is the Chair of the Social Work Reinvestment Task Force. She also serves on the Advisory Board of Creative Alternatives of New York, a drama therapy organization that serves clients who are dealing with complex trauma. Betty is a member of President's Council of Smith College. She lives in Auburndale, MA, with her wife, Jeanette Kruger; Jenna, a big old collie; and Cooper, a little mop head rescue. Her son Will, a graduate of Hampshire College in Amherst, MA, is currently residing in the San Francisco area and is involved in arts management.
Rabbi_Andrea_Myers
Rabbi Andrea Myers
Rabbi Andrea Myers is the author of The Choosing: A Rabbi’s Journey from Silent Nights to High Holy Days (Rutgers University Press, April 2011). She has also written for the Huffington Post and the New York Jewish Week. She received a B.A. in neuroscience from Brandeis University, and was ordained at the Academy for Jewish Religion, an interdenominational seminary in New York City. She is a member of the New York Board of Rabbis, and has led congregations from the Rocky Mountains to the Borscht Belt. She is married to Rabbi Lisa Grushcow and they have two wonderful children, Ariella and Alice.
Andrew Nagel
Andrew E. Nagel
Attorney in private practice
Andrew has spent the past 20 years as a corporate attorney in private practice. Most recently he served as a corporate partner and the co-chair of the mergers and acquisitions practice group at an international law firm. Andrew’s focus on mergers and acquisitions has included activist shareholder matters, capital markets, corporate governance, private equity, and restructuring. His clients have included investment banks, hedge funds, private equity firms, and technology, broadcasting, and manufacturing companies.
Andrew serves on the Legal Council of The Williams Institute, a national think tank at UCLA Law School dedicated to conducting rigorous, independent research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy. He has also served on the board of Nehirim, a national community of LGBT Jews, families and allies. He is active with Immigration Equality, a national organization fighting for equality under U.S. immigration law for LGBT and HIV-positive individuals, and Lambda Legal.
Andrew is a graduate of Harvard College and The University of California, Berkeley School of Law. While in law school, he served as an articles editor of the California Law Review.
Jane_E_Rosenbaum
Jane E. Rosenbaum
Jane E. has spent most of her adult life as an active volunteer in the Jewish community. Currently she serves on the Jewish Family Service Board of Colorado. In addition, she chairs the Jewish Disability Network Advisory committee. Nationally, she is serving on the Disability Committee of the Human Services and Public Policy Department of the Jewish Federations of North America.
Jane E. was the chair of the board of directors of Herzl? Jewish Day School (now the Denver Jewish Day School), chair of ?the Women’s campaign of the Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado, chair of the Jewish Resource Center of the AFJ, the planning and allocations arm of? the Federation. Her other board involvements include: Allied Jewish Housing, Anti-Defamation League, Hebrew Educational Alliance, a conservative synagogue in Denver, Colorado Agency for Jewish Education, and Autism Society of Colorado. She also served on the United Jewish Appeal National Young Women’s Leadership Cabinet.
She received the Moses M. Katz Young Leadership Award and the Golda Meir award from the Allied Jewish Federation, the Etz Chaim Award from the Denver Jewish Day School, the Jack Shapiro Community Service Award from Jewish Family Service of Colorado, and the Face of Autism Award from the Autism Society of Colorado.
Jane E. graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a B.A. in History. She worked as a paralegal and office manager. She is married to Stanton Rosenbaum and they have two children, Ari and Danielle.
About Us
Our Story
Board of Directors
Staff
Support Keshet
Join Us
Our Supporters
Jobs & Internships
Contact Us
Press
Keshet Cabaret • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7790733794/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Cabaret 2008 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7789061024/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Members of the Jewish contingent in the parade • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686174/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Pride Shabbat, Denver • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410684558/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7070797333/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > About Us > Staff
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareStaff
Staff
Idit_Klein
Idit Klein
Executive Director
Idit Klein has been an activist for equality and social justice for the past 20 years. Since 2001, she has served as Executive Director of Keshet. During this time, Klein has built Keshet from a one-person, local organization with an annual budget of $42,000 to a 16-person, national organization with an annual budget of over one million. Under her leadership, Keshet developed a comprehensive training curriculum for LGBT inclusion and trained educators in hundreds of Jewish communities around the country. In Massachusetts, Klein helped mobilize Massachusetts rabbis and synagogue members to defeat the proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Klein also served as the Executive Producer of Keshet’s award-winning documentary film Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School.
Prior to leading Keshet, Klein was an activist in the queer women’s community in Israel and played a role in early organizing efforts to create the Jerusalem Open House. She has worked for social justice organizations in Jerusalem and in Boston including SHATIL, the Israel/Palestine Center for Research & Information, and Community Work Services. A magna cum laude graduate of Yale University, Klein received her Master’s in Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a focus on social justice and anti-oppression education. She is also a certified facilitator of the Center for Leadership Initiatives.
Klein was among eight recipients of the 2003-2005 Joshua Venture Fellowship for young Jewish social entrepreneurs and was a plenary speaker at the 2007 Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly. A board member of JOIN for Justice and a past fellow, Klein was honored by the Jewish Women’s Archive with a Women Who Dared award.
Email: idit@keshetonline.org
Phone: 617.524.9227
Catherine Bell
Catherine Bell
National Program Director
Catherine Bell has been working for justice since college, when she found her feminist voice and realized that she had to use it. Catherine comes to Keshet from JOIN for Justice, where she served for 6 years as the Director of the Jewish Organizing Fellowship. Under Catherine’s leadership, the Fellowship grew into a highly competitive, nationally acclaimed program for recruiting and training talented emerging Jewish organizers. Catherine’s work at JOIN focused on training, coaching, and facilitating communities of practice, as well as consulting with Jewish organizations on how to use the framework of community organizing to build stronger, values-driven institutions and communities.
Catherine has over a dozen years of experience organizing and educating in a Jewish context. Since her own participation in the JOIN Fellowship after college, she has worked as a youth educator and organizer within the Boston Jewish community and with immigrant youth in Brockton, MA. She has also worked as an organizer of progressive Jewish adults in the Boston area and in New York City, and as an organizer at Temple Israel in Boston. Catherine spent time in Ghana as an HIV educator with the Volunteer Corps of American Jewish World Service, and has a background in performance and Theater of the Oppressed popular education techniques. Catherine graduated summa cum laude from Amherst College, and holds an M.A. in Sociology of Education from NYU.
Email: catherine@keshetonline.org
Phone: 617.524.9227
mail
Maya Brodkey
Bay Area Community Organizer
Maya joins Keshet with a passion for queer and Jewish life. Originally from the Bay Area, she attended The Evergreen State College and earned a degree in American Studies—specifically, the construction and evolution of group identities. She has a strong interest in queer community building, and has spent time studying, organizing, and living in queer communities in Olympia, WA, central Tennessee, and southern Oregon, among other places.
Maya approaches both her Judaism and her queerness with an anti-oppression framework: whether talking to her bubbeh and zayde about gender politics, building a garden with high school students, doing street outreach with LGBTQ homeless youth, or discussing intersectional feminism over Shabbat dinner, she’s always seeking to shake things up.
While not nerding out over queer theory or urban farming, Maya can be found romping with her dogs in the Oakland hills.
Email: maya@keshetonline.org
Phone: 415-766-0392
James Cohen
James Cohen
Director of Development
James Cohen grew up in the Boston area and is happy to be back in his hometown and working with Keshet and the LBGT Jewish community. During his 15 years in South Florida, his career focused primarily on the restaurant and food supply industries, but it was a personal experience that led him to a career in Jewish communal service. At a time when it was not legal for openly gay people to adopt in Florida, James became a licensed foster parent, and when the law changed in 2010, he began the process to adopt his son, Jason. Raising Jason and sharing Jewish values with him inspired James to reconsider many aspects of his life. He was fortunate to be able to combine his passions for social justice and Judaism into a position at the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, where he served as Donor Relationship Manager and worked closely with attorneys, financial professionals, and other donors to deepen their involvement in the organization and the local Jewish community. At the same time, James served on the Board of Directors of Next@19th, a nonprofit promoting Jewish culture in South Florida. He and Jason were active volunteers at Temple Israel of Greater Miami, a synagogue with a commitment to inclusiveness and to social justice. James received a BA in Communications from the University of Miami.
Email: james@keshetonline.org
Phone: 617.524.9227
Rafi Daugherty
Rafi Daugherty
Colorado Community Organizer
Rafi Daugherty was born in Colorado and raised in Missouri. He moved to New York in 2003, came out as queer in 2004, and trans in 2007. He graduated cum laude with a Bachelors from Hunter College with a major in psychology and a minor in sociology. He received a masters from Tel Aviv University in Crisis and Trauma Studies. While in school, Rafi worked with individuals with development disabilities and homeless New York City youth. He has been a teacher for Limmud NY and Nehirim about transgender issues. He is happy to be part of Keshet's Denver office and to help strengthen LGBTQ Jewish life in Colorado.
Email: rafi@keshetonline.org
Phone: 303.691.3562
Lauren Doty
Lauren Doty
Office Administrator
Lauren is excited to bring a passion for social justice, political change, and community involvement to Keshet. A graduate of SUNY Purchase College, Lauren earned her B.A. in Political Science with minors in Economics and Gender Studies in May 2012. Before completing her undergraduate degree, Lauren completed a thesis critiquing the prosecution of hate crimes against transgender people, worked to improved gender neutral housing on campus as President of the Queer Student Union and as a Resident Assistant, and mentored first-generation college students at a high school just outside New York City. Before joining Keshet, Lauren worked for the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers as a Political Organizer in the 2012 elections.
Email: lauren@keshetonline.org
Phone: 617.524.9227
Richard_Feczko
Richard Feczko
Director of Finance and Administration
Rich brings a wealth of knowledge to Keshet, with more than 25 years of management experience in a broad range of businesses. Most recently, as Chief Operating Officer at Hebrew College, Rich led a series of restructuring efforts. Prior to that appointment Rich ran the College’s Me’ah Adult education program guiding its national growth into new regions.
Previously as Managing Director at Hammer and Company, a research and consulting firm, he was responsible for all internal processes including finance, technology, product development and market research. Earlier in his career, Rich built worldwide training organizations at a number of high-technology companies.
Rich has a B.S. in Chemistry from City College of New York and pursued studies in the masters program in Computer Science there as well. Rich is a founding member of his congregation, Shaarei Tefillah in Newton, where he has served in numerous capacities including president.
Email: richard@keshetonline.org
Phone: 617.524.9227
Jessica Goldberg
Jessica Goldberg
Boston Community Organizer
Jessica Goldberg is a 2013-2014 JOIN for Justice Fellow and is thrilled to be organizing for Keshet this year. Jessica comes to Keshet from nearby Brandeis University in Waltham, MA, where she completed a B.A. in Psychology and Religious Studies in 2013 and served as President of Hillel at Brandeis; an education coordinator in Hillel; a leader of the Brandeis Interfaith Group; and a Community Educator at Genesis, a signature summer program at the Brandeis University Office of High School Programs. Jessica is also a candidate for rabbinic ordination at Hebrew College in Newton Centre, where she will begin studying in the fall of 2014. Her passions include experiential education, sermon-writing, Jewish communal leadership, and working with youth and teens. Although Jessica lives in Massachusetts, she spends her breaks in Florida with her parents, three siblings, two dogs (Mickey and Oliver), and her cat (Kiara).
Email: jgoldberg@keshetonline.org
Phone: 617.524.9227
Carole Goodman
Carole Goodman
Design Director
After beginning her career typesetting romance novels for HarperCollins Publishers, Carole has worked both as a full-time and freelance design consultant for organizations including Chronicle Books, Random House, and the American Civil Liberties Union. Immersed in design education—teaching at the School of Visual Arts and Pratt Institute, among others—she was hired by the City University of New York to found its graphic design program at Queens College and most recently researched and wrote the program pedagogy for the illustration major at Suffolk University. Her own book, “Soy Cuba: Cuban Cinema Posters From After the Revolution” was co-published by Trilce Ediciones in Mexico and DAP in the U.S. In 2007 she was the only female in the New York tri-state area to complete the venerable cycling event, Paris-Brest-Paris.
Email: carole@keshetonline.org
Phone: 617.524.9227
chasiah
Chasiah Haberman
Boston Regional Manager
Chasiah Haberman is a Jewish educator, spiritual counselor, and community-builder. She has been a teacher and curriculum developer at Temple Israel of Boston, a chaplain intern and member of the pastoral care team at Hebrew Senior Life, and a congregational educator at Temple Beth Shalom in Cambridge. Chasiah is the founder of Tirtzah, a small grassroots organization that supports Frum queer women in living a fully integrated and joyful Jewish life. She earned her certificate in Jewish Education, Leadership and Scholarship from the Drisha Institute and her BA from Washington University in St. Louis. Chasiah lives in Cambridge with her wife.
