Eshel Brooklyn Women's LBTQ+ Meetup
2022-10-20 20:30 - 21:45, 2023-03-09 20:30 - 21:45 (America/New_York)
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 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.)

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Eshel Across America
2022-11-11 19:00 - 23:00
Why Parshat Vayera?
On Shabbat Vayera, we read in the Torah “[Avraham] planted an eshel at Beer-sheba, and invoked there the name of Hashem, the Everlasting/Universal God.” (Genesis 21:33)
וַיִּטַּע אֶשֶׁל בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַע וַיִּקְרָא־שָׁם בְּשֵׁם יְהֹוָה אֵל עוֹלָם׃

What is an eshel?
The Talmud identifies the eshel as a tamarisk tree, a flowering tree that provides shade and shelter in the desert. In welcoming strangers to their home, Avraham and Sarah allowed them to experience the Divine. Understanding God’s nature of אֵל עוֹלָם, God of the entire world, requires that we extend our welcome to outsiders.
Reish Lakish says that Avraham did not just stop at one tree, but rather planted a whole orchard, a Pardes, with all sorts of sweet things in it.

What is Eshel, the organization?
Eshel supports LGBTQ Jews by opening hearts, minds, and doors in Orthodox Jewish communities so that all can experience the sweet things it has to offer. In doing so, we are continuing the work of Avraham and Sarah in making our tent bigger, accessible, and welcoming to all.
Eshel’s mission is to create community for Orthodox lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, and their families. Eshel envisions a world where Orthodox LGBTQ individuals can live out their lives in the Orthodox communities of their choice.

On Shabbat VaYera every year, Eshel sponsors Eshel Across North America to encourage Jewish communities across the Americas to support their LGBTQ+ members. Everyone is invited to participate. Get involved this year:

EAA for LGBTQ+ People:
On Shabbat Vayera, the LGBTQ Jewish community will come together over shabbat dinner, and engage in conversations about inclusion and welcoming. Sign up to join a meal near you!
EAA for Parents and Allies:
We want to bring the conversation about welcoming and including all, and especially the LGBTQ+ community, to every Shabbat table. Sign up to receive our discussion guide to share with your Shabbat guests.
EAA for Rabbis:
On Shabbat Vayera, we want shuls to share the message of inclusion. Browse/sign up to receive our resources for Rabbis for ways to speak about hachnasat orchim for Parshat Vayera.
If you are not a Rabbi, email us if you’d like to help get your Rabbi involved.

Browse meals below!

Danielle is hosting Eshel Across America: WaHi
Friday, November 11 6:00pm ET Event Details

Ruby is hosting Eshel Across America (Qweens Style)
Friday, November 11 3:30pm ET Event Details

יפא is hosting Eshel Across America: Flatbush, Brooklyn
Friday, November 11 6:30pm ET Event Details

Sara is hosting Eshel Across America: Lakeview
Friday, November 11 6:00pm CT Event Details

Caleb is hosting Eshel Across America: Berkeley, CA
Friday, November 11 7:00pm PT Event Details

Mattan is hosting Eshel Across America: Upper West Side, Manhattan
Friday, November 11 6:30pm ET Event Details

Monica is hosting Eshel Across America--East Village!!
Friday, November 11 7:00pm ET Event Details

Jonathan is hosting Eshel Camberville Shabbos Dinner
Friday, November 11 7:00pm PT Event Details

Eshel Israel LGBTQ+ and Parents Meetup
2022-11-28 13:30 - 15:00
Join Eshel’s local chapter in Israel for LGBTQ+ people and parents of LGBTQ+ children. This group will provide support and build community in an intimate, confidential setting in English. This group meets mostly over Zoom, with in-person meetings every few months. This group is for those who have made aliyah, are thinking about making aliyah, spend part of the year in Israel, are in yeshiva or seminary, or have kids in Israel for the year.
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: 4th Monday of the Month, 8:30 pm (Israel), 1:30 pm (Eastern Time)
Register below for monthly reminders, links, and location details.

