Boston | LGBTQ+ Shabbat Dinner
2024-09-20 18:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York)
Celebrate Shabbat and the LGBTQ+ community!
Join Eshel and the Tremont Street Shul for a festive Kabbalat Shabbat followed by dinner. We’re bringing together our LGBTQ+ community and allies to meet new friends, deepen connections, and build community. With special thanks to the Beker Foundation.
Register below!Students: $18TBS Members: $20Non-TBS Members: $26

Nashim Mesolelot: Lesbian Women and Halakha
2024-09-25 20:00 - 22:00
Join us in Riverdale or online!

Register

NYC | Challah Bake
2024-10-14 19:30 - 21:00
Join us for an evening of community, reflection, and connection at Eshel’s Challah Bake on Monday, October 14th from 7:30 – 9:30 pm at the Manhattan JCC. In commemoration of the anniversary of October 7th, we’ll come together to make challah with premade dough and a variety of toppings to customize your own loaf to take home. As part of this, we’ll also take challah in memory of the victims of October 7th and pray for the safe return of the hostages. Whether you’re a challah-making pro or a beginner, we’d love to have you join us.

POSTPONED! Unfortunately we will need to postpone our challah bake to a future date. We look forward to seeing you later!

Chicago | LGBTQ+ Sukkot Party
2024-10-20 17:30 - 20:30
Celebrate Sukkot with Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Jewish community!
Join us on Sunday, October 20 from 5:30 – 8:30 pm in Skokie to meet new people, build community, and celebrate Sukkot with other LGBTQ+ Jews. Eshel builds community for LGBTQ+ adults connected to the traditional Jewish community.

Jerusalem Sukkot Gathering
2024-10-20 18:30 - 21:00
Join Eshel’s community in Israel for a Sukkot celebration in Jerusalem! Sunday, October 20 from 6:30 – 9:00 pmRSVP to miriamlschwartz@gmail.com

Baltimore Sukkot Party
2024-10-21 19:00 - 21:00
Monday, October 21 from 7:00 – 9:00 pmIn Person – Location provided upon registration.
Celebrate Sukkot with our Baltimore/DC Eshel family! Join us to celebrate with other LGBTQ+ Jews and parents of LGBTQ+ people.

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LGBTQ+ Community Sukkot Party
2024-10-21 19:00 - 22:00
Join Us for the Annual LGBTQ Sukkot Party!
Come celebrate Sukkot with your fellow Queer Jews in the JCC’s rooftop Sukkah, featuring breathtaking views of the NYC skyline. The Sukkah, a cozy, temporary structure covered in leaves and greenery, is the perfect spot to gather the LGBTQ community for a night of fun and celebration!
Enjoy our fabulous “Sukkah-bration” with an open bar, sushi, snacks, and plenty of laughs with friends old and new. This event is open to the entire LGBTQIA+ community, along with family and allies (due to JCC policy, all attendees must be over 21).
We are sold out! Hope you can join us at a future event.

Parents Drop-In Support Group
2024-10-30 12:45 - 13:45, 2024-11-13 12:00 - 12:45
Drop-in every Wednesday to shmooze, chat, ask questions, and hear topics of interest!
For notifications and sign-in information, please fill out the form below. (You only need to register for this group one time.)

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Boca | Allies Training
2024-11-14 19:00
During this training, you will learn to identify ways to be an ally and support LGBTQ+ people in your Orthodox community. This training will cover information about the nature of the LGBTQ+ population and their needs, skills for allyship in a variety of situations and institutions, and opportunities to practice. Open to anyone who would like to be an ally in Orthodox settings including in synagogues, schools, camps, and at home.

South Florida Shabbaton
2024-11-15 - 2024-11-16
Building Our Community Together
Join Eshel South Florida for a Shabbaton bringing together our LGBTQ+ and parent communities in Florida!
We will enjoy meals together from Shabbat dinner through seudah shlishit, with sessions to get to know each other and explore how we can strengthen our community. All our activities will be based out of a synagogue in Hollywood, Florida. Address will be given upon registration.
Join us to meet new people and deepen your connections to your local Eshel community.
The cost of the Shabbaton is $180 per person. For financial assistance, contact miryam@eshelonline.org.Attendees are responsible for arranging their own sleeping accommodations. You can view the Hollywood eruv map here. The closest hotel is the Quality Inn & Suites at 4900 Hollywood Blvd. MayDee Suites at 5101 Hollywood Blvd is another good option. Looking for an airbnb? Search for places near N. 47th Avenue and McKinley Street in Hollywood Hills.
This Shabbaton is open to LGBTQ+ people and parents of LGBTQ+ people. While Eshel is a confidential space, and we require all participants to agree to our confidentiality policy in order to attend, due to the nature of being in a public space we cannot guarantee anonymity in all cases. If you have more questions about confidentiality, please reach out to miryam@eshelonline.org.

