Eshel Online

NYC | 20s and 30s Game Night
2025-05-27 18:30 (America/New_York)
Join Eshel and JQY for a pre-Pride pizza and game night on Tuesday May 27 at 6:30 pm.

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Silver Spring Parent Meetup
2025-05-27 19:00
Interested in connecting with other parents of LGBTQ+ children?
Join us for an exploratory meeting in Silver Spring for parents in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. We’ll gather and connect as parents of LGBTQ+ kids, and explore the option of getting together more regularly.
Sign up below if you’d be interested in meeting up with other local Eshel parents, even if you can’t make this meeting.

Israel | Re-learning Our Children Yom Iyun
2025-06-13 09:30 - 14:00
Connect with other parents of LGBTQ+ children at a Yom Iyun devoted to learning and reflecting on our children’s identities and experiences. Come away with new skills, and knowledge that will help you parent your LGBTQ child while taking care of yourself.
This confidential event is open only to parents of LGBTQ+ children.
📅 DATE: Friday, June 13⏰ TIME: 9:30 am – 2:00 pm📍 LOCATION: Modiin – address shared after registration
Suggested Donation: ₪‎100, payable via PayBox after registration. No one will be turned away for inability to pay.

Atlanta | Cocktails and Conversation
2025-06-15 18:00
An evening of connection and conversation over cocktails. The perfect way to start your summer with fellow LGBTQ+ Jews looking to connect for friendship and camaraderie.

Pride Challah Bake
2025-06-23 19:30 - 21:30
Dough it with Pride! Join us for a colorful evening of queer joy, challah braiding, and creative toppings. Twist up rainbow loaves, sprinkle on your favorite flavors, and celebrate community, carbs, and pride.
When: Monday, June 23 7:30-9:30PM
Where: Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan

Silver Spring Parent Meetup
2025-07-16 19:00 - 21:00
Interested in connecting with other parents of LGBTQ+ children?
Join us for a meeting in Silver Spring for parents in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. We’ll gather and connect as parents of LGBTQ+ kids, and explore the option of getting together more regularly.
Sign up below if you’d be interested in meeting up with other local Eshel parents!

Parent Retreat Brunch Reunion
2025-07-20 10:00 - 11:00
This is a Zoom reunion for anyone who attended the 2025 Eshel Parents Retreat. To enjoy a festive brunch together, we’re digitally sending a $5 Starbucks gift card for anyone who signs up by July 18. This will be a space where we can all connect with a cup of tea or coffee while we discuss topics of interest or just catch up.
When: July 20 10-11AM EST
Where: On Zoom

Eshel Israel Meetup
2025-07-24 12:00
On Thursday, July 24 at 7:00PM, we will have our final meeting of the year in Ramat Beit Shemesh. Our guest will be Dr. Debbie Rubel, a child psychologist for Beit Shemesh City. She also coordinates the suicide task force for the Beit Shemesh schools and will discuss this serious topic with us.
Location: Ramat Beit Shemesh
A lovely dinner will be served

Elul Empowerment
2025-09-08 19:30 - 21:30
Join Eshel for a night of spiritual introspection as we approach the Yamim Noraim, with text study and meditation led by our new Program Director, Mendel Weintraub. At this event, we will explore lessons relevant to the High Holidays from Chassidic texts, which offer an uplifting and joyful vision of how to achieve divine connection in Elul, even in the face of self-doubt. Pizza and refreshments will be served. Admission free. All ages welcome.
When: September 8 at 7:30 pm
Where: Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, Floor 1.5 classroom

Silver Spring Parent Meetup
2025-09-09 19:00
Connect with other parents of LGBTQ+ children in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. This is a great opportunity to learn from one another and build our community. At this meetup, we’ll be discussing coming out to extended family, including grandparents, aunts and uncles, and more, and the impact on our larger family dynamics.