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Eshel’s mission is to create a future for Orthodox lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, and their families. Through its innovative and culturally sensitive programming, Eshel works with each individual, family, and community in creating a place for their LGBTQ members. Eshel envisions a world where Orthodox LGBTQ individuals can live out their lives in the Orthodox communities of their choice.

Eshel Parents of Trans People & Gender Non-Conforming Support Group
2022-11-28 21:00 - 22:00
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.

When: Fourth Monday of each month, 9:00 PM EST – 8:00 PM CST – 6:00 PM PST
Where: For notifications and sign-in information, please register below. (You only need to register for this group one time.)
Questions? Email info@eshelonline.org

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Eshel Baltimore/DC Parents & LGBTQ+ Joint Meetup
2022-12-07 19:00 - 21:00
WHAT: Join Eshel Baltimore/DC for our annual Latke vs. Sufganiyot debate, some holiday words of wisdom, games, and good food! Families, relatives, and significant others are welcome.
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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Thanks to Our Baltimore/DC Sponsor

Israel Parent Meetup
2022-12-26 13:30 - 15:00
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.

Ensuring Mental Wellbeing for LGBTQ+ People During Challenging Times
2023-01-04 19:00 - 20:00
Ensuring Mental Wellbeing for LGBTQ+ People During Challenging Times
Part 2: Sharing Challenges
Feelings of depression, anxiety, and loneliness can threaten the mental health of the LGBTQ+ community, and are often exacerbated by lack of communal acceptance, feelings of rejection, or estrangement from family members. Ben Small and Simcha Pollard will discuss some of the current challenges to LGBTQ+ mental health and wellbeing, and will share some of their wisdom and strategies for addressing mental wellbeing, followed by Q&A.
About Ben:
Ben Small is the founder and producer of the Your Life Sucks podcast, aiming to destigmatize teen mental health through raw discussion. He has advocated for mental health awareness at his high school and through several non-profits. He graduated from SAR High School in Riverdale, NY last year and is now learning at Yeshivat Maale Gilboa in Israel.
About Simcha:
I consider myself to be an observant Jew and devout follower of Chabad. I am a gay male living in Laramie WY with my two dogs. I earned college and graduate degrees in economics and agricultural economics from Sonoma State College and The Ohio State University. I retired from a university professorship after 35 years in 2015 and have “settled” into almost full retirement as of August 2020. I also have lived and worked extensively in numerous countries as a financial economist. I was raised in somewhat of a Conservative Jewish environment. I left Judaism at the age of 15 having discovered that alcohol and drugs were a better alternative than Gd and religion. In 2009, after years of returning to a more spiritual way of life, I was put in touch with a Chabad rabbi. I put on Tefillin and made a spiritual connection that brought me back to Judaism. I was an active and enthusiastic member and board president of a Chabad shul in Long Beach, CA from 2012 to 2018. I moved to Laramie, WY originally be with my now ex-partner. However, I soon discovered a greater purpose in moving and have been carrying out that same enthusiasm for Jewish community life in Laramie, WY as I had in Long Beach.
Hosted by Eshel Baltimore – sign up to receive location and Zoom information.

Welcoming Everyone to Shul
2023-01-29 19:00 - 20:30
Welcoming Everyone to Shul: Why We Should Ensure Our Shuls Embrace LGBTQ+ Jews
January 29, 2023 | 4pm PT | 7pm ET | on Zoom
Register: bit.ly/porat_embrace
Featuring Rabbi Eliezer Hirsch, Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, Miryam Kabakov, MSW, Jeremy Borison, and Dr. Michelle Friedman

Eshel New York City LGBTQ+ Meetup
2023-02-08 19:30 - 21:00, 2023-03-01 19:30 - 21:00, 2023-07-10 19:30 - 21:00
Calling all adult members of the NYC queer community who are Orthodox, formerly Orthodox, or “Ortho-curious.” If you are interested in connecting with other individuals who are exploring their Orthodox LGBTQ+ identity please join us! Members will have the opportunity to mingle and engage in peer-led discussions in a casual and confidential environment.
WHAT: A confidential gathering for people who identify as LGBTQ+ and are Orthodox, Ortho-curious, or formerly Orthodox.
WHEN: The first Monday of every month | 7:30 – 9:00 PM
WHERE: For notifications and sign-in information, please sign up below. (You only need to register for this group one time.)
Questions? Email new-york@eshelonline.org.
Participants are asked to adhere to strict confidentiality.

