Mar 20, 2025 | Eshel in the News
by Yocheved Lindenbaum The aftermath of Thanksgiving dinner 2012 will remain etched in my memory forever. Our son, Asher, asked my husband and I to join him at the resolute dining room table under the crystal chandelier, the designated spot for all “important conversations.” We were expecting this sit-down, anticipating the exciting news that Asher [more]
Mar 7, 2025 | Eshel in the News
How do you balance faith, sexuality, and life—without losing your mind? Finding the just right path to authenticity can feel overwhelming, even chaotic. But here’s the truth: authenticity is a journey, not a destination. And living your most fulfilled life as a gay, Jewish Rabbi (or whoever you are) is exactly the path you’re meant... [more]
Feb 21, 2025 | Eshel in the News
By Stefanie Diamond | February 20, 2025 There’s a saying that when a child comes out of the closet, the parents go in. This isn’t always the case, but just as coming out as LGBTQ+ can be incredibly freeing, parents also need a space where they can unapologetically be themselves. For me and dozens of parents I’ve [more]
Feb 21, 2025 | Eshel in the News
FALLS VILLAGE, Conn. (RNS) — In many Orthodox Jewish settings, including the vast Haredi world, strict adherence to Torah and Jewish law has kept many closeted or unable to live openly in synagogue settings. At Eshel retreats they are embraced. The Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in Falls Village, Conn., was the site of an annual [more]
Jan 31, 2025 | Eshel in the News
By Asaf Elia-Shalev A person wears a pride-themed yarmulke in the West Village in New York City, on June 26, 2020. (Noam Galai/Getty Images) After trying for five years to dissuade lawmakers in Missouri from enacting laws he believed would endanger his son and other transgender youth in the state, Russel Neiss finally admitted defeat. The [more]
Dec 5, 2024 | Eshel in the News
By Lauren Costantino December 05, 2024 5:30 AM Daniel Gammerman, a lifelong Orthodox Jew, began noticing some changes at his South Florida synagogue. Gammerman, who is originally from Brazil but spent most of his adult life in Miami, was no longer being asked by his Rabbi to lead prayers or read the Torah during services — [more]