LGBTQ+ Support Group
2025-09-15 20:00 - 21:00, 2025-10-20 20:00 - 21:00
A confidential space for LGBTQ+ adults who are Orthodox, formerly Orthodox, or Orthodox-adjacent to access peer support, share their experiences, and connect and gain insights from others.

Second Monday of the month
8:00 pm ET, 7:00 pm CT, 6:00 pm MT, 5:00 pm PT
Register below for Zoom link and to receive notifications each month.

Women's LBTQ+ Support Group
2025-09-16 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 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.)

Israel Parent Meetup
2025-09-17 19:00, 2025-10-23 12:30 - 13:30, 2025-11-12 12:00 - 13:00
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.

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Parents of Trans & Gender Nonconforming Children Support Group
2025-09-29 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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LGBTQ+ Community Sukkot Party
2025-10-12 19:00 - 22:00
Join Us for the annual LGBTQ Community Sukkot Party!
On Sukkot, it is traditional to celebrate the holiday with a Simchat Beit Hashoevah, a joyous gathering commemorating the holiday’s Temple service. Come experience this celebration with a special LGBTQ+ Jewish twist at JCC’s rooftop Sukkah, featuring breathtaking views of the NYC skyline, an open bar, Israeli cuisine, snacks, and plenty of laughs with friends old and new.
This event is open to the entire 21+ LGBTQIA+ community, along with family and allies.
The JCC facilities are elevator and ramp accessible. If you have additional access needs or questions, email info@eshelonline.org.
General Admission Price – $36Student Ticket – $18
A limited number of comped tickets will be offered to volunteers. To learn more about volunteer opportunities and expectations, please contact info@eshelonline.org.
We are completely sold out!

NYC - Cider and Schmooze
2025-10-20 19:00 - 21:00
Make mar Cheshvan mar no more! Join us for some post-Tishrei rest and relaxation after this busy holiday season. Decompress with the assistance of apple cider, donuts, and other fall-themed treats and transition out the High Holidays and Sukkot with friends old and new! This event is free to attend.
Where: Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan
When: Monday October 20 7pm
Who: LGBTQ+ people ages 21+ (alcohol will be served)
We are full! See you at our next event.

DC | Striving to Belong
2025-10-21 18:30 - 20:00
This roundtable discussion examines shifts in the Orthodox community towards greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ Jews. Panelists include Peninah Gershman and Rabbi Hyim Shafner, more panelists coming soon. Moderated by Miryam Kabakov.
This event is offered both in person and virtually. For the virtual event, click here.

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October Oneg Shabbat Dinner featuring Or Chayim Minyan
2025-10-24 17:50 - 21:00
Join Eshel and Or Chayim for October Oneg Shabbat Dinner, our upcoming Shabbat Dinner on the Upper West Side! Enjoy a warm Shabbat and a festive evening with LGBTQ+ community. Davening is free and open to everyone, and dinner is 21+.
📆 Friday, October 24
⏰ 5:50 pm Davening with Or Chayim | 6:45 pm Kiddush | 7:30 pm Community Dinner
📍 Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan 334 Amsterdam Ave at, W 76th St
Registration closes Friday morning, 12:01am. After this time, late registrations will be charged $50/ticket.

NYC LGBTQ+ Trivia Night
2025-11-03 18:30 - 20:30
Bring in Trivia Tuesday a day early with a Monday trivia night at the Manhattan JCC, featuring pizza, drinks, snacks, and prizes! Come prepared to answer questions ranging from categories about Judaism and Queerness all the way to history and pop culture.
Each member of the winning team will receive a free ticket to Eshel’s Chanukah party in December. Arrive with a team or join a team of new friends at the door! (Max team size of 4 individuals.)
This event is 21+ and free.
When: Monday, November 3, 6:30-8:30pWhere: Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, Floor 1.5 Classroom
6:30: Pizza and Snacks7-8:30: Trivia