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Eshel Toronto & Montreal LGBTQ+ Meetup
2023-02-27 19:00 - 21:00
This bi-weekly group for Toronto/Montreal LGBTQ+ folks from Orthodox communities generally meets over Zoom the second Monday of every month, and in-person in Toronto on the fourth Tuesday of the month.

For notifications and sign-in information, please register below (You only need to register for this group one time.)

Join the Meetup

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Closeted in Crown Heights
2023-03-09 20:00 - 21:30, 2023-04-27 20:00 - 21:30
In our community, there are many women who feel vulnerable and that they have much to lose if they come out: a job, housing, children, or family. This group is here to provide mutual support and unconditional love no matter where your journey is leading you. This support group is a non-judgmental space – there is no pressure to change your situation unless you want to.
This group might be for you if you:

Are a woman in the closet
Are married or divorced
Have children
Are afraid of what you might lose if you come out

This is a confidential group. Respect for each others’ desire to remain confidential or anonymous is of the utmost importance.
This group will meet in person in Crown Heights, but participants living in other locations are welcome.

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Eshel Israel In-Person Meetup
2023-03-13 19:00 - 21:00
Join other members of Eshel’s Israel Chapter Monday, March 13 at 7:00pm for a gathering in Beit Shemesh. Open to LGBTQ+ people, parents, and family members.

Eshel Parents Chaburah Group
2023-03-15 20:00 - 21:30
Eshel Parent Retreat Info Session:
Everything You Wanted to Know About the Parent Retreat But Were Afraid to Ask

For this month’s meeting of the Eshel Parent Chaburah Group, ask parents who’ve been before all your questions about the parent retreat! Get a taste of the warm, welcoming, and supportive community we build there.
Wednesday at 8:00 pm ET – 7:00 pm CT – 5:00 pm PT.

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Eshel South Florida Pizza Party for LGBTQ+ and Parents
2023-03-27 18:00 - 20:30
Join Eshel South Florida for a pizza party! Open to LGBTQ+ people, parents, and family members. Miryam Kabakov will join the group this month. We will meet at the home of a local Eshel member in Hollywood. Sign up for location info.
Monday, March 27th at 6:00 pm

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An Evening with Alon Shachar
2023-03-29 19:00 - 21:00
Join us for an evening with Alon Shachar, the Director of Jerusalem Open House. Founded in 1977, Jerusalem Open House serves as a community center for people of sexual orientations and gender identities. Alon will share about the latest work JOH is doing, and discuss the current state of affairs for the LGBTQ community in Israel.
This conversation will take place Wednesday, March 29, at 7:00 pm at the home of an Eshel member in Brooklyn. Sign up for location information.

Eshel Baltimore/DC Parents & LGBTQ+ Joint Meetup
2023-04-19 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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Thanks to Our Baltimore/DC Sponsor

Eshel Parents Chaburah Group
2023-04-19 21:00 - 22:30
The Parent Chaburah Group meets on the Third Wednesday of each month at 8 pm Eastern, 7 pm Central, 5 pm Pacific Time.

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2023 Eshel Parent Retreat
2023-05-04 - 2023-05-07
Join us for the 10th Annual Eshel Parent Retreat!
Riding the Waves: Parenting an LGBTQ Child in Orthodoxy
Whether this will be your first parent retreat or your tenth, join us to be engulfed within a supportive, embracing, and nonjudgmental community. Whether you feel like you are struggling to keep your head above water or are going with the flow, this is a confidential space where we can grow together.

Join the Waitlist

Sponsor the Retreat

Scholar-in-Residence: Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander
Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander is President and Rosh HaYeshiva of the international Ohr Torah Stone network of 31 educational institutions including high schools and post high schools, leadership programs for men and women, outreach initiatives in Israel and throughout the world, and a social action center to represent agunot worldwide. Prior to making aliya, Rabbi Brander was Vice President for University and Community Life at Yeshiva University (YU), taught rabbinics at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). He served as the senior rabbi of the Boca Raton Synagogue from 1991 to 2005, overseeing its explosive growth from 60 families to more than 600 families. Rabbi Brander is a 1984 alumnus of Yeshiva College and received rabbinical ordination from RIETS as well as a special ordination from the Machon Puah center of medical ethics in Israel, and from then-Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, in the field of medical ethics, reproductive technology and halakha. Rabbi Brander also holds a Ph.D. in general philosophy and comparative literature.