Email: chasiah@keshetonline.org
Phone: 617.524.9227
Myla_Green
Myla Green
Development Associate and Executive Assistant
Myla attended Illinois Wesleyan University, where she pushed the boundaries for LGBTQ inclusivity through her work in the university Pride Alliance. She studied abroad for her junior year at Pembroke College, Oxford, and earned her B.A. in Women’s Studies in May 2007. Before joining Keshet, she worked at a women’s resource center in India through an American Jewish World Service fellowship and at a domestic violence intake center in Washington D.C. through AVODAH, led domestic and international Jewish service-learning trips for high school and college students, and volunteered as a crisis hotline operator and outreach volunteer for sex workers at HIPS in Washington DC.
Email: myla@keshetonline.org
Phone: 617.524.9227
Jodi Nemser-Abrahams
Jodi Nemser-Abrahams
Information & Data Manager
Jodi is a Massachusetts native who spent time living in Vermont, Washington DC , and Israel before returning to Boston, where she currently resides. Prior to joining Keshet, Jodi worked at the Greater Boston Jewish Community Relations Council as the Executive Assistant, where she discovered an unexpected passion and talent for data management. She is excited to contribute her knowledge and energy towards furthering Keshet’s mission from behind-the-scenes.
Jodi cares deeply about social justice issues and has focused much of her professional work on at-risk youth. Most recently, Jodi managed a career exploration program for high school students at Youth Enrichment Services (YES) in Boston. She has also volunteered with a variety of populations, including immigrants, adult GED students, and homeless children. As a volunteer for ReachOut!, a service-learning program for young professional Jews in the Boston area, Jodi had the opportunity to serve as a Site Captain at several local service sites.
Jodi holds B.A. in Political Science & Spanish from Marlboro College. When not working or volunteering, Jodi can be found outside—most likely rock climbing, biking, or hiking—or in the kitchen trying out a new recipe.
Email: jodi@keshetonline.org
Phone: 617.524.9227
David Robinson
David Robinson, Ph.D.
Bay Area Regional Director
David Robinson has been working to change the world through activism and education for the past twenty-five years. Fresh from Princeton University with a B.A. in English, David moved to New York City in 1986 to pursue a career in modern dance and find gay liberation. While performing with Senta Driver and Harry, and earning an MFA at Tisch School of the Arts, David became an ardent member of ACT UP/NY, starting with its first demonstration. Within a few months, at age twenty-two, he had become one of the group's main facilitators, running the weekly meetings of hundreds of outspoken, impassioned AIDS activists for the next three years (and skipping a lot of dance classes to go to demonstrations). He was an early and active member of Queer Nation, first in New York and then in San Francisco, where he was active with ACT UP/Golden Gate as well. After the loss of his partner Warren Krause to AIDS in 1992, David was one of the lead organizers of ACT UP's historic Ashes Action at the White House, and a member of ACT UP's AIDS Cure Project.
After earning a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, David spent the better part of a decade teaching English Literature and LGBT Studies at the University of Arizona in Tucson, where he wrote Closeted Writing and Lesbian and Gay Literature: Classical, Early Modern, Eighteenth-Century (which, surprisingly, has yet to be featured on Oprah's Book Club), achieved the rank of associate professor, but never really adjusted to the desert heat.
Love and a better climate brought David to Los Angeles, where he was part of the Jewish Federation's New Leaders Project and the Selah Leadership Program's first LA cohort (he later served on Selah's national leadership team). In 2007, he became Action Research Director and then Political Director at SAJE (Strategic Actions for a Just Economy), directing the organization's equitable land-use and urban-planning campaigns, and creating People's Planning School, a grassroots popular-education program teaching the basics of urban planning for low-income communities threatened by gentrification and displacement.
Email: david@keshetonline.org
Phone: 415.766.0391
Bonnie_Rosenbaum
Bonnie Rosenbaum
Director of Communications
Bonnie has worked in the nonprofit and media sector since graduating from Tufts University in 1995 with a dual degree in International Relations and Women’s Studies. She received a certificate in non-fiction writing from the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies and a masters in Media and Nonprofit Management from Suffolk University where she received the Waterston Fellowship, sponsored by actor Sam Waterston. Prior to Keshet, Bonnie served as the editorial coordinator for outreach campaigns for PBS series including The College Track: America’s Sorting Machine, Local News, School: The Story of American Public Education, and Senior Year. As a freelancer, Bonnie worked as a researcher, associate producer, and sound recorder on a series of environmental films including, Renewal. She is on the program advisory committee for the elder services organization, FriendshipWorks and was a writing coach for high school students at the Posse Foundation. Bonnie joined Keshet in 2005 as the Associate Producer of Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School. In her spare time, she hangs out at the dog park with her Mississippi Lab-mix and office mate, Hannah.
Email: bonnie@keshetonline.org
Phone: 617.524.9227
Joanna_Ware
Joanna Ware
Lead Organizer and Training Coordinator
As Keshet’s Lead Organizer and Training Coordinator, Joanna employs grassroots community organizing strategies to build powerful communities of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and allied people working for justice, equality, and the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in the Jewish world. In Massachusetts, Joanna directs Keshet’s organizing in the Jewish community on behalf of gender justice and trans equality, including organizing the Jewish community in support of the successful passage of the Massachusetts Trans Equal Rights Bill in November, 2011. Nationally, she organizes and trains clergy, educators, communal professionals, and lay leaders working for LGBTQ inclusion across the Jewish world. Joanna joined Keshet in 2009 as a member of the JOIN for Justice Community Organizing Fellowship, bringing an academic background in gender studies, Middle East studies, and politics, and with experience in Jewish youth work and informal education, anti-violence and anti-sexism education and prevention, policy advocacy, and community organizing.
Email: joanna@keshetonline.org
Phone: 617.524.9227
Rebecca Weiner
Rebecca Weiner
Bay Area Manager of Education & Training
Rebecca Weiner, MA has been working in the Jewish community for the past twenty-five years. She has worked as an educator, consultant, and program manager. She is currently the education director at Congregation Sha'ar Zahav. Rebecca was an interculturalist and trainer for the high tech industry with a focus on helping Israelis become thriving members of global teams. Rebecca brings to her position at Keshet her expertise in education and training as well as her passion towards LGBT inclusion in the Jewish world.
Email: rweiner@keshetonline.org
Consultants
Jessica_Rosenberg_headshot
Jessica Rosenberg
Teen and Youth Movement Organizer
Jessica is starting her second year at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, PA. Born and raised in that very same Philadelphia suburb and a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, she is re-planting roots in Philly after five years in Minneapolis, MN. There Jessica worked as the Community Director of the Bancroft Neighborhood Association and coordinated the Leadership Year May Term trip for the University of Minnesota GLBTA Programs Office. She was a trainer, curriculum developer, and organizer with the Minnesota GLBTA Campus Alliance and Trans Youth Support Network.
Since starting at RRC, Jessica is proud of her work teaching racial justice and gender justice in Congregation Rodeph Shalom's Confirmation Academy and leading Torah Queeries study sessions at Congregation Beth Ahava. She is active in RRC's Trans and Genderqueer Working Group and on the Rabbinical Council of Jewish Voice for Peace. Jessica pursued rabbinical school because of her love of history and ritual as tools for organizing for justice and for building our resistance to and healing from oppression. At Keshet, Jessica will be organizing the LGBTQ and Allies Teen Shabbaton.
Email: jrosenberg@keshetonline.org
Phone: 507-401-4294
About Us
Our Story
Board of Directors
Staff
Support Keshet
Join Us
Our Supporters
Jobs & Internships
Contact Us
Press
Keshet Cabaret • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7790733794/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Cabaret 2008 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7789061024/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Members of the Jewish contingent in the parade • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686174/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Pride Shabbat, Denver • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410684558/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7070797333/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > About Us > Support Keshet
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareSupport Keshet
Keshet family at Boston Pride. Photo by Ethan Halainen Help build a vibrant and inclusive Jewish community for all.
With your support, we can train Jewish educators to create safe schools for youth, provide support for a parent struggling with their child's LGBT identity, bring together LGBT Jews for connection and community, and much more.
Make an impact today:
Make a secure donation online online or by mail:
Keshet
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Honor others with your gift:
Give in honor or memory of a loved one, or mark a special occasion with a gift.
Make a lasting gift:
Hora!Join the Keshet Parents Circle, a community of parents with LGBT children, who support Keshet with an annual gift of $180 or more.
Become a monthly donor.
Donate stock or mutual funds
.
Leave a lasting legacy
.
Keshet is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
About Us
Our Story
Board of Directors
Staff
Support Keshet
Donate
Monthly Giving
Stock and Planned Giving
Join the Parents Circle
Join Us
Our Supporters
Jobs & Internships
Contact Us
Press
Keshet Cabaret • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7790733794/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Cabaret 2008 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7789061024/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Members of the Jewish contingent in the parade • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686174/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Pride Shabbat, Denver • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410684558/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7070797333/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > About Us > Our Supporters
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareOur Supporters
TRANSFORMING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
“Keshet is an organization that is transforming the American Jewish community. It has incredibly strong leadership, strategic thinking, and can handle the follow-through necessary to run a national organization – it’s well worth any investment of time or money!”
-Felicia Herman, Executive Director, Natan Fund
18 Pomegranates
Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado
The Beverly Foundation
The Boston Foundation
The Samuel Bronfman Foundation
The Bronfman Youth Fellowships in Israel Alumni Venture Fund
Congregation Beth El Tzedakah Hevra
Combined Jewish Philanthropies
Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund
Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
Walter and Elise Haas Fund
The Hadassah Foundation
The Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund
The Jewish Federation of the East Bay and the Jewish Community Foundation
Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation, Inc./Nancy and
Mark Belsky & Ms. Susan B. Kaplan
The Klarman Family Foundation
Lesbian Equity Fund
Lippman Kanfer Family Foundation
Amy Mandel and Katina Rodis Fund
The Morningstar Foundation
The Natan Fund
Oreg Foundation
Roots & Branches Foundation
Rose Community Foundation
Rose Youth Foundation
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation,
The Paul E. Singer Family Foundation
and more than 1,000 individual donors
Support Keshet »
Parents Circle
A community of parents with LGBT children who support Keshet with a gift of $180 or more.
Diane Baxter and Garth Ware, Encinitas, CA
David and Sharon Butler, Silver Spring, MD
Rabbi Joshua and Judy Elkin, Newton, MA
Rabbi David Ellenson and Rabbi Jacqueline Koch Ellenson, New York, NY
Sunnie Epstein and Kenneth Rosenstein, Elkins Park, PA
Ann and Myron Falchuk, West Newton, MA
Sabina and Rich Feczko, Watertown, MA
Rhoda and Avram Freedberg, Stamford, CT
Beth and John Gamel, Chestnut Hill, MA
David and Judith Ganz, Belmont, MA
Susie and Michael Gelman, Chevy Chase, MD
Diane Goldberg-Hunckler, Aspen, CO
Jayne and David Guberman, Waban, MA
Debbie and Jamie Heller, Chevy Chase, MD
Rabbi David and Toby Horowitz, Akron, OH
Carol Ingall, New York, NY
Alan and Carol Kamin, Brookline, MA
Judith and Andrei Klein, North Dartmouth, MA
Rabbi Norman and Rosalyn Koch, New Milford, CT
Lois and Barry Levy, Stoughton, MA
Arlene and Bruce Lowitt, Oldsmar, FL
Leah and Rabbi Aryeh Meir, Teaneck, NJ
Ruth W. Messinger, New York, NY
Alan and Neda Nussbaum, Charleston, SC
Bill and Susan Pluss, Denver, CO
Regene and Kenneth Prager, Englewood, NJ
Daniel Recht and Elaine Selsberg, Denver, CO
Marci Riseman and Evan Sagerman, San Francisco, CA
Ruth Rose-Jacobs and Jerry Jacobs, Needham, MA
Jane E. and Stanton Rosenbaum, Denver, CO
Enid Shapiro, Brookline, MA
Erica Sher, Ottawa, ON
Jim and Diane Shneer, Palos Verdes Estates, CA
Nina Simon and Robert Rosenthal, Potomac, MD
Fred and Irene Tannenbaum, Salt Lake City, UT
Herb and Suzy Tobin, Needham, MA
Joseph Wein and Michele Sackheim Wein, Highland Park, IL
Shoshanah and Yitzchak Zaritt, Worcester, MA
Join the Parents Circle »
About Us
Our Story
Board of Directors
Staff
Support Keshet
Join Us
Our Supporters
Jobs & Internships
Contact Us
Press
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Keshet Cabaret • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7790733794/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Cabaret 2008 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7789061024/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Members of the Jewish contingent in the parade • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686174/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Pride Shabbat, Denver • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410684558/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7070797333/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Our Work
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareTraining for LGBTQ Inclusion
KESHET---National-Training-Institute-for-Jewish-Educators,-February-2009_crop
Looking for ways to make your Jewish institution safe and inclusive for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Jews but don't know where to start? We're here to help.
