As a parent, we all have ups and downs and surprise turns with our children. Let me tell you the story of our fourth kid, whom we fondly refer to as #4. When #4 was nine, they abruptly stopped playing on the competitive girls’ soccer and basketball teams. My husband…
View the originalWeaving friendship bracelets. Swimming in the lake. Hiking through the tall trees. Memories that last a lifetime. Summer camp is an integral part of Jewish life for thousands of campers and staff members every summer. But LGBTQ+ campers who are isolated, excluded, or harassed by their peers don’t get to…
View the originalAh, February! A month where the air buzzes with the vibrant energy of Black History Month… and my inbox? Well, it’s bursting at the seams. As a Black Jewish professional, my heart is overjoyed seeing a sea of messages, events, and writing that celebrates and uplifts the legacy and continuous…
View the originalEight years ago, the queer disability scholar Rabbi Julia Watts Belser told me something simple yet profound, “you should not wait until you have a disabled congregant to build a ramp to your bima.” In doing so, she introduced me to a whole new framework for belonging, where it is…
View the originalI’m a Texan on the front lines fighting for reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights. In my time volunteering as a clinic escort and fielding requests on abortion fund helplines, I’ve seen the dire consequences when this reproductive health care is legislated away. However, these attacks on our rights are not a…
View the originalI am thrilled to introduce you to Keshet’s new Chief Communications Officer, Thea Hillman! Thea brings extensive experience as both a writer and activist to her role at Keshet as well as an exuberant commitment to justice work. In these challenging times, I especially appreciate her combination of rigorous skills…
View the original“Going to this Shabbaton changed the way I saw myself for the better because I finally learned to love all of me.” – Rivka, New Jersey Our first LGBTQ+ and Ally Teen Shabbaton of 2024 is almost here! Since our first Shabbaton in 2012 where I was a participant, this weekend retreat…
View the originalKeshet is made up of a team of dedicated, smart, and fun individuals, and we’re conducting interviews with them so that you get to know them a little better! We recently spoke with Keshet’s New York Education and Training Manager Rakhel Silverman-Gitin (they/them). Here’s what they had to say: What excites…
View the originalHow do we go beyond welcoming to creating belonging? This question has driven months of our learning and work with Temple Isaiah in Lexington, MA. There is a fundamental difference between “welcoming” and “belonging” in a space. A guest can and should be “welcomed.” But LGBTQ+ members are not “guests;” we are community members…
View the originalAs a Black Jew, I’ve found myself admittedly jaded whenever Martin Luther King, Jr. Day comes each year. This is not because I don’t admire and respect Dr. King, far from it. It’s because many think of this holiday as the end, not the means. Yes, Dr. King was integral…
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