Eshel Out Loud
News, Views, and Updates from the Eshel Community
The Meaning of Retreat
Dvar Torah on Parshat Tzav Given by Nathan Lindenbaum at the 2024 Eshel Retreat Rabbi Aaron Lichtenstein pointed out two psukim, one in Parshat Tzav and one in Parshat Shmini, that sound similar but are actually quite different. The first pasuk, in parshat Tzav, describes how the Kohanim were supposed to behave the week the [more]
A Mifgash that Matters
The night before I left for Israel, I talked to a friend about what he should do: his father, who lives on the other side of the continent, had just gotten a cancer diagnosis. I remembered back to when my parents had been sick and I had been far away. “Go be with him. He [more]
Celebrating Purim as Coming Out Day
What would it mean to celebrate Purim this year as a National Jewish Coming Out Day? Whether for those of us who has been out for years, or those who have yet to come out, Purim is an opportunity to celebrate who we are, whether hidden or revealed. As Rabbi Steve Greenberg has written previously, [more]
Every Neshama has a Place at Shul
For several years, Eshel’s Welcoming Shuls Project has guided shuls and Rabbis in LGBTQ+ inclusion and helped LGBTQ+ people find the right shul for them and navigate shul life. Despite the increase in anti-trans media coverage and legislation, there is more interest than ever from our Welcoming Shuls to find ways to fully embrace transgender [more]