NYC | Challah Bake
2024-11-18 19:30 - 21:00
Join Eshel for a New York City meetup every month! Connect in person with other Orthodox LGBTQ+ people, make new friends, and try something new. Check back for specific details and to RSVP for upcoming events.
Registration for the challah bake is now closed!

Israel Parent Meetup
2024-11-21 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday, November 217:00 pm – 8:30 pm Israel TimeRamat Beit ShemeshJourney of Acceptance: Supporting Our LGBTQ ChildrenFeaturing guest speaker Talli Y. Rosenbaum, MSCA
Talli Rosenbaum will speak about the emotional aspects of parenting LGBTQ+ children.Talli Yehuda Rosenbaum is an individual and couple therapist and is certified as a sex therapist and sex therapy supervisor by The International Association of Psychosexual Therapists (IAPST) as well as the Israeli Society for Sex Therapy (ISST). She cohosts the Intimate Judaism podcast and is co-author of the book “I am For My Beloved: A Guide to Enhanced Intimacy for Married Couples” and co-edited the Springer textbook entitled “The Overactive Pelvic Floor.” She has authored over 40 journal articles and several book chapters on trauma and sexuality, sexual pain disorders, and sexuality and Judaism and is an associate editor of the Sexual Medicine Reviews. Talli earned a Masters in Clinical Sociology and Counseling and a certificate in Mental Health Studies from the University of North Texas in Neve Yerushalayim. She holds a bachelors degree in Physical Therapy from Northwestern University. Before re-training as a psychotherapist, she treated patients as a physical therapist for 25 years. In addition to maintaining an active private practice, Talli is the academic advisor for Yahel: The Center for Jewish Intimacy. Talli frequently lectures both in Israel and abroad, to lay as well as professional audiences..
Join Eshel’s local chapter in Israel for parents of LGBTQ+ children.
This group will provide support and build community in an intimate, confidential setting in English. This group meets in person most months, with a Zoom meeting once per quarter.
Register below for reminders and location details.

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NYC | 20s and 30s Movie Night
2024-11-25 18:00 - 20:00
Monday, November 25th 6-8pm at the JQY office(Address provided after registration)
Get your popcorn ready! It’s time for a movie night!
Join Eshel and JQY for a queer movie screening. We’ll have pizza, classic movie snacks, and a fun film (TBD).
This event is for people in their 20s and 30s.

Register!

NYC Theater Outing - That's Yentatainment!
2024-12-01 15:00 - 18:00
Eshel Theater Outing
Sunday, December 1, 3:00 pm
Come see That’s Yentatainment! with Eshel – enjoy “The Show You Didn’t Know You’ve Been Waiting For.” A new production from comedian Leah Forster is a dangerous mix of comedy, satire and song, That’s Yentatainment! promises to be a great time.
Free tickets for the first 10 people to sign up! All other attendees must buy their own tickets ($25 or snag them on pay-what-you-can-Wednesdays). Join the Eshel family for drinks after!

The groundbreaking Jewish comedy satirist Leah Forster, who boasts a fast-growing social media following over 100,000 strong, stars in her first solo stage show, That’s Yentatainment!, a daring mix of stand-up, song and flashes of digital media.Something of a genie out of the bottle, Forster started performing stand-up in her Borough Park Hasidic community, where she was only allowed to perform for girls and curious housewives. Her inevitable break with the community came when she came out as a lesbian on social media.
After being shunned by her community, Forster has found unexpected redemption through social media, where her “Tichel Tuesday” videos are much-shared viral sensations.
“This show is my love letter to all the pieces of who I am – the Jewish humor, the Yiddish soul, the modern woman. It’s pure ‘YENTATAINMENT!’