For more than 10 years, we've trained and supported Jewish educators, clergy, program staff, camp professionals, youth, and lay leaders to ensure that LGBTQ youth, families, and staff are safe, affirmed, and celebrated in all Jewish educational and community settings.
We believe that providing leaders and staff with knowledge, skills, tools, and resources is the key to creating long-term sustainable change.
We Offer
Workshops and professional development training for faculty and staff tailored to meet the specific needs of your community.
Learn more
Our signature Keshet Leadership Summit, a one day action-oriented gathering for leaders of Jewish institutions.
Learn more
Consultation with individual leaders, parents, and other community professionals.
Learn more
Educational resources on LGBT inclusion through a Jewish lens.
Learn more
Our Impact
Learn about the impact of our trainings.
Our Partners
See where we have worked.
Our Work
Massachusetts
Colorado
San Francisco Bay Area
Keshet Young Leaders Circle NYC Brunch, 3/20/2011 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5592918594/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6973120648/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3598320811/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607335425/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Denver PrideFest 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686400/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Our Work
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareBuild Community for LGBTQ Jews
Bar night with KeshetI NEED THIS
“Keshet gives me a sense of community and warmth and comfort while helping me find outlets and fellow activists for my progressive politics. This is who I am. As a queer Jew, and as a person, I have always needed to feel like I am a part of a community. These are my people, and if I couldn't connect to my community, I couldn't shine in life. Pure and simple, I need this.”
- JoJo Jacobson, Keshet leader, Boston, MA
From singles mixers to Shabbat dinners to our Beit Midrash series, where participants study traditional texts from a queer angle, our events offer opportunities for LGBTQ Jews to celebrate and (re)connect with their Jewish identities, engage in Jewish learning, and grow as leaders in the Jewish community.
Currently we host and co-sponsor events with other LGBTQ and Jewish organizations in Massachusetts, Colorado, and the Bay Area. Our events are planned by community members and are open to all LGBTQ Jews, our friends, and families.
Find an event near you »
Our Work
Massachusetts
Colorado
San Francisco Bay Area
Keshet Young Leaders Circle NYC Brunch, 3/20/2011 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5592918594/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6973120648/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3598320811/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607335425/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Denver PrideFest 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686400/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Our Work
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareSupport Families
Daniel and Debbie Heller
The Keshet Parent & Family Connection is a national mentoring and leadership program for Jewish parents and family members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews.*
What we provide:
Parent mentors provide confidential peer support by phone, email, video chat, or in person for parents and family members dealing with any stage of their family member’s coming out process, and for young adults who are struggling with how to tell their parents and other family members about their identities.
WHEN MY DAUGHTER CAME OUT
“When my daughter came out, I was surprised by how cut off I felt. She was going into this world, and all these experiences, that I knew nothing about. All parents of LGBT kids just want to hear that their children can live safe, normal lives, and it was through meeting others through Keshet that I realized this was possible, that it was possible to be part of a welcoming Jewish community. Keshet helped me connect. And now I know that we, the parents and families of LGBT kids, have the ability to be tremendous allies in helping to accomplish the advocacy work Keshet has been doing so incredibly.”
-Jayne Guberman, founding member of the Parent & Family Connection
Join the Parent & Family Connection »
Who are the mentors?
The mentors are Jewish parents and family members, spanning the gamut of Jewish identities and affiliations from secular through Orthodox. Mentors have children and family members of various ages, at different points in the coming out process. All of the mentors have worked through their own process of accepting, understanding, and celebrating their children and their LGBTQ identities. They have come together to affirm the space in Judaism and Jewish community for themselves and for their children and family members.
Read an article about the Connection and meet some of the mentors»
Where is this happening?
The Parent & Family Connection is a national program offering support to parents and family members of LGBTQ children across the country. They are matched with parent mentors who are currently being trained in the following five areas:
Boston
Chicago
Denver/Boulder
Philadelphia
Washington DC/Baltimore
If your situation is urgent, please contact one of these crisis hotlines:
The Trevor Project Helpline: 1.866.4.U.TREVOR.
Fenway Community Health’s Peer Listening Line: 1.800.399.PEER.
Safe Schools Coalition: list of toll-free hotlines
*We actively welcome and encourage the participation of interfaith couples and families.
Join the Parent & Family Connection»
Support the Parent & Family Conneciton. Your donation will be matched!
Our Work
Massachusetts
Colorado
San Francisco Bay Area
Keshet Young Leaders Circle NYC Brunch, 3/20/2011 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5592918594/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6973120648/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3598320811/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607335425/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Denver PrideFest 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686400/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Our Work
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareCreating Safe Spaces for Teens
LGBTQ Teen Shabbaton
The Jewish LGBTQ Teen Organizing Project creates safe and welcoming opportunities for Jewish LGBTQ and ally teens to come together and be their full selves, develops the leadership skills of select LGBTQ and ally teens to organize their peers, and inspires LGBTQ and ally teens to work for change in their home communities.
In August 2012, we co-created the first-ever LGBTQ and Ally Teen Shabbaton. A few months later, we planned a follow-up retreat that brought together LGBTQ and ally Jewish teens from across the country to participate in a transformative weekend of learning, Jewish ritual, socializing, and inspiration.
Our next Teen Shabbaton will take place April 4-6.
Join us for a weekend of fun, community, and learning for and by Jewish LGBTQ and allied teens! Meet new friends, learn about LGBTQ organizing and identities, and celebrate a lakeside Shabbat with a warm, vibrant community of LGBTQ and ally teens and adults.
Learn more and pre-register now
Our Work
Massachusetts
Colorado
San Francisco Bay Area
Keshet Young Leaders Circle NYC Brunch, 3/20/2011 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5592918594/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6973120648/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3598320811/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607335425/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Denver PrideFest 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686400/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Kavod: Respect
Judaism teaches us to treat ourselves and others with respect; even the stranger is to be treated with respect. Kavod is a feeling of regard for the rights, dignity, feelings, wishes, and abilities of others. Teasing and name-calling disrespect and hurt everyone, so learn to respect people’s differences.
S
halom Bayit: Peace in the Home
Our community centers, synagogues, youth groups, and camps are often our second homes. Everyone needs to feel comfortable, safe, welcome, and respected at home. Don’t ostracize those who seem different. Strive to settle disagreements in peaceful and respectful ways that allow all community members to maintain their dignity.
B’Tzelem Elohim: In God’s Image
The Torah tells us that we are all created “b’Tzelem Elohim”(Bereshit 1:26), in the image of God. This is a simple and profound idea that should guide our interactions with all people. If we see each person as created in the image of God, we can see humanity and dignity in all people. True inclusion is built upon this foundation.
V
’ahavta L’Reiacha Kamocha: “Love your neighbor as yourself”
Commenting on Leviticus 19:18, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Rabbi Hillel once stated that this was the foundational value of the Torah. It begins with loving ourselves. We must love and accept our whole selves, and in doing so create the capacity for extending that love and acceptance to others.
S
h’mirat Halashon: Guarding One’s Use of Language
The Talmud warns us that we must take care in how we use language. Talking about others behind their backs, even if what we are saying is true, is prohibited. The guidelines for “sh’mirat halashon” remind us that what we say about others affects them in ways we can never predict. Words can hurt or heal depending on how we use them.
Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Bazeh: Communal Responsibility
The Jewish principle that “All Israel is responsible for one another”(Shavuot 39a) means each of us must take action and inspire others to create a community in which we can all take pride.
Seven Jewish Values
Al Tifrosh Min Hatsibur: Solidarity
“Don’t separate yourself from the community”(Pirke Avot 2:5). When you feel different from others in your community, don’t isolate yourself. Find allies and supporters who you can talk to. If you know someone who is feeling isolated, reach out; be an ally and a friend.
Kavod: Respect
Judaism teaches us to treat ourselves and others with respect; even the stranger is to be treated with respect. Kavod is a feeling of regard for the rights, dignity, feelings, wishes, and abilities of others. Teasing and name-calling disrespect and hurt everyone, so learn to respect people’s differences.
S
halom Bayit: Peace in the Home
Our community centers, synagogues, youth groups, and camps are often our second homes. Everyone needs to feel comfortable, safe, welcome, and respected at home. Don’t ostracize those who seem different. Strive to settle disagreements in peaceful and respectful ways that allow all community members to maintain their dignity.
B’Tzelem Elohim: In God’s Image
The Torah tells us that we are all created “b’Tzelem Elohim”(Bereshit 1:26), in the image of God. This is a simple and profound idea that should guide our interactions with all people. If we see each person as created in the image of God, we can see humanity and dignity in all people. True inclusion is built upon this foundation.
V
’ahavta L’Reiacha Kamocha: “Love your neighbor as yourself”
Commenting on Leviticus 19:18, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Rabbi Hillel once stated that this was the foundational value of the Torah. It begins with loving ourselves. We must love and accept our whole selves, and in doing so create the capacity for extending that love and acceptance to others.
Al Tifrosh Min Hatsibur: Solidarity
“Don’t separate yourself from the community”(Pirke Avot 2:5). When you feel different from others in your community, don’t isolate yourself. Find allies and supporters who you can talk to. If you know someone who is feeling isolated, reach out; be an ally and a friend.
Al Tifrosh Min Hatsibur: Solidarity
“Don’t separate yourself from the community”(Pirke Avot 2:5). When you feel different from others in your community, don’t isolate yourself. Find allies and supporters who you can talk to. If you know someone who is feeling isolated, reach out; be an ally and a friend.
V’ahavta L’Reiacha Kamocha: “Love your neighbor as yourself”
Commenting on Leviticus 19:18, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Rabbi Hillel once stated that this was the foundational value of the Torah. It begins with loving ourselves. We must love and accept our whole selves, and in doing so create the capacity for extending that love and acceptance to others.
Working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
BOSTON | DENVER | SAN FRANCISCOwww.keshetonline.org
Guidelines for Inclusive Jewish Community
Seven Jewish Values
Al Tifrosh Min Hatsibur: Solidarity
“Don’t separate yourself from the community”(Pirke Avot 2:5). When you feel different from others in your community, don’t isolate yourself. Find allies and supporters who you can talk to. If you know someone who is feeling isolated, reach out; be an ally and a friend.
Kavod: Respect
Judaism teaches us to treat ourselves and others with respect; even the stranger is to be treated with respect. Kavod is a feeling of regard for the rights, dignity, feelings, wishes, and abilities of others. Teasing and name-calling disrespect and hurt everyone, so learn to respect people’s differences.
S
halom Bayit: Peace in the Home
Our community centers, synagogues, youth groups, and camps are often our second homes. Everyone needs to feel comfortable, safe, welcome, and respected at home. Don’t ostracize those who seem different. Strive to settle disagreements in peaceful and respectful ways that allow all community members to maintain their dignity.
B’Tzelem Elohim: In God’s Image
The Torah tells us that we are all created “b’Tzelem Elohim”(Bereshit 1:26), in the image of God. This is a simple and profound idea that should guide our interactions with all people. If we see each person as created in the image of God, we can see humanity and dignity in all people. True inclusion is built upon this foundation.
V
’ahavta L’Reiacha Kamocha: “Love your neighbor as yourself”
Commenting on Leviticus 19:18, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Rabbi Hillel once stated that this was the foundational value of the Torah. It begins with loving ourselves. We must love and accept our whole selves, and in doing so create the capacity for extending that love and acceptance to others.
S
h’mirat Halashon: Guarding One’s Use of Language
The Talmud warns us that we must take care in how we use language. Talking about others behind their backs, even if what we are saying is true, is prohibited. The guidelines for “sh’mirat halashon” remind us that what we say about others affects them in ways we can never predict. Words can hurt or heal depending on how we use them.
Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Bazeh: Communal Responsibility
The Jewish principle that “All Israel is responsible for one another”(Shavuot 39a) means each of us must take action and inspire others to create a community in which we can all take pride.
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation > Education Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareEducation Resources
Here's an easy-to-use collection of educational resources. Whether you’re looking for materials to create a queer text study or activities to create a workshop for the teens in your community, Keshet has it all. You can find LGBTQ-inclusive lesson plans, resource guides and best practices for creating LGBTQ-inclusive camps and youth groups, as well as samples of educational programs created by other educators, youth professionals, and Jewish youth leaders. We're always looking to build our collection so please send us any resources you come across that would be a good fit.
Take me to the full Resource Library »
Loading...
Search Resources
Use these dropdowns to select multiple search criteria.
