BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Eshel Online - ECPv6.0.0.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Eshel Online X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.eshelonline.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Eshel Online REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260601T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260601T210000 DTSTAMP:20260525T153443 CREATED:20260511T175012Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T190158Z UID:165721-1780340400-1780347600@www.eshelonline.org SUMMARY:NYC LGBTQ+ Pride Launch Story Slam DESCRIPTION:Kick off Pride Month with Eshel at the JCC for our first Story Slam\, an evening of Jewish LGBTQ+ celebration and joy\, featuring your fellow community members telling their stories in their own words. The storytelling theme for this edition is “Na’aseh V’nishma” (“we will do and we will listen”). We invite our storytellers to share about a time in their Jewish queer journeys where they listened to their inner voice and took action. How do your Jewish and LGBTQ+ identities guide a more positive\, self-accepting present and future? \nIf you would like to propose a story\, please do so using this form. \nTHIS EVENT IS A CONFIDENTIAL SPACE. CONTENT OF STORIES WILL BE KEPT PRIVATE AND WILL NOT BE RECORDED. \nPlease note that due to the limited timeframe of our program\, we are unfortunately unable to accommodate every submission we receive. To ensure a cohesive event\, the final lineup will be selected at the discretion of Eshel’s staff. We deeply appreciate the time\, vulnerability\, and creativity that goes into every single submission\, and we thank you so much for sharing your voice with us! \n \nThis event is 21+ and free. Light refreshments will be served. URL:https://www.eshelonline.org/event/nyc-lgbtq-pride-launch-story-slam/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260601T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260601T210000 DTSTAMP:20260525T153443 CREATED:20260518T204006Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260520T133652Z UID:165767-1780342200-1780347600@www.eshelonline.org SUMMARY:Silver Spring Challah Bake DESCRIPTION:Join the Silver Spring LGBTQ+ chapter of Eshel for our kickoff event! Make and braid challah and meet new friends! \nWhen: Monday\, June 1\, 7:30PM – 9PM \nWhere: Silver Spring\, MD – Address sent out upon registering \nWho: LGBTQ+ \nInterested in volunteering? We need some folks to come 30-45 minutes before the event and help set up. Sign up below! URL:https://www.eshelonline.org/event/silver-spring-challah-bake/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260601T210000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260601T220000 DTSTAMP:20260525T153443 CREATED:20200212T210217Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260518T211951Z UID:157360-1780347600-1780351200@www.eshelonline.org SUMMARY:Parents of Trans & Gender Nonconforming Children Support Group DESCRIPTION:What: This group is for traditional Jewish parents who may be struggling with their child’s gender identity and/or wish to connect with other parents like themselves.\n\n\n\nWhen: Fourth Monday of each month\, 9:00 PM EST – 8:00 PM CST – 6:00 PM PST \nWhere: For notifications and sign-in information\, please register below. (You only need to register for this group one time.) \nQuestions? Email info@eshelonline.org \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Subscribe to a Newsletter URL:https://www.eshelonline.org/event/parents-of-transgender-and-gender-non-conforming-children-3-2026-05-25/ CATEGORIES:Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.eshelonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Eshel-Support-groups-and-meetups-16.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260608T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260608T210000 DTSTAMP:20260525T153443 CREATED:20260515T215921Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260518T213136Z UID:165743-1780945200-1780952400@www.eshelonline.org SUMMARY:Book Talk with Orit Avishai DESCRIPTION:This June\, Join Eshel for a book talk followed by Q&A with author Orit Avishai! The Eshel Baltimore Chapter has been reading her book\, Queer Judaism: LGBT Activism and the Remaking of Jewish Orthodoxy in Israel\, as part of a book club but this special event is open to everyone whether or not they have read the book. So sign up below\, join us on Zoom\, and learn more about queer judaism from this incredible author. \n\n \n\nOrit Avishai is Professor of Sociology and Women’s\, Gender\, and Sexuality Studies at Fordham University in New York. She has over two decades of experience studying Jewish Orthodoxy and her work has been published in academic journals and public facing venues. She is currently writing about the Yeshiva University Pride Alliance Lawsuit in the context of a large study of religious freedom controversies in the United States.\n\n \nBook Synopsis: Until fairly recently\, Orthodox people in Israel could not imagine embracing their LGBT sexual or gender identity and staying within the Orthodox fold. But within the span of about a decade and a half\, Orthodox LGBT people have forged social circles and communities and become much more visible.  This has been a remarkable shift in a relatively short time span. Queer Judaism offers the compelling story of how Jewish LGBT persons in Israel created an effective social movement.\nDrawing on more than 120 interviews and extensive fieldwork\, Queer Judaism illustrates how LGBT Jews accomplished this radical change. The book makes the case that it has taken multiple approaches to achieve recognition within the community\, ranging from political activism\, to more personal interactions with religious leaders and community members\, to simply creating spaces to go about their everyday lives. Orthodox LGBT Jews have drawn from their lived experiences as well as Jewish traditions\, symbols\, and mythologies to build this movement\, motivated to embrace their sexual identity not in spite of\, but rather because of\, their commitment to Jewish scripture\, tradition\, and way of life.\nThough this is predominantly an Israeli story\, it provides insights for American LGBT Jews and their communities. URL:https://www.eshelonline.org/event/book-talk-with-orit-avishai/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260611T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260611T190000 DTSTAMP:20260525T153443 CREATED:20260506T191537Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260512T144913Z UID:165701-1781204400-1781204400@www.eshelonline.org SUMMARY:The Holy Closet - Chicago Film Screening and Panel DESCRIPTION:What does the wedding ceremony of two religious Jewish gay men look like? Or a family of two mothers and four children? Or the pregnancy of a religious trans man? “The Holy Closet” delves into these questions and offers a heartfelt portrayal of LGBTQ+ individuals who choose to remain dedicated to their religious observance while navigating the complexities of their identities. \nFollowing the screening\, join us for a thought-provoking panel discussion featuring leaders and members of the LGBTQ+ and Jewish community. This will be a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations and gain insights into the way LGBTQ+ Jews are changing Orthodoxy here in the US. \nEvent starts at 7 with the film\, followed by the panel discussion. URL:https://www.eshelonline.org/event/the-holy-closet-chicago/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.eshelonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Chicago-holy-closet-June-2026-6.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR