Eshel Online

Halacha and Community: Challenges and Approaches
2016-02-28 03:45 - 08:00 (America/New_York) | National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 S Independence Mall E, Philadelphia, PA , 19106
A Yom Iyyun at the National Museum of American Jewish History will take place from 8:45 a.m. until 1:00 p.m with Keynote Speaker Rabbi Steve Greenberg of ESHEL. The Yom Iyun will be an exploration of how Orthodox Jewish communities should welcome and include all members of the community. A special emphasis will be placed on issues regarding women, adults with various disabilities and limitations, education of children with various learning needs, and LGBTQ community members.

Cost for the day is $10 in advance (refreshments and lunch will be available) and $15 at the door.
We encourage all to register in advance and you may pay via PayPal to mekorhabracha@gmail.com (please indicate you are registering for the Yom Iyyun). Packets of resource materials will be available electronically for all attendees. More details will follow shortly. For more information, contact Sunnie Epstein at shulisrose@aol.com.

Justice Before There Was Law
2016-02-25 14:30 - 16:00 | JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St., New York, NY, 10023
Justice Before There Was Law:
Tzedek and Mishpat in the Book of Genesis
Shuli Taubes
JCC Manhattan, 76th and Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY

BeisCamp Jan. 27th, 2016
2016-01-27 14:30 - 16:00
January 27, 7:30-9 pm
Body and Justice: Where Limitation and Perfection Meet
Aviva Richman
YM & YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood, 54 Nagle Ave, New York, NY

Aviva Richman studied at the Pardes Kollel in Jerusalem and at the Drisha Scholars Circle in New York City. She currently teaches Talmud at Mechon Hadar is pursuing a PhD in Talmud at NYU as a Wexner fellow, focusing on gender and sexuality in the Talmud.

National Retreat- FALLS VILLAGE, CT
2016-01-15 14:00 - 2016-01-17 13:00 | Isabella Freedman Retreat Center, 116 Johnson Road, Falls Village, CT, 06031
A Retreat for Orthodox Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Jews
Community: Past, present, and future

Join us for one of the largest gatherings of LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jews who come together to celebrate Shabbat and our unique identities.

LOCATION:
Isabella Freedman Retreat Center
116 Johnson Road, Falls Village, CT 06031

IS THIS FOR YOU?

During our annual weekend, we gather in this ever-growing community of formerly Orthodox/currently Orthodox/traditional/Ortho-curious folks and anyone who wants to experience a traditional Shabbat with other LGBTQ Jews. During Shabbat we get to know each other, learn, sing, and shmooze, and Saturday night we share our talents and have lots of fun! On Sunday we offer exciting out-of-the-box learning opportunities.
WANT TO GIVE A SESSION?
Each presenter gets a discount, so apply now!
CLICK HERE FOR THE FORM

If you have a topic or session you would like to give, please fill out this short form. We will be in touch to let you know if your topic has been accepted. Not all topics must relate to our theme. Share with us what you know and your areas of expertise. For each session you apply for, you will receive a $25 rebate within two weeks of the conference for up to two sessions.
CHILDCARE:
We provide childcare at various times throughout the weekend, especially when there is programming for adults. This year we welcome back Tracy Patton, from Once Upon Some Messy Fun, to create fun and excitement for our kids.

Registration is open!
All prices include full room and board. There are many options for room choices. After Dec. 1 prices go up.

Early Bird Deadline: Dec. 1

FINANCIAL AID
CLICK HERE TO LINK TO THE FINANCIAL AID FORM

Financial Aid: We are committed to making our weekends as inclusive and accessible as possible. We provide a limited amount of financial aid available for those who, for financial reasons, cannot otherwise attend.
The priority deadline for financial aid is December 1st, 2015. After that date, applications for remaining scholarships will be reviewed on a first come, first served basis. Timeline for applying for financial aid:

Send in financial aid form below by December 1st. Cut and paste it into a Word document and send it to: info@eshelonline.org
You will hear back from us within two weeks of applying with instructions and a registration code.
You will have three days to register. After that time we will pass on the aid to someone else.

Be an Eshel Angel! Contribute to the Barry Youngerman, Z”L Scholarship Fund
Find out more about Barry Youngerman, Z”L here, who cared so much about our community and spent a lifetime helping to make it grow.

If you are able to donate funds to enable people to come to the retreat, please donate here. Your contribution is greatly appreciated and will go to those who cannot afford to attend. Please indicate in the memo that you are contributing to scholarships.