Keyword: TopicsActivism & Civil RightsAllyBullying or HarassmentComing OutConservative MovementFamilies and ParentingFeminismHolocaustInterfaithJewish LawJewish ValuesJews of ColorLegislationLesbianLifecycle EventsOrthodox MovementPolicies and Best PracticesReconstructionist MovementReform MovementRitual/Liturgy/PrayerTransgender and Gender IdentityYouth
Holidays
AuthorKendra LubalinMartin Rawlings-Fein
Media TypeLesson Plan/Activities
Grade LevelElementaryHigh SchoolMiddle School
Your selections:
Jews by ChoiceReset SearchShow 102550100 entriesShowing 1 to 2 of 2 entries (filtered from 46 total entries)FirstPrevious1NextLastResource Name
Lesson Plan/Activities
5773 Hits
September 3, 2013 | Kendra Lubalin
This lesson designed for 5th–12th graders will help students explore Jewish identity through social media and online culture. Students will research different YouTube videos and explore different expressions of Jewish culture.…
Activism & Civil Rights | Coming Out | Interfaith | Jewish Values | Jews by Choice | Jews of Color | Lifecycle Events | Transgender and Gender Identity | Youth
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Jewish Journeys
September 9, 2013 | Martin Rawlings-Fein
This lesson, designed for 4th-7th graders, explores Jewish identity and examines Jewish diversity. In the lesson, students will explore diaspora Jewry and contemporary representations of Jewish identity including race and LGBT Jewish…
Jews by Choice | Jews of Color | Ritual/Liturgy/Prayer | Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Showing 1 to 2 of 2 entries (filtered from 46 total entries)FirstPrevious1NextLastTraining & Consultation
Trainings
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
Keshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation > Education Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareEducation Resources
Here's an easy-to-use collection of educational resources. Whether you’re looking for materials to create a queer text study or activities to create a workshop for the teens in your community, Keshet has it all. You can find LGBTQ-inclusive lesson plans, resource guides and best practices for creating LGBTQ-inclusive camps and youth groups, as well as samples of educational programs created by other educators, youth professionals, and Jewish youth leaders. We're always looking to build our collection so please send us any resources you come across that would be a good fit.
Take me to the full Resource Library »
Loading...
Search Resources
Use these dropdowns to select multiple search criteria.
Keyword: TopicsActivism & Civil RightsAllyBullying or HarassmentComing OutConservative MovementFamilies and ParentingFeminismHolocaustInterfaithJewish LawJewish ValuesJews of ColorLegislationLesbianLifecycle EventsOrthodox MovementPolicies and Best PracticesReconstructionist MovementReform MovementRitual/Liturgy/PrayerTransgender and Gender IdentityYouth
Holidays
AuthorKendra LubalinMartin Rawlings-Fein
Media TypeLesson Plan/Activities
Grade LevelElementaryHigh SchoolMiddle School
Your selections:
Jews by ChoiceReset SearchShow 102550100 entriesShowing 1 to 2 of 2 entries (filtered from 46 total entries)FirstPrevious1NextLastResource Name
Lesson Plan/Activities
5773 Hits
September 3, 2013 | Kendra Lubalin
This lesson designed for 5th–12th graders will help students explore Jewish identity through social media and online culture. Students will research different YouTube videos and explore different expressions of Jewish culture.…
Activism & Civil Rights | Coming Out | Interfaith | Jewish Values | Jews by Choice | Jews of Color | Lifecycle Events | Transgender and Gender Identity | Youth
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Jewish Journeys
September 9, 2013 | Martin Rawlings-Fein
This lesson, designed for 4th-7th graders, explores Jewish identity and examines Jewish diversity. In the lesson, students will explore diaspora Jewry and contemporary representations of Jewish identity including race and LGBT Jewish…
Jews by Choice | Jews of Color | Ritual/Liturgy/Prayer | Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Showing 1 to 2 of 2 entries (filtered from 46 total entries)FirstPrevious1NextLastTraining & Consultation
Trainings
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
Keshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
BOSTON | DENVER | SAN FRANCISCOwww.keshetonline.org
Guidelines for Inclusive Jewish Community
Seven Jewish Values
Al Tifrosh Min Hatsibur: Solidarity
“Don’t separate yourself from the community”(Pirke Avot 2:5). When you feel different from others in your community, don’t isolate yourself. Find allies and supporters who you can talk to. If you know someone who is feeling isolated, reach out; be an ally and a friend.
Kavod: Respect
Judaism teaches us to treat ourselves and others with respect; even the stranger is to be treated with respect. Kavod is a feeling of regard for the rights, dignity, feelings, wishes, and abilities of others. Teasing and name-calling disrespect and hurt everyone, so learn to respect people’s differences.
S
halom Bayit: Peace in the Home
Our community centers, synagogues, youth groups, and camps are often our second homes. Everyone needs to feel comfortable, safe, welcome, and respected at home. Don’t ostracize those who seem different. Strive to settle disagreements in peaceful and respectful ways that allow all community members to maintain their dignity.
B’Tzelem Elohim: In God’s Image
The Torah tells us that we are all created “b’Tzelem Elohim”(Bereshit 1:26), in the image of God. This is a simple and profound idea that should guide our interactions with all people. If we see each person as created in the image of God, we can see humanity and dignity in all people. True inclusion is built upon this foundation.
V
’ahavta L’Reiacha Kamocha: “Love your neighbor as yourself”
Commenting on Leviticus 19:18, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Rabbi Hillel once stated that this was the foundational value of the Torah. It begins with loving ourselves. We must love and accept our whole selves, and in doing so create the capacity for extending that love and acceptance to others.
S
h’mirat Halashon: Guarding One’s Use of Language
The Talmud warns us that we must take care in how we use language. Talking about others behind their backs, even if what we are saying is true, is prohibited. The guidelines for “sh’mirat halashon” remind us that what we say about others affects them in ways we can never predict. Words can hurt or heal depending on how we use them.
Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Bazeh: Communal Responsibility
The Jewish principle that “All Israel is responsible for one another”(Shavuot 39a) means each of us must take action and inspire others to create a community in which we can all take pride.
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Our Work
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareProduce LGBTQ Jewish Resources
Harvey Milk poster
From our LGBT Jewish Heroes Poster series to The Purim Superhero, the first LGBTQ-inclusive Jewish children’s book in English, Keshet creates resources that tell the full story of Jewish life.
After talking with Jewish educators who were deeply committed to inclusion but stymied by a lack of LGBTQ-inclusive educational resources, we embraced this role as a core part of our work. Since 2005 we have produce a series of media products that look at LGBT issues through a uniquely Jewish lens including:
Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School: An hourlong documentary about one student's courageous fight to establish a Gay-Straight Alliance in her Jewish high school.
Hineini Curriculum Resource Guide: A 150-plus-page companion curriculum resource guide to the film.
Torah Queeries: This book brings together some of the world’s leading rabbis, scholars, and writers to interpret the Torah through a queer lens.
Seven Jewish Values – Guidelines for an Inclusive Jewish Community: This poster shows how traditional Jewish values support inclusion.
Safe Zone stickers and web decals: An easy way to show that your institution is welcoming to LGBTQ Jews
A Jewish Safe Zone Kit that features all of the above plus a user's guide to the kit with an institutional self-assessment.
The LGBT Jewish Heroes project featuring posters and a microsite about prominent LGBTQ Jews.
“The Purim Superhero“ is the winner of Keshet's national book-writing contest and the first LGBT-inclusive children's book in English!
Buy resources »
Our Work
Massachusetts
Colorado
San Francisco Bay Area
Keshet Young Leaders Circle NYC Brunch, 3/20/2011 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5592918594/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6973120648/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3598320811/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607335425/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Denver PrideFest 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686400/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Our Work
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareFight for LGBT Civil Rights
Marriage Equality
We educate and rally the Jewish community to advance LGBT civil rights. Keshet was instrumental in mobilizing Jewish community support for equal marriage rights in Massachusetts and, as a founding member of the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality, helped advance the Massachusetts Transgender Equal Rights Bill, finally signed into law in 2011. In Colorado, Keshet is partnering with LGBT and Jewish organizations to rally Jewish community support for civil unions.
Learn more about our work for equal rights in Colorado»
Learn more about our work for equal rights in Massachusetts »
Our Work
Massachusetts
Colorado
San Francisco Bay Area
Keshet Young Leaders Circle NYC Brunch, 3/20/2011 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5592918594/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6973120648/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3598320811/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607335425/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Denver PrideFest 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686400/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Our Work
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareAdvance the Movement for LGBTQ Jewish Inclusion and Equality
KESHET_March For Equality_Washington DC_Oct 2009_cropped
Keshet supports grassroots Jewish LGBT and ally groups around the country and mentors young activists to strengthen the growing movement for LGBT inclusion and equality in Jewish life. Over the past few years, we've played a leadership role in the following initiatives:
Do Not Stand Idly By: A Jewish Community Pledge to Save Lives
In response to the devastating spate of LGBT teen suicides, Keshet launched “Do Not Stand Idly By: A Jewish Community Pledge to Save Lives.”
Over 11,000 individual Jews and more than 1,000 Jewish organizations signed the pledge, including the Rabbinical Assembly, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, United Synagogue Youth, the Foundation for Jewish Camp, and many other national, local, and regional Jewish organizations. We're especially proud of the way Jewish youth movements responded and made the pledge their own. Watch the short video Bullying Ends with Us made by the Coalition for Jewish Teens to see how they are putting an end to bullying in their communities.
LGBT Jewish Israel Trip
In 2011, we coordinated an LGBT Jewish trip to Isreal along with A Wider Bridge and Nehirim. Twenty participants traveled throughout Israel, many for the first time, as Keshet provided yet another way for queer Jews to experience their identities as Jews and members of the LGBT community. While on the ten-day trip, participants met with a wide variety of LGBT activists, learning about the full religious, political, and social spectrum of the LGBT experience in Israel. Led by our friends at A Wider Bridge, the 2nd LGBT Jewish Israel trip ran from October 23 – November 3, 2012.
National Equality March
On October 11, 2009, hundreds of LGBT Jews and allies marked Simchat Torah by marching on our nation’s capitol to demand full equality. Keshet joined with Nehirim, The Kurlander Program for GLBT Outreach and Engagement (GLOE) at the Washington DC Jewish Community Center, and the National Union of Jewish LGBTIQQ Students (NUJLS), to organize this first united Jewish presence at a national LGBT rights march. The community proudly marched behind a banner reading, “If Not Now, When? The Jewish Community Stands for Full Equality and Justice.”
We reached out to more than 25 major Jewish organizations, representing tens of thousands of Jews across the country. Many of the most influential leaders in the American Jewish community endorsed the march, including Rabbi Eric Yoffie, then President of the Union for Reform Judaism; Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center; Rabbi Mark Diamond, Executive Vice President of the Southern California Board of Rabbis; and Lynn Schusterman, a leading U.S. philanthropist and Keshet funder.
Our Work
Massachusetts
Colorado
San Francisco Bay Area
Keshet Young Leaders Circle NYC Brunch, 3/20/2011 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5592918594/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6973120648/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3598320811/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607335425/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Denver PrideFest 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686400/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Our Work
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareOur Work
Our work is guided by a vision of a world where all Jewish organizations and communities are strengthened by LGBT-inclusive programming, policy, culture, and leadership and where Jews of all sexual orientations and gender identities can live fully integrated Jewish lives.
We work to create a community that does more than tolerate or accept LGBT Jews. We envision a future where the ethos of justice, caring, and inclusion that encapsulates the best of Jewish tradition is seen and felt by all Jewish youth and adults – gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight, and/or transgender. This is what we are doing to bring us to this day.
Keshet Programs
KESHET---National-Training-Institute-for-Jewish-Educators,-February-2009_crop
Training for LGBTQ Inclusion
Looking for ways to make your Jewish institution safe and inclusive for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Jews but don’t know where to start? We’re here to help.
For more than 10 years, we’ve trained and supported Jewish educators, clergy, program staff, camp professionals, youth, and…
Learn More
Bar night with Keshet
Build Community for LGBTQ Jews
From singles mixers to Shabbat dinners to our Beit Midrash series, where participants study traditional texts from a queer angle, our events offer opportunities for LGBT Jews to celebrate and (re)connect with their Jewish identities, engage in Jewish learning, and grow as leaders in the Jewish community.
Learn More
Daniel and Debbie Heller
Support Families
The Keshet Parent & Family Connection is a national mentoring and leadership program for Jewish parents and family members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews.*
What we provide:
Parent mentors provide confidential peer support by phone, email, video chat, or in person for parents…
Learn More
LGBTQ Teen Shabbaton
Creating Safe Spaces for Teens
The Jewish LGBTQ Teen Organizing Project creates safe and welcoming opportunities for Jewish LGBTQ and ally teens to come together and be their full selves, develops the leadership skills of select LGBTQ and ally teens to organize their peers, and inspires LGBTQ and ally teens to…
Learn More
Harvey Milk poster
Produce LGBTQ Jewish Resources
From our LGBT Jewish Heroes Poster series to The Purim Superhero, the first LGBTQ-inclusive Jewish children’s book in English, Keshet creates resources that tell the full story of Jewish life.