NYC | Lights and Letters
2024-12-02 19:30 - 21:00
As Chanukah approaches, let’s come together to spread warmth and connection. Join us in creating heartfelt Chanukah cards to share messages of hope and joy with friends, family, and even strangers. We’ll also color festive Chanukah-themed pages to help set the holiday mood!
In addition to brightening the season for our loved ones, we’ll make cards for LGBTQ+ seniors who may be feeling isolated, as well as for LGBTQ+ IDF soldiers in the Eshel community. Together, let’s bring light and connection to everyone this Chanukah.

Eshel Baltimore/DC Parents & LGBTQ+ Joint Meetup
2024-12-04 19:00 - 21:00
Get together with our Baltimore/DC Eshel family for an early Hannukah party!
WHAT: A private gathering for LGBTQ+ individuals who are Orthodox, Ortho-curious or formerly Orthodox and for traditional Jewish parents of LGBTQ+ people who may be struggling with their child’s sexual orientation or gender identity and/or wish to connect with other parents like themselves.
WHEN: Wednesday, December 4, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
WHERE: Hybrid – register for location and Zoom info.

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Brooklyn Shabbat Dinner
2024-12-13 17:30 - 23:00
Celebrate Shabbat and the LGBTQ+ community!
Join Eshel for a festive Kabbalat Shabbat followed by dinner and an oneg. We’re bringing together our LGBTQ+ community and allies to meet new friends, deepen connections, and build community. In partnership with Prospect Heights Shul & Congregation Kol Israel
Kabbalat Shabbat at 5:30
Dinner at 6:45
Oneg at 10:00
Located at Congregation Kol Israel
Register below! If cost is prohibitive, please reach out

Israel Parent Meetup
2024-12-19 12:00 - 13:00
Join Eshel’s local chapter in Israel for parents of LGBTQ+ children.This group provides support and community in an intimate, confidential setting in English. This group meets in person most months, with a Zoom meeting once per quarter.
This month, join us to hear about Parenting Your LGBT Child with Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz.
Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz, is an innovative educator, author, and child safety advocate. He conducts child abuse prevention and parenting workshops in Jewish communities around the world and received the prestigious 2008 Covenant Award in recognition of his contribution to Jewish education. For the past three years, many thousands of parents worldwide are benefitting from Rabbi Horowitz’s daily, short Parenting Clips on WhatsApp and Instagram @brightbeginningsforum and @yakovhorowitz, and 200+ couples/parents participated in the first three cohorts of Rabbi Horowitz’s 8-part series on “Raising Your Tween/Teenage Children.”
Register below for monthly reminders, links, and location details.

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Orthodox+* People of Trans Experience Support Group
2024-12-19 20:00 - 22:30
Welcome to Eshel’s Meetup!
What: This virtual support group will be a space for people who identify as transgender, non-binary, and gender questioning. All shades of Orthodox including Chareidi, Modern Orthodox, Ex-Orthodox, are welcome to come and share in a safe and confidential virtual group.
When: Meetings will be held on the third Thursday of every month at 9 pm EST – 6 pm PST.
Where: For notifications and sign-in information, please register below. (You only need to register for this group one time.)
This group is confidential: all attendees are required to adhere to the privacy of its members.
About the Group Coordinator
This Eshel Meetup is led by Joshua Avishur, a transgender Orthodox Jew who enjoys connecting with people and embracing the beauty in all individuals. Joshua is a Masters-in-Social-Work student with experience in mentoring LGBTQ+ folk and developing and leading therapy groups for children and individual counseling with at-risk youth. Joshua is also a transgender panel moderator and panelist.

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Eshel Brooklyn Women's LBTQ+ Meetup
2024-12-19 20:30 - 21:45
Women’s New York Area Meetup on Zoom
What: Meet other individuals who identify as female and who are exploring their Orthodox LGBTQ+ identities.
When: Meeting Weekly: Every THURSDAY (Previously Tuesday) from 8:30 pm – 9:45 pm
Where: For notifications and sign-in information, register below. (You only need to register for this group one time.)

