Daniel Gammerman, a lifelong Orthodox Jew, began noticing some changes at his South Florida synagogue. Gammerman, who is originally from Brazil but spent most of his adult life in Miami, was no longer being asked by his Rabbi to lead prayers or read the Torah during services — things he had enjoyed doing regularly. One day, his Rabbi gave a pointed speech about the dangers of homosexuality and how it’s “taking over the world.” Gammerman felt the words of warning were directed at him …
His experience is not unusual. Dozens of Orthodox Jews like Gammerman have had similar feelings of isolation because of their sexual orientation. In the past decade or so, at least two Jewish organizations, JQY and Eshel, have emerged to advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in Orthodox spaces and provide resources and support for those who feel ostracized.
One of those groups, Eshel, is turning its attention to Florida, a place where founders say there are fewer welcoming synagogues for LGBTQ+ Jews than in places like New York, despite the Sunshine State’s growing Orthodox population. The rightward shift in state and national politics is also a concern, the group’s founders say. “The needs in Florida are very acute,” said executive director and co-founder of Eshel, Miryam Kabakov. “A lot of parents are worried about their children, and LGBTQ+ people are worried about discrimination.”