Keshet envisions a world in which all LGBTQ Jews and our families can live with full equality, justice, and dignity.
Keshet works for the full equality of all LGBTQ Jews and our families in Jewish life. We strengthen Jewish communities. We equip Jewish organizations with the skills and knowledge to build LGBTQ-affirming communities; create spaces in which all queer Jewish youth feel seen and valued; and advance LGBTQ rights nationwide.
Not too long ago, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer 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. Founded in 1996 as a small, volunteer-run group in Greater Boston by Jonathan Krasner and Jared Goldfarb, Keshet is now a national organization with offices in the Bay Area, Chicago, and New York, in addition to our headquarters in Boston. We are the only organization in the U.S. that works for LGBTQ equality in all facets of Jewish life — synagogues, Hebrew schools, day schools, youth groups, summer camps, social-service organizations and other communal agencies. We have developed the leadership of LGBTQ Jewish teens, trained Jewish educators to prevent anti-LGBTQ bullying and celebrate LGBTQ Jewish identity, and mobilized Jewish communities to protect marriage equality and transgender rights.
Fighting for justice is a deeply Jewish act. Together, we rally the Jewish community to put our values into action by advancing LGBTQ rights nationwide.
Keshet meets you and your community wherever you are in your journey to LGBTQ equality and inclusion, giving you the tools you need to take the next step forward.
Join our one of a kind Shabbat retreats for LGBTQ and ally Jewish teens.
Passionate about LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion? Check out what positions are available at Keshet!
Click here to check out recent articles about Keshet's work, our press statements, and key articles about LGBTQ+ Jews.
As we strive for justice and equity, we are committed to addressing the needs and elevating the voices of LGBTQ Jews of Color.
Keshet's organizational values are rooted in a Jewish ethical framework that mandates the pursuit of justice and the creation of compassionate, caring communities.
Eilu v’eilu: Both these and these are true. As LGBTQ+ Jews and allies, the challenges we faced in 2023 often felt insurmountable. And we are built for such moments. Read the Annual Report 2023.
Keshet is committed to protecting the privacy of all of our constituents, including donors and program participants.