South Florida Hannukah Party
2024-12-29 18:00 - 21:00
Celebrate Hannukah with Eshel’s South Florida chapter! Connect with warm, inclusive, community, and enjoy delicious holiday foods.
Where: Hallandale Beach, FL – RSVP For Address
When: December 29 6:00-9:00 PM

NYC | Light Up the Night
2024-12-30 19:00 - 22:00
You’re invited to the fun and fabulous LGBTQ+ Chanukah Party! Join Eshel and our community partners for a night of festive celebration featuring special guest, Hot Jewish Energy! Enjoy delicious kosher food, an open kosher wine bar (21+), music, and great company. Wear your ✨sparkliest✨ festive attire and let’s light up the night together!
📅 When: Monday, December 30, 7:00–10:00 PM📍 Where: Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan👤 Who: LGBTQ+ Jews Age 21+
We’re excited to offer free entry to volunteers! We’re seeking friendly and reliable individuals to assist in the following roles:

1. Bar Shifts:
First Shift: 7:00–8:30 PM
Second Shift: 8:30–10:00 PM
2. Registration Table:
First Shift: 7:00–8:30 PM
Second Shift: 8:30–9:30 PM
3. Setup and Take Down Team:
Setup: 5:30–7:00 PM
Take Down: 10:00–10:30 PM

Volunteers are essential to making this event a success, and we greatly appreciate your time and support. If you’re interested in joining the team, please reach out to sign up for a shift!

NYC | Tracing Your Roots: A Jewish Genealogy Workshop
2025-01-06 19:30 - 21:00
Join Eshel on Monday, January 6th, from 7:30–9:30 PM for our monthly meetup! Rabbi Scott Kalmikoff will lead an engaging Jewish Genealogy Workshop, where you’ll learn how to do personal genealogical research and uncover meaningful connections to your family history. Enjoy an evening of learning, great company, and delicious nosh. We can’t wait to see you there!

Eshel Baltimore/DC Parents & LGBTQ+ Joint Meetup
2025-01-08 19:00 - 21:00
Get together with our Baltimore/DC Eshel family. Join us in this intimate, confidential setting to meet others, like yourself, in the extended Eshel network.
WHAT: A private gathering for LGBTQ+ individuals who are Orthodox, Ortho-curious or formerly Orthodox and for traditional Jewish parents of LGBTQ+ people who may be struggling with their child’s sexual orientation or gender identity and/or wish to connect with other parents like themselves.
WHEN: Meetings are usually held on the first Wednesday of every month, 7:00-9:00 pm.
Where: For notifications and sign-in information, please register below, if you haven’t already. (You only need to register for this group one time.)

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Israel Parent Meetup
2025-01-16 19:30
Join Eshel’s local chapter in Israel for parents of LGBTQ+ children on Thursday, January 16 from 7:30 – 9:00 pm in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
This group will provide support and build community in an intimate, confidential setting in English. This group meets in person most months, with a Zoom meeting once per quarter.
Register below for monthly reminders, links, and location details.

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Eshel National Retreat 2025
2025-01-17 - 2025-01-19
Friday January 17 – Sunday January 19
Isabella Freedman
Falls Village, CT

Join Waitlist

Community: Building and Belonging
Celebrate all the ways we gather and build our communities as LGBTQ+ people and as Jews. Whether you’re part of a close-knit community or building your own path, we’ll come together as LGBTQ+ Jews from all walks of life to connect, share, and celebrate our unique journeys. With new friends and familiar faces, this retreat is a safe haven and a supportive space to learn, reflect, and deepen the connections that shape us. If you are looking for connection and community in these uncertain times, spend the weekend with us to relax and recharge. Discover the warmth of a welcoming, inclusive space that feels like home in a community that supports and understands you fully.

Eshel is like coming home, only better. Meeting new and old friends, in a natural setting, with interesting programming – its something I look forward to all year long.
Sheindy

I came to appreciate that there are so many in our Jewish community who want to feel accepted and valued – and that our Jewish community institutions and organizations sometimes don’t provide that … Eshel, and a retreat like this, plays an important role in addressing an issue that often flies under the radar.
Keith Krivitzky

This was my first ever LGBT event and I felt washed over with love and tenderness. I felt really seen.
Anonymous

Is this retreat for me?What happens at the retreat?What does the Isabella Freedman Retreat Center offer?How do I get there?What time does the retreat start and end?Is there financial aid available?

Wherever you are on your journey, whether you are questioning, closeted, or looking for community: this is the place for you. We strive to make this a judgement-free space for learning and personal growth. We only ask that each attendee agree to respect other participants’ feelings and attitudes. Each person is on their own journey, which includes many detours, twists, and turns. Come with an open mind and remember that everyone’s path is unique.
Queer or LGBTQ+ Jewish adults, their partners, and families are welcome. Children’s programming will be provided throughout many parts of the retreat.
We all have our own unique Jewish journeys. This is a space for those who are committed to or see themselves in communities of traditional Jewish observance. We welcome participants of all backgrounds, including Modern Orthodox, Yeshivish, Chassidic, Sephardi, traditional, formerly Orthodox, and Ortho-curious.
We take confidentiality very seriously. All participants must agree and sign Eshel’s confidentiality policy. Retreat attendees may not disclose the identity of anyone else without explicit permission. Participants can only share what they hear at the retreat with an individual’s permission.