Highlights of the Annual Parent Retreat Include:

Spirited Shabbat davening
Thought-provoking sessions led by Rabbis, doctors, social workers, and more
Chaburah groups to share experiences with a small group
Finding a community of other parents with similar experiences

Plus, special guest appearance this year by comedian Leah Forster, creator of Tichel Tuesdays.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this retreat for me?What will happen this weekend?What does Capital Retreat Center offer?Where is the retreat? How do I get there?When does the retreat begin and end?What are the rooming options?What COVID precautions will be in place?Is there financial aid available?

Whether you are accepting of your LGBTQ child or struggling with their identity, or somewhere in between, this is the place for you. No judgments will be made about any retreat participant’s levels of acceptance of their LGBTQ child’s identity. We only ask that each attendee agree to respect other participants’ feelings and attitudes. Each parent and family 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. 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.

We will create a comfortable, confidential place to share. We will offer sessions on a variety of topics – previous highlights have included panels and workshops on language, mental health, dating and marriage, extended family, as well as navigating shuls and schools. We will share Shabbat davening and meals together. Throughout the weekend, parents will take part in a small chaburah group, providing an opportunity to check in and process what we are learning and experiencing.
Weather permitting, we will offer separate swimming hours in the outdoor pool, as well as outdoor walks, sports, and yoga.

Modern conference facilities
Delicious kosher food under Star-K supervision with Cholov Yisroel options
Shomer Shabbat environment with an expansive eruv
Beautiful natural surroundings

Capital Retreat Center is on the grounds of Capital Camps at 12750 Buchanan Trail East, Waynesboro, PA 17268
Conveniently located an hour and a half from Baltimore and BWI airport and train station
A 3-4 hour drive from New Jersey and New York
Directions to Capital Retreat Center
If you need help getting to the retreat, please reach out to us

You should plan to arrive between 3 and 5 pm on Thursday. Mincha will be at 5:15pm and the first session will begin at 6pm. Early or late arrival can be coordinated; email info@eshelonline.org to arrange. The program will conclude no later than 1 pm on Sunday.

Capital Retreat Center’s Nesiyah Lodge offers hotel-style accommodations with individually controlled heat and air-conditioning, hotel quality queen size beds, as well as linen and towel service.
Retreat attendees can opt for a private or double room.
All rooms include two queen beds, a private bathroom, desk, phone, and wireless internet.

We will continue to follow CDC and local guidelines. We recommend vaccines, and participants are welcome to mask during the retreat based on their comfort level. Being up to date on vaccination and wearing a high quality mask significantly reduce the risk of transmission and the severity of infection. We are monitoring the situation closely, and we will let attendees know closer to the time of the retreat about expectations for testing.

If you’d like to set up a payment plan in order to pay for the retreat in installments, please email sara@eshelonline.org. If you are in need of further assistance in order to be able to attend the retreat, please email miryam@eshelonline.org.

Pre-Pride Shabbat Dinner
2023-05-12 18:30 - 22:00 | JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St., New York, NY, 10023
Register

Sponsor

With Pride Month just around the corner, we couldn’t wait to get the community together! Get a taste of Eshel’s famous LGBTQ retreat with this Orthodox LGBTQ-inclusive Kabbalat Shabbat and dinner on the Upper West Side. Whether you’ve looking to meet new friends or you’ve been to many Eshel events and want to reconnect, you are welcome here! This is the place to connect with other Orthodox LGBTQ Jews.
Where: Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan
334 Amsterdam Ave at, W 76th St, New York, NY 10023
When: Friday May 12
6:30PM Kabbalat Shabbat
8:00PM Dinner
If you’re coming from farther away and need help finding a place to stay for Shabbat, we will do our best to connect you with attendees who have volunteered to host people. Please email info@eshelonline.org to request a host, and specify gender, host genders you’d be comfortable with, any accessibility needs including type of bed/couch/air mattress, and whether you’d also need to be hosted for shabbat lunch. We value confidentiality at Eshel events. Please keep in mind that hosts may have roommates who are not affiliated with Eshel.