After talking with Jewish educators who were deeply committed to inclusion but stymied by a…
Learn More
Marriage Equality
Fight for LGBT Civil Rights
We educate and rally the Jewish community to advance LGBT civil rights. Keshet was instrumental in mobilizing Jewish community support for equal marriage rights in Massachusetts and, as a founding member of the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality, helped advance the Massachusetts Transgender Equal Rights…
Learn More
KESHET_March For Equality_Washington DC_Oct 2009_cropped
Advance the Movement for LGBTQ Jewish Inclusion and Equality
Keshet supports grassroots Jewish LGBT and ally groups around the country and mentors young activists to strengthen the growing movement for LGBT inclusion and equality in Jewish life. Over the past few years, we’ve played a leadership role in the following initiatives:
Do Not Stand…
Learn More
Upcoming Events
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Ruach HaYam Shabbaton
Massachusetts
Ruach HaYam, Congregation Am Tikva, and Keshet invite you to join us at a full day Shabbat retreat for LGBTQ Jews, friends, and family. Refresh your spirit and make new friends in this fabulous day of egalitarian davening, creative and thoughtful…
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Taking Pride in ALL Our Choices
Colorado
A conversation on end-of-life decisions through an LGBT lens
Let’s broach a difficult conversation as a community. How do we make sure that our wishes and our bodies will be respected and that our deaths are treated as valuable within a Jewish…
Friday, October 25, 2013
October Shabbat Celebration
Massachusetts
Join us at any time during the evening for this family-friendly Shabbat celebration! Our services are egalitarian, participatory, and led by Keshet members. A kosher catered dinner will be provided.
Interested in leading/co-leading services…
Consulate LogoFriday, October 25, 2013
A Conversation with Yehoshua Gurtler, Israeli GLBT Advocate and Attorney
Massachusetts
Come for an exciting conversation with Yehoshua Gurtler, a prominent GLBT advocate across many organizations in Israel. Learn about LGBT life in Israeli society, including the Israeli Orthodox world. Discuss the issues facing…
See All Events
Get Involved
From social events to education to activism, we have something for everyone! Tell us what you are interested in and we'll take it from there.
In the News
Thursday, September 12, 2013
U.S. Jewish groups seek to increase LGBT affiliation
This article explores what Jewish Federations are doing to reach out to LGBT Jews.…
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Nurturing LGBTQ Jewish leaders
The San Francisco Bay Area is home to the fifth-largest Jewish community in the United States, and to a huge and diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual,…
See All News
Our Work
Massachusetts
Colorado
San Francisco Bay Area
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Keshet Young Leaders Circle NYC Brunch, 3/20/2011 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5592918594/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6973120648/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3598320811/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607335425/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Denver PrideFest 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686400/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareTraining & Consultation
Creating a safe space for Jewish kids
Photo: chiesADIbeinasco
Looking for ways to make your Jewish institution safe and inclusive for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Jews but don't know where to start? We're here to help.
For over 10 years, we've trained and supported Jewish educators, clergy, program staff, camp professionals, youth, and lay leaders to ensure that LGBTQ youth, families, and staff are safe, affirmed, and celebrated in all Jewish educational and community settings.
We believe that providing leaders and staff with knowledge, skills, tools, and resources is the key to creating long-term sustainable change.
Learn more about the 2014 Leadership Summits »
A MUST FOR ANYONE CONCERNED
“What Keshet has created is a must for anyone concerned about making each child feel safe to learn in all of our educational environments. This is not just about LGBT inclusivity – this is reframing the way we look at constructing educational spaces and should be mandatory for every teacher, educator, counselor and youth worker in the Jewish community.”
-Naomi Less, Co-creator, Addressing Evaded Issues in Jewish Education and Founder, Jewish Chicks Rock
We Offer
Workshops and professional development training for faculty and staff tailored to meet the specific needs of your community.
Learn more
.
Our signature Keshet Leadership Summit, a one day action-oriented gathering for leaders of Jewish institutions.
Learn more
.
Consultation with individual leaders, parents, and other community professionals.
Learn more
.
Educational resources on LGBT inclusion through a Jewish lens.
Learn more
.
Our Impact
Learn about the impact of our trainings.
Our Partners
See where we have worked.
Training & Consultation
Trainings
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Recently Added Resources
A Mikveh Ritual for Transitioning Gender
Ritual
Rainbow Blossoms On The Tree Of Life: How Torah Grows When Read Through GLBT Eyes
Article or Document, Torah Commentary
Women of the Wall
Lesson Plan/ActivitiesKeshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Events
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareEvents
Join us for a text study, a holiday celebration, or a relaxed night out. All of our events are open to LGBTQ Jews, friends, and family. Volunteer committees of dedicated and fun-loving LGBTQ Jews plan all of our events!
Keshet hosts events in the areas we have offices: Boston, Denver, and the San Francisco Bay area. We also co-sponsor events in other cities.
Loading...
Find a Keshet Event Near You
Keyword: LocationColoradoIsraelMassachusettsSan Francisco Bay Area
DateOctober 2013November 2013December 2013
Your selections:
Reset SearchOther LGBTQ Events
Syndicated by GayGevalt.com
November 01st, 2013 – Shabbat Service
October 18th, 2013 – Marriage in America: The Supreme Court and LGBTQ Equality
See more LGBTQ Events at GayGevalt.com
Add your event
Event
October 19, 2013
Ruach HaYam Shabbaton
Massachusetts
Ruach HaYam, Congregation Am Tikva, and Keshet invite you to join us at a full day Shabbat retreat for LGBTQ Jews, friends, and family. Refresh your spirit and make new friends in this fabulous day of egalitarian davening, creative and thoughtful…
October 20, 2013
Taking Pride in ALL Our Choices
Colorado
A conversation on end-of-life decisions through an LGBT lens
Let’s broach a difficult conversation as a community. How do we make sure that our wishes and our bodies will be respected and that our deaths are treated as valuable within a Jewish…
October 25, 2013
October Shabbat Celebration
Massachusetts
Join us at any time during the evening for this family-friendly Shabbat celebration! Our services are egalitarian, participatory, and led by Keshet members. A kosher catered dinner will be provided.
Interested in leading/co-leading services…
October 25, 2013
A Conversation with Yehoshua Gurtler, Israeli GLBT Advocate and Attorney
Massachusetts
Come for an exciting conversation with Yehoshua Gurtler, a prominent GLBT advocate across many organizations in Israel. Learn about LGBT life in Israeli society, including the Israeli Orthodox world. Discuss the issues facing…
October 30, 2013
A Wider Bridge invites you on A Unique Journey Through Israel
Israel
Whether you’ve never been to Israel or go regularly, A Wider Bridge’s third annual LGBTQ Trip to Israel will give you an unparalleled opportunity to connect with the land, its people, and your roots. Traveling through Israel as an…
November 4, 2013
Wrestling With Our Sacred Texts
San Francisco Bay Area
Jbbi Steve Greenberg at the Oshman Family JCC for a lunch and learn where we will explore the topic of homosexuality and Jewish law.
Rabbi Greenberg will explore four rationales for the prohibition of sex between men which appear to be in the…
November 12, 2013
A Conversation with Joy Ladin and Norman Spack
Massachusetts
Moderated by Dr. Norman Spack, co-founder of Children’s Hospital’s Gender Management Service Clinic
In 2008, Joy made headlines when after years of teaching at an Orthodox Jewish university as a man, she returned as a woman. Join…
November 15, 2013
Thanksgiving Themed Shabbat Potluck with Beth Evergreen
Colorado
It’s been a long time since we’ve gotten together to celebrate Shabbat! Our friends at Congregation Beth Evergreen have lovingly asked us to join them for a Friday night of singing, food, laughter, and gratitude.
6 pm: Tot Shabbat…
November 17, 2013
Homos On A Hike
San Francisco Bay Area
Join us for a hike at the lovely Albany Bulb, just north of Berkeley. This hike is about a mile and a half round-trip over somewhat uneven terrain. Bring your friends, bring your families, bring your dogs – everyone is welcome.
No car?…
November 20, 2013
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Colorado
Transgender Day of Remembrance was created 15 years ago to give us an opportunity to grieve the loss of all transgender individuals that have been murdered in that past year. Please join our friends from the Gender Identity Center for this important…
December 7, 2013
Colorado Keshet Cabaret
Colorado
Sing, Dance, and Celebrate at the Keshet Cabaret!
Join us at the legendary Tracks nightclub for a rousing evening of music and performance by local entertainers. This fabulous fundraiser supports Keshet’s work in Colorado and around…
Events
Add Your Event
Other LGBT Jewish Events
Past Keshet Events
Keshet Cabaret: Colorado
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Making Challah • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7798312784/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Shabbat • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7782710026/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Tefillin Workshop • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7789153026/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7119201237/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Hannukah Celebration • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7789190726/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
The Calendar
The Blog
The Shop
Contact Us
Month Week Day Search
Add an Event
To submit an event to the GayGevalt.com Calendar please fill out the following form.
(*) = Required Fields
(*) = Required for Dynamic Directions Link
Your Contact Information (Administrative Use Only)
Name: *
Email Address: *
AuthenticationPlease enter the text you see in the following image in the textbox below it.
If you cannot read the text you may reload this page to generate a new image.
<-- Enter Image Text Here
Event Details
Title: *
Description:
Event Date: *
Start Time:
AM PM
End Time:
AM PM No End Time:
Override Times:
All Day Event
Event Cost:
Event Recurrence Information
Event Recurs: (Check If Recurring)
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Every day(s)
All Weekdays
Recurs Until:
Click Here to Confirm Dates
Event Categories
Categories:
Adults Only (Leave the kids at home with bubbe) Arts
Educational / Learning Family
For Men Only For Women Only
Fundraising Hebrew
High Holidays HIV/AIDS
Israel Related Kosher
Mixed Crowd (All the nations are coming together) Mixed Crowd (the str8s are coming!)
Party (oh yeah) Pride!
Queer Religious (Services and the such)
Singles Social
Social Action / Volunteering Students
Support / Peer Group Transgender
[ Select All Categories | Deselect All Categories ]
Location Information
Preset: Custom Location (Enter Location Below) Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple Broadway Presbyterian Church Centerpoint Yoga Studio Church of the Holy Apostles Congregation Beth Simchat Torah Congregation Kol Ami Congregation Kol Ami- Immanuel Presbyterian Church Congregation Rodeph Sholom Daniel and Jorge's DC JCC Grand Space Jacob K. Javits Convention Center JCC In Manhattan Jewish Theological Seminary KGB Bar LA Gay & Lesbian Center Makor The LGBT Community Center in NYC The Lifebridge Sanctuary The LOFT in White Plains William Way LGBT Community Center
Name: *
Address: *
City: *
State: ALABAMA ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE DIST. OF COLUMBIA FLORIDA GEORGIA HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MAINE MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA OHIO OKLAHOMA OREGON PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS UTAH VERMONT VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA WISCONSIN WYOMING ISRAEL *
Postal Code: *
Country:
Event Contact Info (Displayed On Calendar)
Name:
Email:
Phone:
Website:
Message for Administrator (Not Displayed on Calendar)
Include Message:
Message:
You'll know first: Join the mailing list.
Post an Event
Featured Events Most Popular Add an Event
Sign Up For Email Alerts. Now.
Subscribe in a reader
Recently Added Events
• Marriage in America: The Supreme Court and LGBTQ Equality
• New Learning Groups Focus on Jewish Perspectives on Food
• Shabbat on the Island
• Shabbat on the Island
• Shabbat on the Island
About Us
Contact Us
Advertise!
Sign Up for email alerts
The Calendar
The Blog
The Shop
About Us
Contact Us
Advertise!
Sign Up for email alerts
© 2007 Visible Shops LLC
The Calendar
The Blog
The Shop
Contact Us
Month Week Day Search
Add an Event
To submit an event to the GayGevalt.com Calendar please fill out the following form.
(*) = Required Fields
(*) = Required for Dynamic Directions Link
Your Contact Information (Administrative Use Only)
Name: *
Email Address: *
AuthenticationPlease enter the text you see in the following image in the textbox below it.
If you cannot read the text you may reload this page to generate a new image.
<-- Enter Image Text Here
Event Details
Title: *
Description:
Event Date: *
Start Time:
AM PM
End Time:
AM PM No End Time:
Override Times:
All Day Event
Event Cost:
Event Recurrence Information
Event Recurs: (Check If Recurring)
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Every day(s)
All Weekdays
Recurs Until:
Click Here to Confirm Dates
Event Categories
Categories:
Adults Only (Leave the kids at home with bubbe) Arts
Educational / Learning Family
For Men Only For Women Only
Fundraising Hebrew
High Holidays HIV/AIDS
Israel Related Kosher
Mixed Crowd (All the nations are coming together) Mixed Crowd (the str8s are coming!)
Party (oh yeah) Pride!