Halachik Information
All food will be strictly kosher, the retreat will be shomer shabbos, and we will have traditional davening/prayer. We will offer a variety of learning options, from traditional text study to experiential workshops covering a wide variety of subjects.
Getting there
Transportation to and from the retreat is at your own expense. Check out the Ride Board to find or offer a carpool to the retreat. Here are some options below.
By Metro-north train:
Take the Metro North train to Wassaic. The trip is approximately 2 hours from Grand Central. Call 1-800-METRO-INFO or visit https://www.mta.info/ for an updated schedule. Click here for a link to fares.
Getting from train to retreat site:
Upon registering, you can sign up for the Isabella Freedman shuttle that will bring you to and from the train station in Wassaic. The drive from Wassaic to Isabella Freedman is about 30 minutes.
SHUTTLE FROM WASSAIC TO ISABELLA FREEDMAN:
This shuttle will only pick you up if you are on the train that leaves Grand Central Station on Jan. 15th at 11:47 a.m. and arriving at 2:03 p.m. into Wassaic.
SHUTTLE FROM ISABELLA FREEDMAN TO WASSAIC:
This shuttle will only bring you from the retreat site at the end of the retreat on Jan. 17th to the 2:27 train in Wassaic arriving into Grand Central Station at 4:46.
Shuttle One way=$25
Shuttle Round trip= $50
We must receive your payment for the shuttle by Dec. 30, 2015. The shuttle payment is non-refundable. If you are signing up for the shuttle after you have registered, click here to make a payment. Indicate in the memo line that the payment is for the shuttle.
Third-party taxi service is available from the Wassaic train station to Isabella Freedman.You must call in advance for a reservation. Lakeville Taxi: (860) 435 8000.
By plane:
Bradley International Airport in Hartford, CT is located 1¼ hours from the retreat center. We can recommend third-party taxi and limousine services from the airport to Isabella Freedman.
By bus:
PETER PAN / BONANZA BUS LINES offers daily bus service to Canaan, CT from New York City and points throughout New England. Call (888) 751-8800 for a schedule. This is a 3-hour trip from the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Third-party taxi service is available from the Canaan bus station to Isabella Freedman. You must call in advance for a reservation. Lakeville Taxi: (860) 435 8000.
For more directions and transportation information, please visit the Isabella Freedman website.
About the retreat center:
FACILITIES:
The terrain at Isabella Freedman includes a mix of gravel and paved roads, gentle inclines and grassy areas. When we are there, it is usually cold and snowy, and incredibly beautiful.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
All beds are twins, unless otherwise noted. Each room has a bureau or closet, chair, lamp, alarm clock, towels and soap. A small refrigerator can be rented for a $ 25 fee. All cottages are fully winterized. None of the units have doors that may be locked from the outside. Valuables may be stored in the office safe. Rooms do not have telephones or television sets. Each cottage has one phone in a common hallway or porch space.
During cooler months, rooms are heated to a comfortable 68°. Where thermostats are accessible to participants, we ask that you follow instructions on accompanying signage to ensure that you and your neighbors are comfortable and to conserve energy. Where thermostats are not accessible, please ask a site coordinator for assistance.
Cots and cribs may be added to certain rooms but not to others so please let us know well in advance and we will be glad to help you with these requests. Please notify us if you have a physical challenge that requires you to be close to the main building or in a wheelchair accessible room.
MEALS:
Isabella Freedman is committed to providing you with Glatt kosher, wholesome food that is sustainably grown and locally produced when possible, while also providing a distinctly Jewish culinary experience. They make every effort to serve the produce that is grown on their own six-acre organic farm. All meals are served buffet style and are strictly kosher. For this reason, no food from the outside may be brought into the Main Building. Any questions about this may be directed to the Mashgichim (Kosher Kitchen Supervisors). We will make every effort to accommodate special food needs as long as they are communicated to us at least two weeks prior to your arrival.
There is a Mashgiach/Masgichah on site at all times; Isabella Freedman is under the supervision of, and are certified by, the Hartford Kashrut Commission. Please direct all Kashrut questions to: Rabbi Adler of the Hartford Kashrut Commission at (860) 236-1241.
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE:
All retreat participants must check in upon arrival. Check-in typically begins at 2:00 pm.
All members of the group must check out of their rooms by 9:00 am on the scheduled day of departure. If you have not checked out of your room by 9:00 am, an additional $25 per person late fee will be charged. Departure from the retreat site is usually no later than 2.00 p.m.
PHONES & INTERNET:
Since we are located in a remote wooded area many cell phones will have poor or spotty reception. There are phones available for use in the main building and you may buy a calling card in the Bookstore to make long-distance calls. Free wireless internet is available in the Main Building and there are two public-access computers located in the Lounge.
PACKING:
The following is a suggested list of what to bring with you:

Comfortable shoes for walking and hiking
Seasonally appropriate clothing; it is often snowy when we are there
Toys for children
Raincoat or umbrella
Toiletries: toothpaste, bath soap, shampoo
Flashlight

Confidentiality Policy
Some participants may not be out as LGBT in their daily lives, or may have other important reasons for keeping their attendance at the event confidential. You have affirmed that you WILL NOT POST OR DISTRIBUTE PHOTOGRAPHS or audio/video recordings of other attendees publicly unless you have the EXPLICIT permission of every attendee represented therein. This includes distribution or posting online on flickr, Facebook, MySpace, and similar sites, as well as anywhere else in which photographs and other representations are publicly available.
INFORMATION: Please do not share information you have heard about individuals at the retreat with anyone else. For many people who attend, strict confidentiality is crucial.
Refund Policy
Participants who cancel their registration after Dec. 30th, 2015 will not be eligible for a refund nor will they be eligible for a credit towards a future Eshel event. Cancellations before Dec. 30th, 2015 are eligible for a full refund minus a $25 processing fee.
The fee for the shuttle to and from the retreat center is non-refundable.
Questions?
Please email us at info@eshelonline.org. Please help us spread the word about the retreat!

Trans Meet-Up!
2015-12-15 13:00 - 14:30
TRANS MEET-UP
with Abby Stein
Dec. 15th
RSVP TO INFO@ESHELONLINE.ORG
AND RECEIVE THE ADDRESS

BeisCamp! Keeping the Law Just: The Living Tensions of Tzedek and Mishpat- NY
2015-12-09 14:30 - 16:00 | Luria School, 238 St Marks Ave, Brooklyn, NY
BeisCamp, Eshel’s traveling Orthodox LGBTQ+ Beit Midrash, hosts religious educators, scholars and rabbis to engage in the challenges of contemporary life and tradition.

Keeping the Law Just: The Living Tensions of
Tzedek and Mishpat
Tzedek and Misphat appear hundreds of times in the Tanach. They define God’s will and convey the very purpose of Abraham’s election by God. As distinct terms they mark an integration of law and compassion that is a key element of Eshel’s mission. In different ways, each lecture in this series will address the rich tensions between rules and reasons, between just process and fair outcomes and between social order and lovingkindness.

November 18, 7:30-9 pm
STREAM IT LIVE!
Jumping into Justice: Between the Known and Unknown
Avi Orlow
The Carlebach Shul, 305 W 79th St, New York, NY

December 9, 7:30-9 pm
New Frontiers: Halakha Encounters Homosexuality

Ysoscher Katz
Luria School, 238 St Marks Av, Brooklyn, NY

January 27, 7:30-9 pm
Body and Justice: Where Limitation and Perfection Meet
Aviva Richman
YM & YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood, 54 Nagle Ave, New York, NY

February 25, 7:30-9 pm
Justice Before There Was Law: Tzedek and Mishpat in the Book of Genesis
Shuli Taubes
JCC Manhattan, 76th and Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY

Teacher Bios
Rabbi Avi Orlow serves as the Director of Jewish Education at the Foundation for Jewish Camp. He has held numerous positions as a camp educator and a Hillel Rabbi and spent an unforgettable stint running youth programming in Minsk, Belarus. Avi has a BA in religious studies from Columbia University and was ordained in the charter class of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, the open Orthodox rabbinical school. Avi lives in White Plains with his wife, Cantor Adina Frydman, and their children, Yadid, Yishama, Emunah, and Libi. He blogs religiously at ‪saidtomyself.com

Shuli Taubes serves as a faculty member at SAR High School in Riverdale, New York, where she teaches Tanakh, Jewish Identity, and chairs the Jewish Philosophy department. She received her Masters in Divinity from Harvard Divinity School and her BA in history from Barnard College. She has also developed a curriculum for educating Modern Orthodox high school students in comparative religion and is a Community Scholar at the Young Israel of North Riverdale where she gives shiurim and serves in a pastoral role.