Straight Spouses of LGBTQ+ Partners Support Group
2025-11-03 19:00 - 20:00
Straight Spouses of LGBTQ+ Partners Support Group
Has your spouse come out to you? This support group is for anyone in the Orthodox community whose husband or wife has come out as gay, lesbian, or transgender, whether you are married, separated, or divorced. This group is a confidential and supportive space to process difficult emotions, connect with others in similar situations, navigate co-parenting under these new circumstances, and learn how to move forward with resilience.
When: First Monday each month, 7:00 pm ET / 6:00 pm CT / 4:00 pm PT
Where: Zoom – register to receive the link

Washington Heights LGBTQ+ Community Dinner
2025-11-14 18:15 - 21:30
Come together on November 14th for an LGBTQ+ Community Shabbat Dinner, sponsored by Eshel, and in partnership with The Beis and Fort Tryon Jewish Center! We are so excited to create a warm and welcoming space for what is hopefully the first of many gatherings in Washington Heights. Join your local LGBTQ+ community and enjoy a delicious meal followed by a parsha shiur from Lexi Kohanski.
This event is for LGBTQ+ individuals ages 21+.

When: Friday, November 14
6:15 pm Community Dinner
8:00 pm Shiur
Where: The Beis – 587 Fort Washington Ave, New York, NY 10033
Cost: $30 ($15 for students)
Event capacity is limited to 50 attendees. Sign up today!

Lexi Kohanski is a trans Jewish writer and educator who focuses on empowering those who have not felt at home in Judaism. She is a leader in the realm of trans Torah, creating Torah study spaces that are intergenerational, identity-spanning, and full of joy. Her work has appeared in Gashmius Magazine, Approaching, and the Trans Halakha Project, and she regularly publishes through the T4Torah Patreon. Lexi’s cornerstone halakhic essay, Be Whole: A Halakhic Approach to Gender and Transition, lays out a pathbreaking halakhic framework for relating to Jewish gender transition as a sacred undertaking. Lexi gives regular sermons on spiritual resilience and survival through her podcast, Torah for Trans Lives. She is also the author of Worlds To Come, a first-of-its-kind tabletop roleplaying game for learning Hebrew. Before finding her calling, Lexi was an actor, ESL teacher, and farmer. Lexi’s home as an educator is at the Torah Studio, where she serves as the organization’s Director of Online Learning.

Self Portrait Workshop with Artist Tobi Kahn
2025-12-01 18:30 - 20:30
Join Eshel for a night of self-reflection and artistic expression, with a self-portrait workshop led by respected artist Tobi Kahn. For those of us balancing LGBTQ+ and Jewish identity, the endeavor of self-perception can be equal parts daunting, confusing, and exciting. So too, self-presentation is often a process that requires deep introspection and experimentation. Through presence, we can approach our identities in new and creative ways. At this event, we will explore literal and abstract expressions of the self in what is sure to be a meaningful and fun night. Light refreshments will be served after the workshop.
Please note: This event is 21+ and for LGBTQ+ members of our community.
About the ArtistTobi Kahn is a painter and sculptor whose art has been shown in over 70 solo museumexhibitions. He is currently working a solo survey exhibition that will open in the Fall of 2026 atthe Boca Raton Museum of Art in Florida. Works by Kahn are in major museum collections,including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, NYC; the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, TX;The Phillips Collection, DC; Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY; Minneapolis Institute ofArt, MN; Yale University Art Gallery, CT; and The Jewish Museum, NYC. His travelingmuseum exhibitions include Tobi Kahn: Metamorphoses; Avoda: Objects of the Spirit;Microcosmos; Tobi Kahn: Sky & Water; and Tobi Kahn: Sacred Spaces for the 21st Century.Kahn’s commissioned installations include “Shalev,” an outdoor sculpture, New Harmony, IN;“Emet,” a meditative space for the HealthCare Chaplaincy, NYC; two Holocaust memorialgardens, La Jolla, CA, and Tenafly, NJ; the sanctuary ark doors, murals, and ceremonial objectsfor Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun, Milwaukee, WI; “M’AHL,” a floor installation in theexhibition Rendering the Unthinkable, 9/11 Memorial Museum, NYC; a meditative space forAuburn Theological Seminary, NYC; and an installation of paintings and outdoor sculpture forthe campuses of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA.Kahn also communicates his vision through his passion for teaching. For over 40 years, he hastaught fine arts at the School of Visual Arts, NYC. Kahn lectures extensively at universities andpublic forums internationally on the importance of visual language and on art as healing.