Queer Religious (Services and the such)
Singles Social
Social Action / Volunteering Students
Support / Peer Group Transgender
[ Select All Categories | Deselect All Categories ]
Location Information
Preset: Custom Location (Enter Location Below) Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple Broadway Presbyterian Church Centerpoint Yoga Studio Church of the Holy Apostles Congregation Beth Simchat Torah Congregation Kol Ami Congregation Kol Ami- Immanuel Presbyterian Church Congregation Rodeph Sholom Daniel and Jorge's DC JCC Grand Space Jacob K. Javits Convention Center JCC In Manhattan Jewish Theological Seminary KGB Bar LA Gay & Lesbian Center Makor The LGBT Community Center in NYC The Lifebridge Sanctuary The LOFT in White Plains William Way LGBT Community Center
Name: *
Address: *
City: *
State: ALABAMA ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE DIST. OF COLUMBIA FLORIDA GEORGIA HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MAINE MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA OHIO OKLAHOMA OREGON PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS UTAH VERMONT VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA WISCONSIN WYOMING ISRAEL *
Postal Code: *
Country:
Event Contact Info (Displayed On Calendar)
Name:
Email:
Phone:
Website:
Message for Administrator (Not Displayed on Calendar)
Include Message:
Message:
You'll know first: Join the mailing list.
Post an Event
Featured Events Most Popular Add an Event
Sign Up For Email Alerts. Now.
Subscribe in a reader
Recently Added Events
• Marriage in America: The Supreme Court and LGBTQ Equality
• New Learning Groups Focus on Jewish Perspectives on Food
• Shabbat on the Island
• Shabbat on the Island
• Shabbat on the Island
About Us
Contact Us
Advertise!
Sign Up for email alerts
The Calendar
The Blog
The Shop
About Us
Contact Us
Advertise!
Sign Up for email alerts
© 2007 Visible Shops LLC
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation > Impact
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareImpact
Our trainings work.
An independent evaluator found that after a Keshet Training Institute:
33% reported that youth and staff have come out.
50% reported that staff are more likely to disrupt teasing and bullying.
50% saw a decrease in use of the word “gay” and other homophobic or transphobic slurs.
More than 50% of participants organized a program or taught a class about inclusion to parents or students and 33% have done so for staff.
66% reported that LGBT issues are now integrated into curriculum and/or programs.
70% said that staff have become more open about discussing LGBT issues.
76% serve as a resource for others in their organization about LGBT issues.
85% use materials provided at the trainings.
96% of participants said that after the training they felt confident in their ability to teach others about inclusion, as compared to 50% who said so before the training.
The number of organizations that display safe zone stickers increased by 100%.
What people are saying about our trainings:
“It has been 1½ years [since the training] and people still talk about it. We got positive reviews … although we got some pushback some of the best reviews were from Orthodox people in the school. People now ask me how to approach things in class. The kids want to talk about gay marriage and two daddies, etc. Avoidance doesn't work. The teachers want to know what to do and say.”
-Teacher, Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, Rockville, MD
“The two most significant outcomes of the Institute were the strengthening of my confidence to use the most effective language and my ability to respond effectively to resistance.”
-Staff member, BBYO
“I wanted to share a small story with you about impact from the training we did. I was at a farm store the other day and some teens who worked there were watering some plants. It was really hot out. They were talking about finals and one of them said, “Yeah that was so gay.” I stood there thinking, ‘I don’t know these kids, they're not in my school, do I need to say something?’ And then I decided to say something to them. I’m sure they thought I was crazy and I don’t know that I did it in the best way. But afterwards I thought, ‘Okay next time I will do it better.' “
-Lynne Havusha, Director of Student Services, Cohen Hillel Academy, Marblehead, MA
“I want to let you know that all the synagogues of Portland, Oregon held a joint high school program last night on the subject of bullying. We ended the evening with my giving a description of the work of Keshet and we handed them slips with the website for our teens to sign the pledge [against bullying]. My 11-year-old daughter told me afterwards that adults talk to the kids all the time about bullying – but that this program was the first time she actually ‘got it.’ “
-Rabbi Michael Cahana, Congregation Beth Israel, Portland, OR
How have educators used what they learned at the training?
• Led a Rosh Hodesh group for adults in a synagogue.
• Taught a class on Jewish law.
• Facilitated an advocacy workshop for a youth group field trip to Washington, D.C.
• Incorporated lessons into a curriculum on Israel.
• Conducted an activity at Jewish multi-racial retreat.
• Led a Shavuot study session.
• Provided a training for camp staff.
• Wove material into a class on Jewish sexual ethics for teens.
• Created activities for a student leadership retreat.
Learn about the different trainings we offer.
See where we have worked.
Training & Consultation
Trainings
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
Keshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation > Education Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareEducation Resources
Here's an easy-to-use collection of educational resources. Whether you’re looking for materials to create a queer text study or activities to create a workshop for the teens in your community, Keshet has it all. You can find LGBTQ-inclusive lesson plans, resource guides and best practices for creating LGBTQ-inclusive camps and youth groups, as well as samples of educational programs created by other educators, youth professionals, and Jewish youth leaders. We're always looking to build our collection so please send us any resources you come across that would be a good fit.
Take me to the full Resource Library »
Loading...
Search Resources
Use these dropdowns to select multiple search criteria.
Keyword: TopicsActivism & Civil RightsAllyBullying or HarassmentComing OutConservative MovementFamilies and ParentingFeminismHolocaustInterfaithJewish LawJewish ValuesJews by ChoiceJews of ColorLegislationLesbianLifecycle EventsOrthodox MovementPolicies and Best PracticesReconstructionist MovementReform MovementRitual/Liturgy/PrayerTransgender and Gender IdentityYouth
HolidaysHolocaust Remembrance DayNational Coming Out DayPurimRosh Chodesh
AuthorAndrea GuerraAnn AbramsBBYOJennifer BersdaleKendra LubalinKeshetMartin Rawlings-FeinNili YoshaRabbi Steven GreenbergRachel AckermanRebecca WeinerRoni Alperin
Media TypeArticle or DocumentEducational ToolLesson Plan/ActivitiesTeaching Guidelines
Grade LevelCollege and AdultEarly ChildhoodElementaryHigh SchoolMiddle School
Your selections:
Reset SearchShow 102550100 entriesShowing 1 to 25 of 46 entriesFirstPrevious12NextLastResource Name
Article or Document, Teaching Guidelines
Top 10 Ways to Respond to “That’s So Gay!”
September 4, 2013 | Keshet
This Top 10 List was complied from responses gathered from participants of Keshet’s National Training Institutes.…
Ally | Bullying or Harassment | Policies and Best Practices
Download
Article or Document
Creating Inclusive Curricula
Suggestions for inclusive lesson planning at the Elementary level and how to include GLB/Trans experiences and perspectives in the
curriculum.…
Download
Article or Document
LGBT Jewish Resource List
September 4, 2013 | Ann Abrams, Keshet
This is a list of suggested resources for Jewish educators, parents, and youth program leaders. It includes books, film, and websites. The document features a focused list of key resources that we think may be most helpful to Jewish educators,…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Abraham Joshua Heschel and the Civil Rights Movement
This lesson is designed for use with Hineini or as part of a curriculum in history, social studies, or civics. Using small group work, class discussion, text analysis, and writing exercises, students examine the writing and actions of Rabbi…
Activism & Civil Rights
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Gender Boxes
Hands-on activity for students to discuss proscribed gender roles. For all all ages with adjusted discussion questions for age and developmental appropriateness.
…
Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Hiding and Coming Out
This “chalk-talk” activity is an empathy–building exercise about the risks individuals take (or are afraid to take) in order to be seen and known within their community. After viewing the film, students will reflect on the experiences…
Coming Out
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Identity Molecule
This exercise gives participants an opportunity to investigate how a perceived shared identity can in fact contain significant diversity. By articulating all the different aspects of their identities, participants have an opportunity…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Institutional LGBTQ Inclusion Audit Workshop
This session gives some guidelines for helping institutions and organizations understand the multi-faceted process of bringing the ideological and spiritual practice of inclusion into alignment with the material and cultural “face”…
Policies and Best Practices
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Looking at Change in Jewish Law: The Evolving Legal Status of the Deaf Person
This lesson looks at original source materials to see how the Jewish legal code’s standards about the status of deaf people have changed over the centuries. It suggests that the Jewish legal position about homosexuality could also change…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Pluralism in Action
This role play debate gives students the opportunity to examine what pluralism looks like in action. Students take on the roles of members of a religious policy committee at a new school to discuss, debate, and determine school policy on three…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Pluralism Is Jewish: The Houses of Hillel and Shammai
In this activity, students examine a text about the differences between the rabbinic schools of Hillel and Shammai. This activity helps students understand the meaning of pluralism both in action and as a value in Judaism.…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Stand Up For Each Other: Rainbow of Tolerance
BBYO
Curriculum providing an educational, yet interactive way for people to learn about the Stand Up For Each Other campaign and the LGBT community.…
Youth
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Step Into the Circle
Participants stand in a circle and are asked to step in if a statement applies to them. After all the statements are read, participants are asked if they want to share any reflections on what they noticed.…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
What Does It Mean to Be an Ally?
This activity begins with a short text study of Talmudic teachings about communal responsibility. Students then explore together the role of an “ally” in creating change. Students are asked to recall moments when they stood up for someone…
Ally
Download
Educational Tool
LGBTQI Terminology
A glossary of basic terminology for LGBTQI sexual orientation and gender identity.…
Lesbian | Policies and Best Practices | Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Educational Tool
Sample Agenda for Integrated Gender Diversity & Sexual Orientation Workshop
To be used in conjunction with Keshet’s Curriculum Resource Guide. Sample workshop (group of curricula) for half day on gender diversity and sexual orientation.…
Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Educational Tool
What to Do When a Teen Comes Out to You
Some concrete suggestions to consider when a teenager comes out to you.…
Coming Out | Policies and Best Practices | Youth
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
5773 Hits
September 3, 2013 | Kendra Lubalin
This lesson designed for 5th–12th graders will help students explore Jewish identity through social media and online culture. Students will research different YouTube videos and explore different expressions of Jewish culture.…
Activism & Civil Rights | Coming Out | Interfaith | Jewish Values | Jews by Choice | Jews of Color | Lifecycle Events | Transgender and Gender Identity | Youth
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
613 and More
Kendra Lubalin
This lesson for 4th-12th graders looks at how to apply mitzvot to contemporary life. It examines how Responsa shaped mitzvot and Jewish law so it evolved through time. This is a loosely structured lesson plan that can be tailored to different…
Jewish Law
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
And G-d Chose Zoe Too
September 3, 2013 | Rebecca Weiner
This is a Jewish LGBT children’s story for pre-K — 3rd graders that focuses on the themes of a single parent home, adoption, being chosen by G-d, and chosen family. Through this story, students will learn about a Jewish family that…
Coming Out | Families and Parenting | Jewish Law | Jewish Values
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Bal Tashchit
September 3, 2013 | Martin Rawlings-Fein
This lesson was designed to help students understand the main ways that we can fulfill the mitzvah of Bal Taschit, “Do not destroy.” The lesson explores this theme through environmental concerns and values that help humans to…
Activism & Civil Rights | Holocaust | Jewish LawHolocaust Remembrance Day
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Building a Welcoming Tent
September 3, 2013 | Rabbi Steven Greenberg
This lesson plan was developed for Keshet by Rabbi Steve Greenberg, author of Wrestling with God and Men. In this half hour text study designed for K-3rd graders, students will use biblical text explore the fundamental values of welcome and…
Jewish Values
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Coming Out at Camp
September 9, 2013 | Rachel Ackerman
The goal of this lesson, designed for high school aged Counselors in Training, is to create a space for participants to think critically about how accessible camp is for those who are LGBT. At the end of this lesson, participants will be able…
Ally | Coming OutNational Coming Out Day
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Engaging with the Other
August 29, 2013 | Rabbi Steven Greenberg
This lesson plan was developed for Keshet by Rabbi Steve Greenberg, author of Wrestling with God and Men. In this hour-long text study designed for 9th-12th graders and adults, students will explore the Jewish value of inclusivity, as well…
Ally | Jewish Values
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Etz Chayim Glee
Rebecca Weiner
This resource is a script for a post-modern Purim Spiel that can be performed and/or adapted. Use it to engage students in a Purim Shpeil that explores contemporary themes of bullying and inclusion and helps students to relate the Purim story…
Ally | Bullying or Harassment | Jewish ValuesPurim
Download
Showing 1 to 25 of 46 entriesFirstPrevious12NextLastTraining & Consultation
Trainings
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
Keshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation > Education Resources
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareEducation Resources
Here's an easy-to-use collection of educational resources. Whether you’re looking for materials to create a queer text study or activities to create a workshop for the teens in your community, Keshet has it all. You can find LGBTQ-inclusive lesson plans, resource guides and best practices for creating LGBTQ-inclusive camps and youth groups, as well as samples of educational programs created by other educators, youth professionals, and Jewish youth leaders. We're always looking to build our collection so please send us any resources you come across that would be a good fit.