Rabbi Ysoscher Katz is the the Chair of the Department of Talmud at Yeshiva Chovevei Torah and the Director of the Lindenbaum Cneter for Halakhic Studies. Rabbi Katz received ordination in 1986 from Rabbi Yechezkel Roth, dayan of UTA Satmer. He studied in Brisk and in Yeshivat Beit Yosef, Navaradok for over ten years. A graduate of the HaSha’ar Program for Jewish Educators, Rabbi Katz has taught at the Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls and SAR High School. He was a leading teacher of a daf yomi class in Boro Park for over eight years.

Aviva Richman studied at the Pardes Kollel in Jerusalem and at the Drisha Scholars Circle in New York City. She currently teaches Talmud at Mechon Hadar is pursuing a PhD in Talmud at NYU as a Wexner fellow, focusing on gender and sexuality in the Talmud.

Merchav Batuach: Barnard/Columbia Hillel
2015-12-06 04:30 - 07:30
Do you want to learn how to be an ally to an LGBTQ+ person in
Orthodox community?
Are you a student at Barnard/Columbia?
Then sign up for the Merchav Batuach Training!
Merchav Batuach will conduct a workshop at the Columbia/Barnard Hillel training those who want to be LGBTQ+ allies in the Orthodox community. This event is sponsored by Yavneh At Columbia, the Orthodox student group on campus and Jewish Women on Campus (JWOC)

) Bagel brunch will be provided.
To RSVP, fill out this Google Form: https://goo.gl/forms/jAxWakligJ
Date: December 6th, 2015
Time: 9:30 am-12:30 pm
Place: The Kraft Center: 606 W 115th, Room 6A
For more info Email us at merchavbatuach@eshelonline.org

Global Day of Jewish Learning
2015-11-15 09:45 - 17:30 | Online, Boston & 2 Locations in NYC
Here are the events Co-sponsored by Eshel for the Global Day of Jewish Learning:
BOSTON:
Sponsored together by Eshel and Minyan Kol Rina
STREAM IT LIVE!
Judaism and Homosexuality: Orthodoxy Faces the Challenge of the Moment
Eshel Director, Rabbi Steve Greenberg
Congregation Kehillath Israel
4pm – 5:30pm
EshelGDJL-Poster2015

TWO LOCATIONS IN NEW YORK:
Eshel is a co-sponsor of the Global Day along with Mechon Hadar, Schechter Manhattan, and Beit Rabban:
Global Day of Jewish Learning
Sunday, November 15, 2015 at Schechter Manhattan, 805 Columbus Avenue
9:45 am-3:30 pm
Eshel session at 2:30, entitled: Ya’akov: True Liar
Children’s programming will be available from 11 am- 2:20 pm
Join with over 400 communities in 48 countries and 6 continents for a day of Torah study.
Thank you to our wonderful teachers and partner organizations for making this happen!
Please click here for more information.

YM & YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood
(No Eshel session at this event)
54 Nagle Avenue
Global Day Flyer WAHI

An Evening with Rabbi Rapoport
2015-11-11 14:00 - 16:00 | Netivot, Boston, MA, United States
Netivot is honored to be teaming up with Eshel to host an evening with Rabbi Chaim Rapoport, esteemed scholar, educator, and lecturer.
Rabbi Rapoport is well-known for writing on Orthodoxy and homosexuality in his book, Judaism and Homosexuality: An Authentic Orthodox View.
He will be speaking on about LGBT issues in the context of his career, book, and personal experiences at Wednesday, November 11th, 7-9 p.m. Following the speech, we hope to leave ample time for some respectful, engaging dialogue. The event will be held in Brookline, and the exact address will be sent to you before the event. If you are able to attend, please RSVP to netivotboston.com/events before November 8th.

For more details download the flyer

CHOLENT
2015-11-05 16:00 - 18:00 | 553 4th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn, 553 4th Avenue, Park Slope, NY, United States
Shlomo Ashkinazy, Eshel Board member will be speaking at Cholent!
Being LGBT in the Frum Community and Being Frum in the LGBT Community: How It has been changing over the past 30 Years?

“CHOLENT”
Thursday, November 5th
9 pm

553 4th Avenue
Park Slope, Brooklyn

Eshel Goes to PFLAG
2015-10-16 04:00 - 2015-10-18 13:00 | Unnamed Venue, Nashville, TN
Eshel Speaker Reuven Grant to speak at upcoming PFLAG Conference in Nashville, TN
Reuven Grant, a member of the Eshel speakers bureau, will be speaking on a panel entitled:

Intersections: Faith, Equality and the Intersection of Faith and Equality

More on the conference schedule can be found at here.