Winter Wellness: Self Care with JQY and Eshel
2025-12-09 18:30
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Laugh Out Proud
2025-12-10 18:00
Join our Atlanta community for a fun, laughter-filled night out! We’ll kick things off with drinks at The Establishment at 6:00 PM — a perfect chance to meet new friends and connect with fellow LGBTQ+ Jews. Then we’ll head over together to enjoy the always-hilarious Modi live on stage.
Grab your show ticket on your own, and RSVP below to let us know you’re coming for the pre-show hang. Come for the community, stay for the comedy. We can’t wait to see you there!
Drinks 6:00PM (RSVP For bar address)
Show 7:30PM (Center Stage Theater)
Say hello to Modi after the show!

Building a Jewish Queer Family: Planning and Parenthood - Community Dinner in Brooklyn
2025-12-12 16:15 - 21:00
REGISTRATION FOR THIS PROGRAM IS NOW CLOSED.
Eshel, Atara Minyan, and PHS invite you to join us for davening and dinner at Luria Academy, followed by a conversation about LGBTQ+ family, from planning to parenthood, moderated by our Director of Marketing and Communications and current Maharat student, Sara Singer.
Navigating having children, from conception to rearing, is an exciting and often challenging process for LGBTQ+ people. Learn from community members about how they have navigated this process, not just as queer people, but also as Jews. We will address questions surrounding how bringing children into the world also impacts LGBTQ+ Jews in their choice of community and how reproductive decisions are informed by Halacha.
Where: Luria Academy (address sent with registration confirmation)
4:15pm – Davening – PHS Minyan in the Beit Midrash, Egal minyan in the gym
5:30pm – Light Kiddush/L’chaims
6:15pm – Dinner
7:15-9pm – Panel, led by Sara Singer
This program is open to all community members. No charge for children under the age of 3.
Regular Price: $36
Student Price: $18
Children (under 18): $15
PLEASE NOTE: For internal tracking and discretion purposes, we require separate registrations for each guest. Thank you for your understanding.

Ignite the Night: LGBTQ+ Community Chanukah Party
2025-12-15 19:00 - 22:00
Join Eshel and our partners for the Annual LGBTQ+ Chanukah Party!
Celebrate Night Two of the Festival of Lights with the LGBTQ+ Jewish community of NYC!
Enjoy a dairy dinner–complete with latkes, sufganiyot, and chocolate gelt, a wine bar, and DJ! We will eat, drink, dance, and have a special candle lighting ceremony. Let’s ignite the night together!
Date: December 15, 2025
Time: 7-10pm (volunteer shifts begin at 5:30pm)
The JCC facilities are elevator and ramp accessible. If you have additional access needs or questions, email info@eshelonline.org.
Regular Admission Price – $36 ($40 at-the-door)
Early Bird Ticket (ends Dec. 1) – $25
Student Ticket – $18
A limited number of comped tickets will be offered to volunteers. To learn more about volunteer opportunities and expectations, please contact info@eshelonline.org.
Sold out!

Baltimore Chanukah Party
2025-12-21 10:00 - 12:00
Join Baltimore/DC Eshel for a Chanukah celebration on Sunday, December 21 from 10AM to noon. The location will be shared upon signing up. Please volunteer to set up, clean up, give a Dvar Torah or run some games. We look forward to celebrating Chanukah among Eshel community members, and hope to see you there!