Take me to the full Resource Library »
Loading...
Search Resources
Use these dropdowns to select multiple search criteria.
Keyword: TopicsActivism & Civil RightsAllyBullying or HarassmentComing OutConservative MovementFamilies and ParentingFeminismHolocaustInterfaithJewish LawJewish ValuesJews by ChoiceJews of ColorLegislationLesbianLifecycle EventsOrthodox MovementPolicies and Best PracticesReconstructionist MovementReform MovementRitual/Liturgy/PrayerTransgender and Gender IdentityYouth
HolidaysHolocaust Remembrance DayNational Coming Out DayPurimRosh Chodesh
AuthorAndrea GuerraAnn AbramsBBYOJennifer BersdaleKendra LubalinKeshetMartin Rawlings-FeinNili YoshaRabbi Steven GreenbergRachel AckermanRebecca WeinerRoni Alperin
Media TypeArticle or DocumentEducational ToolLesson Plan/ActivitiesTeaching Guidelines
Grade LevelCollege and AdultEarly ChildhoodElementaryHigh SchoolMiddle School
Your selections:
Reset SearchShow 102550100 entriesShowing 1 to 25 of 46 entriesFirstPrevious12NextLastResource Name
Article or Document, Teaching Guidelines
Top 10 Ways to Respond to “That’s So Gay!”
September 4, 2013 | Keshet
This Top 10 List was complied from responses gathered from participants of Keshet’s National Training Institutes.…
Ally | Bullying or Harassment | Policies and Best Practices
Download
Article or Document
Creating Inclusive Curricula
Suggestions for inclusive lesson planning at the Elementary level and how to include GLB/Trans experiences and perspectives in the
curriculum.…
Download
Article or Document
LGBT Jewish Resource List
September 4, 2013 | Ann Abrams, Keshet
This is a list of suggested resources for Jewish educators, parents, and youth program leaders. It includes books, film, and websites. The document features a focused list of key resources that we think may be most helpful to Jewish educators,…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Abraham Joshua Heschel and the Civil Rights Movement
This lesson is designed for use with Hineini or as part of a curriculum in history, social studies, or civics. Using small group work, class discussion, text analysis, and writing exercises, students examine the writing and actions of Rabbi…
Activism & Civil Rights
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Gender Boxes
Hands-on activity for students to discuss proscribed gender roles. For all all ages with adjusted discussion questions for age and developmental appropriateness.
…
Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Hiding and Coming Out
This “chalk-talk” activity is an empathy–building exercise about the risks individuals take (or are afraid to take) in order to be seen and known within their community. After viewing the film, students will reflect on the experiences…
Coming Out
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Identity Molecule
This exercise gives participants an opportunity to investigate how a perceived shared identity can in fact contain significant diversity. By articulating all the different aspects of their identities, participants have an opportunity…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Institutional LGBTQ Inclusion Audit Workshop
This session gives some guidelines for helping institutions and organizations understand the multi-faceted process of bringing the ideological and spiritual practice of inclusion into alignment with the material and cultural “face”…
Policies and Best Practices
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Looking at Change in Jewish Law: The Evolving Legal Status of the Deaf Person
This lesson looks at original source materials to see how the Jewish legal code’s standards about the status of deaf people have changed over the centuries. It suggests that the Jewish legal position about homosexuality could also change…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Pluralism in Action
This role play debate gives students the opportunity to examine what pluralism looks like in action. Students take on the roles of members of a religious policy committee at a new school to discuss, debate, and determine school policy on three…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Pluralism Is Jewish: The Houses of Hillel and Shammai
In this activity, students examine a text about the differences between the rabbinic schools of Hillel and Shammai. This activity helps students understand the meaning of pluralism both in action and as a value in Judaism.…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Stand Up For Each Other: Rainbow of Tolerance
BBYO
Curriculum providing an educational, yet interactive way for people to learn about the Stand Up For Each Other campaign and the LGBT community.…
Youth
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
Step Into the Circle
Participants stand in a circle and are asked to step in if a statement applies to them. After all the statements are read, participants are asked if they want to share any reflections on what they noticed.…
Download
Educational Tool, Lesson Plan/Activities
What Does It Mean to Be an Ally?
This activity begins with a short text study of Talmudic teachings about communal responsibility. Students then explore together the role of an “ally” in creating change. Students are asked to recall moments when they stood up for someone…
Ally
Download
Educational Tool
LGBTQI Terminology
A glossary of basic terminology for LGBTQI sexual orientation and gender identity.…
Lesbian | Policies and Best Practices | Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Educational Tool
Sample Agenda for Integrated Gender Diversity & Sexual Orientation Workshop
To be used in conjunction with Keshet’s Curriculum Resource Guide. Sample workshop (group of curricula) for half day on gender diversity and sexual orientation.…
Transgender and Gender Identity
Download
Educational Tool
What to Do When a Teen Comes Out to You
Some concrete suggestions to consider when a teenager comes out to you.…
Coming Out | Policies and Best Practices | Youth
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
5773 Hits
September 3, 2013 | Kendra Lubalin
This lesson designed for 5th–12th graders will help students explore Jewish identity through social media and online culture. Students will research different YouTube videos and explore different expressions of Jewish culture.…
Activism & Civil Rights | Coming Out | Interfaith | Jewish Values | Jews by Choice | Jews of Color | Lifecycle Events | Transgender and Gender Identity | Youth
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
613 and More
Kendra Lubalin
This lesson for 4th-12th graders looks at how to apply mitzvot to contemporary life. It examines how Responsa shaped mitzvot and Jewish law so it evolved through time. This is a loosely structured lesson plan that can be tailored to different…
Jewish Law
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
And G-d Chose Zoe Too
September 3, 2013 | Rebecca Weiner
This is a Jewish LGBT children’s story for pre-K — 3rd graders that focuses on the themes of a single parent home, adoption, being chosen by G-d, and chosen family. Through this story, students will learn about a Jewish family that…
Coming Out | Families and Parenting | Jewish Law | Jewish Values
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Bal Tashchit
September 3, 2013 | Martin Rawlings-Fein
This lesson was designed to help students understand the main ways that we can fulfill the mitzvah of Bal Taschit, “Do not destroy.” The lesson explores this theme through environmental concerns and values that help humans to…
Activism & Civil Rights | Holocaust | Jewish LawHolocaust Remembrance Day
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Building a Welcoming Tent
September 3, 2013 | Rabbi Steven Greenberg
This lesson plan was developed for Keshet by Rabbi Steve Greenberg, author of Wrestling with God and Men. In this half hour text study designed for K-3rd graders, students will use biblical text explore the fundamental values of welcome and…
Jewish Values
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Coming Out at Camp
September 9, 2013 | Rachel Ackerman
The goal of this lesson, designed for high school aged Counselors in Training, is to create a space for participants to think critically about how accessible camp is for those who are LGBT. At the end of this lesson, participants will be able…
Ally | Coming OutNational Coming Out Day
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Engaging with the Other
August 29, 2013 | Rabbi Steven Greenberg
This lesson plan was developed for Keshet by Rabbi Steve Greenberg, author of Wrestling with God and Men. In this hour-long text study designed for 9th-12th graders and adults, students will explore the Jewish value of inclusivity, as well…
Ally | Jewish Values
Download
Lesson Plan/Activities
Etz Chayim Glee
Rebecca Weiner
This resource is a script for a post-modern Purim Spiel that can be performed and/or adapted. Use it to engage students in a Purim Shpeil that explores contemporary themes of bullying and inclusion and helps students to relate the Purim story…
Ally | Bullying or Harassment | Jewish ValuesPurim
Download
Showing 1 to 25 of 46 entriesFirstPrevious12NextLastTraining & Consultation
Trainings
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
Keshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation > Trainings
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareTrainings
Keshet trains and supports Jewish educators, clergy, program staff, youth, and lay leaders to ensure that LGBTQ youth, families, and staff are safe, affirmed, and celebrated in all Jewish educational and community settings.
We offer both individualized workshops and programs for organizations as well as our signature Keshet Leadership Summit, a one day action-oriented gathering for leaders of Jewish institutions. Our workshops are tailored to meet the specific needs of the community or organization hosting the training.
Workshops and Programs:
Request a Training »
Professional Development Workshops
Keshet’s professional development workshops incorporate a variety of learning modalities and approaches to build the capacity of educators, camp counselors, youth professionals, and other Jewish communal professionals to understand the unique needs of LGBTQ youth, families, and staff. Using a mix of case-study/scenario work, text study, and institutional assessment, participants are given concrete tools for use in their professional roles in the Jewish community. The workshops also present strategies for responding to incidents of homophobic, transphobic, and sexist teasing or bullying.
The Keshet Leadership Project
The Keshet Leadership Project is an in-depth experiential program designed to build the capacity of Jewish leaders and the institutions they represent to create fully inclusive and affirming learning environments for all youth and families. These one day gathering prepare clergy, heads of school, camp directors, program and education directors and others to create action plans for concrete and meaningful progress toward greater LGBT inclusion in their institutions.
Learn more the Leadership Project.
I CAME OUT
“Thank you so much for coming to talk with us. I came out of the closet two months ago. Listening to your story of raising a family gave me so much hope for the future. I'm glad you came to talk to us.”
— 10th grader at a Conservative synagogue in Colorado
Workshops for Teens
We lead programs for teens that explore issues of diversity and the intersection of identity, Jewish values, and LGBTQ inclusion. Using a combination of interactive activities, film screenings, and text study, we engage teens on issues related to gender identity, sexual orientation, and what it means to create a fully inclusive Jewish teen culture.
Community Engagement with LGBTQ Issues
Whether it's a Shabbaton program with a leading queer rabbi/scholar, a workshop for administration and lay leaders, or a community screening and discussion of the documentary Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School, Keshet facilitators will create a program that helps communities engage with issues of LGBTQ inclusion.
Sample Training Materials:
What does a Keshet workshop looks like?
Check out this sample agenda for our professional development workshops.
What kinds of activities will I learn in a training?
Download an activity to share with your own staff. Try Creating Inclusive Curricula or Gender Boxes.
What activities do you do with teens?
Here is an activity about being an ally that we use in our teen programs. Why not try it with your own community?
Training & Consultation
Trainings
Keshet Leadership Project
Request a Training
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
Keshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation > Trainings > Keshet Leadership Project
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareKeshet Leadership Project
Leading Your Jewish Community to Act for LGBT Inclusion
The Keshet Leadership Project is a multi-service program that gathers, trains, provides resources for, and supports Jewish institutions to become more inclusive of LGBT individuals and families.
We work with organizations along a continuum of inclusion, from those who are just beginning to acknowledge their need for improvement, to those who have deep and sustained initiatives in place and who strive to broaden their reach.
The Keshet Leadership Summit
Learn about our 2014 Summits »
The Project kicks off with the Keshet Leadership Summit, a dynamic, experiential day-long program designed to build the capacity of individual leaders and the institutions they represent to create LGBT inclusive and affirming environments for all community members.
Keshet’s expert facilitators train participants to use concrete strategies and tools for inclusion. Participants leave with an action plan for their institution outlining how to implement the strategies and tools they have learned at the Leadership Summit, and each institution receives follow-up coaching and consultation over the course of the year to help with the implementation of these action plans.
Participants will:
Learn how to evaluate their current programs, policies, and culture, and identify areas for growth
Learn how to recognize opportunities and challenges for welcoming and affirming LGBT members of your community
Create an achievable action plan for making your community more LGBT inclusive within one year
Receive support from Keshet in implementing your action plan
Methodology
Assessment
Prior to the Keshet Leadership Summit, participants are asked to complete a guided institutional self-assessment, evaluating the current inclusiveness of their policies, programs, and organizational culture. This step allows leaders to determine their institution’s areas of strengths and areas for further growth in terms of LGBT inclusive practice, and prepares them to create informed and clear action plans during the Leadership Summit.
Learning
At the Leadership Summit, participants experience interactive exercises that help them connect issues of LGBT inclusion to their own story and values, identify key LGBT terminology, explore the ways that homophobia and gender-based discrimination impact young people and families, and role-play common scenarios that arise around LGBT inclusion. The Keshet Leadership Summit also includes an introduction to Keshet resources that grounds the work of LGBT inclusion in Jewish text and values.
Planning for Action
Every participant and institutional team is coached to draft an action plan with concrete objectives and a timetable for implementing the programs and materials learned into the work of their home institution. These action plans are an essential part of the learning and skills-building that the Leadership Summit offers.
Follow-up
Following the Leadership Summit, participants receive specialized coaching over the course of a year to help them carry out their action plans. Institutions will also have the option to bring in Keshet staff to lead further training for other members of the institutional leadership, professional development for front line educators, and community-wide conversations about LGBT inclusion.