At our national retreat, the largest annual gathering of LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jews, we spend Shabbat getting to know each other, davening, learning, singing, shmoozing, and relaxing. On Saturday night, we let loose and have fun together! Sunday provides more opportunities to learn together, including some unique activities. Past offerings have included text studies such as “Leviticus through the Looking Glass,” “Gender Transformations in Rabbininc Literature,” as well as safrut, rainbow candle making, and “Sensuality and the Sacred in 1900 Queer Jewish Writing.” Throughout the retreat, you’ll be part of a small chaburah group to discuss and process each step of the journey.
We welcome proposals for sessions from participants. Contact info@eshelonline.org for more information.

Beautiful indoor and outdoor gathering spaces
Delicious, sustainable, and glatt kosher food under supervision of the Hartford Kashrut Commission
Shomer Shabbat environment in beautiful surroundings
A commitment to sustainability through energy efficiency, food justice, animal welfare, and supporting healthy ecosystems
Conveniently located within 2.5 hours of New York and Boston
A shuttle service from the nearest Metro North station
Learn more about the facilities

Participants are responsible for transportation to and from the retreat. Isabella Freedman retreat center is located about a 2.5 hour drive from New York, a 3.5 hour drive from Boston, or just over an hour from Hartford. We offer a shuttle service from the Wassaic Metro North station to and from Isabella Freedman for $35 each way.

Participants are welcome to arrive any time between 2:00 – 4:00 pm on Friday. The retreat ends at 1:30 pm on Sunday.

We are able to provide flexible payment plans to all retreat attendees – email sara@eshelonline.org to request a weekly or monthly payment plan.
For some, attending the National Retreat may require some sacrifice – choosing to cut back on other discretionary spending such as going out to dinner, buying coffee, or paying for entertainment. We believe the transformative experience of the national retreat is worthwhile. For others, attending the cost of attending the National Retreat may present a hardship if it would make it difficult to put food on the table, pay rent, or pay for transportation to work. If attending the national retreat would present a hardship for you, you may be eligible to receive financial aid.
The deadline to apply for financial aid was December 1 and has passed, so we are no longer accepting applications. You will receive a confirmation email once your application has been received – please reach out to us if you don’t get a confirmation email. Financial aid decisions will be emailed out on a rolling basis.

West Hartford | Unspoken Film Screening and Panel
2025-01-28 18:30
Tue. Jan 28 | 6:30pm | Mandell JCC
Reel Talk: Nathan Schachter, NEJA graduate & The Jewish Agency for Israel; Ann Pava, Micah Philanthropies; Miryam Kabakov, Eshel; Rabbi Yitzchok Adler, Beth David Synagogue
When Noam Stein, a closeted, religious teenager finds a love letter from before the Holocaust – written to his grandfather by another man – he discovers that he might not be alone. With the help of his high-school crush, Noam sets out to find the mysterious author of the letter and uncover both his grandfather’s identity as well as his own.
“Reel Talk” following film
Sponsored by Ellen Jeanne Goldfarb Memorial Fund, JTConnect, Eshel and Unitarian Society of Hartford

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NYC | Trivia Night
2025-02-03 19:30 - 21:30
Get ready for a night of delicious pizza, refreshing drinks, and brain-teasing fun at Slice, Sip, and Slay: Queer Jewish Trivia Night! Whether you’re a trivia master or just here for the vibes, come hungry, come curious, and come ready to slay!

Israel Parent Meetup
2025-02-20 19:30
Join Eshel’s local chapter in Israel for parents of LGBTQ+ children.
This group will provide support and build community in an intimate, confidential setting in English. This group meets in person most months, with a Zoom meeting once per quarter.
Register below for monthly reminders, links, and location details.
This month, we’ll be joined by Debora Resnick, former teacher and school administrator and author of “The One of their Relationship,” a lightly fictionalized account of Debora’s own family life and coming out as gay in the orthodox community in Montreal. When she came out she was married and the mother of three.

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