Registration is closed – Shabbat shalom!

Celebrate Israel Parade
2023-06-04
Join the LGBTQ+ Cluster for the Israel Day Parade in New York City on June 4th. Every adult (over the age of 18) is asked to fill out their own individual RSVP.
Arrival time and our place in the parade lineup will be announced closer to the event

Register

Reading and Q&A with Noam Sienna
2023-06-07 19:00 - 20:00
Join us and Noam Sienna for a reading and discussion of some of the sources from his anthology, A Rainbow Thread. A Rainbow Thread brings together queer Jewish texts from the 1st century to the 20th century. Following the discussion, we will have the opportunity to ask him additional questions.
Date: Wednesday, June 7
Time: 7:00 pm ET, 6:00 pm CT, 4:00 pm PT
Dr. Noam Sienna is an educator, artist, and scholar of Jewish history and culture, focusing especially on Jewish life in the premodern Islamic world. He completed his PhD at the University of Minnesota in 2020, and is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor in Religion at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. His first book, A Rainbow Thread: An Anthology of Queer Jewish Texts from the First Century to 1969 (Print-O-Craft Press, 2019), received the 2020 Reference Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries and the 2020 Anthology Award from the Lambda Literary Foundation.
Register below to receive the Zoom link.

2023 Brooklyn Pride Seudah Shlishit
2023-06-10 16:00 - 18:30
Saturday, June 10
4:00 – 6:30 pm
Celebrate Brooklyn Pride with Eshel! Get to know other Orthodox LGBTQ+ Jews in your neighborhood.
Join us for a light Seudah Shlishit and refreshments at the home of Shlomo Ashkinazy, on Saturday, June 10, between Brooklyn’s Pride Fest and Pride Parade. Conveniently located with a view of the street fair, and walkable from Crown Heights, Bushwick, Fort Green, Prospect Heights, and more. Registration required.
Brooklyn Pride Street Fair:
Park Slope – From Union St to 9th St along 5th Avenue
11 AM to 5 PM
Brooklyn Pride Parade:
5th Avenue from Lincoln Place to 9th St
7:00 PM

Jew York Pride
2023-06-25
Join us on Sunday, June 25th, for a festive community bagel brunch from 10am to 12pm hosted in Midtown, Manhattan (exact location provided after registration, for security reasons), followed by the opportunity to march together in the NYC Pride March. Register here

It's Not About the Bakery: How to Be an Ally to the LGBTQ+ Community
2023-07-09 19:30 - 21:00
Join Eshel for an intimate, sensitive discussion on how to be an Orthodox ally to the LGBTQ+ community in West Orange. We all have more to learn about how we can be supportive to LGBTQ+ people in Orthodox communities.
Join us Sunday, July 9 at 7:30 pm in West Orange at the home of a parent of an LGBTQ+ child for a thought-provoking conversation led by Eshel Executive Director Miryam Kabakov.
This event is for anyone who is an ally or looking to learn more, families of LGTBQ+ people, and members of the LGBTQ+ community within the West Orange Orthodox community.
This event is now full. Sign up below to hear about future events like this one.

In-Person Israel Chapter Meetup
2023-07-11 19:00 - 21:00
Join other members of Eshel’s Israel Chapter Tuesday, July 11 at 7:00pm for a dairy potluck dinner in Beit Shemesh. Open to parents and family members of LGBTQ+ people.
Please sign up even if you’ve previously joined the group so we know who to expect!

Eshel LGBTQ+ Phone-in Support Group
2023-07-19 21:00 - 22:00
What: Join this anonymous phone-in support group for LGBTQ+ individuals who are unable to attend one of our in-person sessions.
When: Fourth Wednesday of every month | 9:00 PM EST
Where: For notifications and sign-in information, please register below. (You only need to register for this group one time.)
Questions? Email info@eshelonline.org

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