A MUST FOR ANYONE CONCERNED
“What Keshet has created is a must for anyone concerned about making each child feel safe to learn in all of our educational environments. This is not just about LGBT inclusivity – this is reframing the way we look at constructing educational spaces and should be mandatory for every teacher, educator, counselor and youth worker in the Jewish community.”
-Naomi Less, Co-creator, Addressing Evaded Issues in Jewish Education and Founder, Jewish Chicks Rock
Who Should Attend a Keshet Leadership Summit?
Clergy
CEOs
Heads of Schools
Directors of Education or Programming
Directors of Marketing or Communications
Board Chairs
Youth Directors
Other key institutional leaders
Since 2008, Keshet has offered 12 Leadership Summits (formerly called Training Institutes) and currently there are more than 250 graduates of Keshet Training Institutes who are training and supporting their peers and colleagues in working for LGBT inclusion and equality in Jewish communities around the country.
Where Have We Run Leadership Summits?
Atlanta, GA
Baltimore, MD
Boston, MA
Chicago, IL
Cleveland, OH
Denver/Boulder, CO
Detroit, MI
Long Island, NY
Los Angeles, CA
New York City, NY
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Waynesboro, PA
Lake Delton, WI
Training & Consultation
Trainings
Keshet Leadership Project
2014 Keshet Leadership Summits
Request a Training
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
Keshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation > Where We Have Worked
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareWhere We Have Worked
We've worked with hundreds of Jewish institutions, helping them create more inclusive communities. Here's a sample of some of the committed institutions we have been lucky to work with:
Day Schools
American Hebrew Academy, Greensboro, NC
Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, Rockville, MD
Chicagoland Jewish High School, Deerfield, IL
Gann Academy, Waltham, MA
Jacob Pressman Academy, Los Angeles, CA
Jewish Community Day School, Pittsburgh, PA
Kehillah Jewish High School, Palo Alto, CA
Primary Day School of the Nation's Capital, Washington, D.C.
Rodeph Sholom School, New York, NY
San Diego Jewish Academy, San Diego, CA
Solomon Schechter School of Westchester, Hartsdale, NY
INVALUABLE
This is definitely one of the most valuable trainings I've seen at camp. Clearly the teens found it as valuable as the whole staff. Thank you for again for giving us the tools to continue having this conversation in an open and informed way.
-CIT Supervisor, Camp Pinemere
Camps
B'nai B'rith Beber Camp, Skokie, IL
Camp Tawonga, San Francisco, CA
Camp JRF, South Sterling, PA
Camp Yavneh, Northwood, NH
Capital Camps, Waynesboro, PA
Eisner Camp, Great Barrington, MA
Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst Day Camp, Brooklyn, New York
Youth Movements
BBYO International
North American Federation of Temple Youth
United Synagogue Youth
Young Judaea
Synagogues
Agudath Israel Congregation, Ottawa, Canada (Conservative)
Congregation Beth El, Berkeley, CA (Reform)
Congregation B’nei Israel, Boca Raton, FL (Reform)
Congregation Har Hashem, Boulder, CO (Reform)
Congregation Ohev Shalom, Wallingford, PA (Conservative)
Congregation Rodeph Sholom, New York, NY (Reform)
Kehilla Community Synagogue, Piedmont, CA (Renewal)
Temple Beth Abraham, Nashau, NH (Conservative)
Temple Emanuel, Newton, MA (Conservative)
Temple Israel of Boston, Boston, MA (Reform)
Temple Israel of Omaha, NE (Reform)
Temple Israel Center, White Plains, NY (Conservative)
Temple Sinai, Brookline, MA (Reform)
Other Community Institutions
CJP Boston
Foundation for Jewish Camp
Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay
Jewish Family and Children's Service of Greater Philadelphia
Conferences and Presentations
CAJE and NewCAJE
Creating Change
FJC Cornerstone and Leaders Assembly
Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly
Limmud Boston, Colorado, New York, UK, and South Africa
RAVSAK
TribeFest
URJ Biennial
USCJ Biennial
Learn about the different trainings we offer.
See the impact of our trainings
Training & Consultation
Trainings
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
Keshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Training & Consultation > Training Institute Graduates
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareTraining Institute Graduates
Welcome!
This section is solely for graduates of our Training Institutes.
In this section you will find our Facilitator Training Manual, Hineini Curriculum Resource Guide, and additional training materials and lesson plans as they become available. As we develop new lesson plans and training materials, we will post them here for you to see first!
Get your password »
We’D love to hear from you!
How are you using and adapting our curricula and materials? We love to hear stories from your classrooms, youth groups, summer camps, and any other settings in which you've used Keshet's materials.
Share your story »
Training & Consultation
Trainings
Consultation
Impact
Education Resources
Where We Have Worked
Training Institute Graduates
For Training Institute Graduates
Keshet Training Institute, Bay Area, March 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6789632544/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Andrea Jacobs leading a Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7788917398/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 5th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/4166337819/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rabbi Aaron Weininger @ Keshet Training • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775035052/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet Training with BBYO • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775045828/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Equality Guide
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareEquality Guide
I'm looking for an LGBTQ-friendly organization clergy a rabbi a cantor a mohel a synagogue a day school a Hebrew high school a camp a summer program for high school youth a youth group a Hillel/Jewish student organization (college) a JCC a Jewish Family & Children’s Services/Jewish Family Services a young adult program/Moishe House a Jewish Federation a senior housing communityan LGBTQ-friendly organization
clergy
a rabbi
a cantor
a mohel
a synagogue
a day school
a Hebrew high school
a camp
a summer program for high school youth
a youth group
a Hillel/Jewish student organization (college)
a JCC
a Jewish Family & Children’s Services/Jewish Family Services
a young adult program/Moishe House
a Jewish Federation
a senior housing community
that is Any affiliation Conservative No affiliation Orthodox Pluralistic/Post-Denominational/Non-Denominational Reconstructionist Reform Renewal Secular Secular HumanistAny affiliation
Any affiliation
Conservative
No affiliation
Orthodox
Pluralistic/Post-Denominational/Non-Denominational
Reconstructionist
Reform
Renewal
Secular
Secular Humanist
near Looking for:
A rabbi to perform a wedding?
A day school committed to inclusion?
A synagogue where you and your family will feel welcome?
The Equality Guide was created for you. The Guide is simple way for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews and their loved ones to find inclusive Jewish clergy and institutions and learn about their policies and practices.
A note on using the Equality Guide:
All of the information in the guide is self-reported and has not been verified by Keshet.
You must choose a location for your search. This can be a city, state, or country!
Clergy and Jewish Institutions:
Join the Equality Guide! There is no deadline for entries and you may update your profile at any time.
I want to be included in the Equality Guide! »
I want to update my listing! »
The Jewish Community Pledge to Save Lives
See which organizations signed the pledge to speak out against homophobic and transphobic bullying.
Equality Guide
Join the Equality Guide
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Rabbi Joel Alter @ Tallit Workshop • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7775526070/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607336855/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Challah Back: A Keshet Community Event • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7165501796/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Rally for Tel Aviv GLBT Center • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3794649231/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>LGBT Israel Trip • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7801985586/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
Are you a:YouthParent & FamilyEducatorRabbi or CantorJewish ProfessionalLGBTQ JewFriend & AllyVisit our store Donate Now KeshetWorking for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender Jews in Jewish life
Learn More +About UsOur WorkEquality GuideEventsTraining & ConsultationResourcesBlog
Home > Our Work
Share on facebookLikeShare on twitterTweetShare on printPrintShare on emailEmailMore Sharing ServicesShareOur Work
Our work is guided by a vision of a world where all Jewish organizations and communities are strengthened by LGBT-inclusive programming, policy, culture, and leadership and where Jews of all sexual orientations and gender identities can live fully integrated Jewish lives.
We work to create a community that does more than tolerate or accept LGBT Jews. We envision a future where the ethos of justice, caring, and inclusion that encapsulates the best of Jewish tradition is seen and felt by all Jewish youth and adults – gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight, and/or transgender. This is what we are doing to bring us to this day.
Keshet Programs
KESHET---National-Training-Institute-for-Jewish-Educators,-February-2009_crop
Training for LGBTQ Inclusion
Looking for ways to make your Jewish institution safe and inclusive for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Jews but don’t know where to start? We’re here to help.
For more than 10 years, we’ve trained and supported Jewish educators, clergy, program staff, camp professionals, youth, and…
Learn More
Bar night with Keshet
Build Community for LGBTQ Jews
From singles mixers to Shabbat dinners to our Beit Midrash series, where participants study traditional texts from a queer angle, our events offer opportunities for LGBT Jews to celebrate and (re)connect with their Jewish identities, engage in Jewish learning, and grow as leaders in the Jewish community.
Learn More
Daniel and Debbie Heller
Support Families
The Keshet Parent & Family Connection is a national mentoring and leadership program for Jewish parents and family members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews.*
What we provide:
Parent mentors provide confidential peer support by phone, email, video chat, or in person for parents…
Learn More
LGBTQ Teen Shabbaton
Creating Safe Spaces for Teens
The Jewish LGBTQ Teen Organizing Project creates safe and welcoming opportunities for Jewish LGBTQ and ally teens to come together and be their full selves, develops the leadership skills of select LGBTQ and ally teens to organize their peers, and inspires LGBTQ and ally teens to…
Learn More
Harvey Milk poster
Produce LGBTQ Jewish Resources
From our LGBT Jewish Heroes Poster series to The Purim Superhero, the first LGBTQ-inclusive Jewish children’s book in English, Keshet creates resources that tell the full story of Jewish life.
After talking with Jewish educators who were deeply committed to inclusion but stymied by a…
Learn More
Marriage Equality
Fight for LGBT Civil Rights
We educate and rally the Jewish community to advance LGBT civil rights. Keshet was instrumental in mobilizing Jewish community support for equal marriage rights in Massachusetts and, as a founding member of the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality, helped advance the Massachusetts Transgender Equal Rights…
Learn More
KESHET_March For Equality_Washington DC_Oct 2009_cropped
Advance the Movement for LGBTQ Jewish Inclusion and Equality
Keshet supports grassroots Jewish LGBT and ally groups around the country and mentors young activists to strengthen the growing movement for LGBT inclusion and equality in Jewish life. Over the past few years, we’ve played a leadership role in the following initiatives:
Do Not Stand…
Learn More
Upcoming Events
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Ruach HaYam Shabbaton
Massachusetts
Ruach HaYam, Congregation Am Tikva, and Keshet invite you to join us at a full day Shabbat retreat for LGBTQ Jews, friends, and family. Refresh your spirit and make new friends in this fabulous day of egalitarian davening, creative and thoughtful…
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Taking Pride in ALL Our Choices
Colorado
A conversation on end-of-life decisions through an LGBT lens
Let’s broach a difficult conversation as a community. How do we make sure that our wishes and our bodies will be respected and that our deaths are treated as valuable within a Jewish…
Friday, October 25, 2013
October Shabbat Celebration
Massachusetts
Join us at any time during the evening for this family-friendly Shabbat celebration! Our services are egalitarian, participatory, and led by Keshet members. A kosher catered dinner will be provided.
Interested in leading/co-leading services…
Consulate LogoFriday, October 25, 2013
A Conversation with Yehoshua Gurtler, Israeli GLBT Advocate and Attorney
Massachusetts
Come for an exciting conversation with Yehoshua Gurtler, a prominent GLBT advocate across many organizations in Israel. Learn about LGBT life in Israeli society, including the Israeli Orthodox world. Discuss the issues facing…
See All Events
Get Involved
From social events to education to activism, we have something for everyone! Tell us what you are interested in and we'll take it from there.
In the News
Thursday, September 12, 2013
U.S. Jewish groups seek to increase LGBT affiliation
This article explores what Jewish Federations are doing to reach out to LGBT Jews.…
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Nurturing LGBTQ Jewish leaders
The San Francisco Bay Area is home to the fifth-largest Jewish community in the United States, and to a huge and diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual,…
See All News
Our Work
Massachusetts
Colorado
San Francisco Bay Area
Stay Updated
Get the latest news.
Keshet Young Leaders Circle NYC Brunch, 3/20/2011 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/5592918594/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's Queer Seder 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/6973120648/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Keshet's 4th National Training Institute • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3598320811/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Prop 8 Protest - 5/26, San Francisco, CA • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/3607335425/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>Denver PrideFest 2012 • <a style="font-size:0.8em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13831765@N07/7410686400/" target="_blank">View on Flickr</a>
HomeAbout UsOur Work
© 2012 KeshetPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseSitemapContact UsLog in
National Office
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone 617.524.9227
Fax 617.524.9229Colorado Office
6445 E. Ohio Ave.
Suite 150
Denver, CO 80224
Phone 303.691.3562San Francisco Bay Area Office
290 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone 415.766.0390info@keshetonline.com
FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutubeDesigned by: Free Range StudiosClose Box Keshet Remember Me
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address.
You will receive a link to reset the password via email.
Sign in
Sign in | Lost your password?
No comments:
Post a Comment