Sha'Cago! Aug. 28-30th in Chicago
2015-08-28 - 2015-08-31 | Private Location, NY
Spend a Shabbat with other Eshelites in Chicago!

Get to know other LGBTQ folks in a traditional Shabbat setting

Here are the details:
Dates: August 28-30th
Time: From Friday evening until Sunday morning
Place: The West Rogers Park home of Goldie Goldbloom

What? Join Eshel leaders Goldie Goldbloom, Aviva Buck-Yael and Rabbi Micah Buck-Yael for an intimate Shabbat

Registration: Cost – $65 / per person (not including Motzei Shabbat activities)
$36 for students and those requesting financial aid

Schedule: (exact times will be sent upon registration and closer to the weekend)
Kabalat Shabbat*
Shabbat Dinner – singing and Dvar Torah
Shabbat Morning – Breakfast –
Shacharit*
Shabbat Lunch – followed by Dvar Torah and learning
Shabbat Afternoon – Games and relaxation / snack food
Seudah Shlishit- very light meal with singing
Mincha and Maariv*
Motzei Shabbat – The group will decide on an activity
Sunday Breakfast – Coffee and Cereal and goodbyes!
* For all davening there will be a choice of shuls to attend in the area
Where will I stay?
If you do not have a place to stay, there is limited housing at Goldie’s. Guests will be housed on a first come-first served basis. Please indicate you need a place to stay on the registration form.
How do I register?
Right here!
Questions?
Please be in touch at info@eshelonline.org

Memorial for Shira Banki, Z"L, August 6th in NYC
2015-08-06 18:30 - 20:00 | The LGBT Center, 208 W. 13th Street, New York, NY, United States
Thursday, August 6th
6:30–8pm
The LGBT Center, 208 W. 13th Street, NYC

CBST, JQY and Eshel invite you to join us in a Memorial and Solidarity Aseifa/Gathering in response to the senseless hatred in Israel last week. We gather one week after the Jerusalem Pride Parade, in which six people were stabbed and one of them, teenager Shira Banki, was murdered at the hands of a Jewish religious extremist. The Pride march was organized by the Jerusalem Open House, and we send them much needed love, prayers, tzedakah and support. We gather in grief, in outrage, and in hope, raising our Jewish and LGBTQS voices together against violence, racism and homophobia in Israel. Together we will create the peace we want to see in the world.

Join the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1595216354063585/

Greater Philadelphia Area Parent Group – November 22, 2014
2014-11-22 19:00 - 21:00 | Private Location, NY
This group is for Orthodox Jewish parents with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children seeking peer support. We will also discuss ways to help parents and families navigate in their communities and to become advocates for their children.
This group will meet motzei shabbat in a private home at 7:00 PM EST on Saturday November 22.
We will start with Havdallah together. Refreshments. Good conversation.
If you are interested in participating, please contact us to for a brief intake and to receive the address: maia@eshelonline.org
Confidentiality: Everyone is asked to keep what they hear in the group completely confidential. Participants should feel free to use a pseudonym.

DC/Baltimore Parent Support Group – November 16, 2014
2014-11-16 10:30 - 12:00 | Private Location, NY
DC/Baltimore Parent Support Group
This group is for Orthodox Jewish parents with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children seeking peer support. We will also discuss ways to help parents and families navigate in their communities and to become advocates for their children.
This group will meet in a private home at 10:30 AM EST on Sunday November 16. If you are interested in participating, please contact us to for a brief intake and to receive the address: maia@eshelonline.org
Confidentiality: Everyone is asked to keep what they hear in the group completely confidential. Participants should feel free to use a pseudonym.

ShaHeights - November 14-15, 2014
2014-11-14 - 2014-11-15 | Congregation Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol, 610 W 175th St, New York, NY, 10033, United States
Join us for an Eshel Shabbat gathering in Washington Heights
November 14-15th, 2014
Sold out!

What?
A Shabbat together in Washington Heights doing what we do best:
Eating. Talking. Singing. Laughing. With some learning and praying thrown in.
Where?
For parts of the weekend we will be joining “The Beis” starting with Friday night services at 4:30 pm Congregation Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol 610 W 175th St New York, New York 10033
For other parts of the weekend..stay tuned.

After services, Friday night we will have dinner together.

Saturday lunch you will be matched with an Eshel community member who will host a pot-luck lunch and will let you know what to bring.

Don’t live in the Heights but want to attend?
If we can find you a place to stay, we will. This could be you!

Questions or get in touch to get involved: info@eshelonline.org
