Save the Date
Eshel Retreat for Orthodox Parents of LGBT Children 2019
November 22-24, 2019
Last year at the Eshel Parent Retreat, over 80 participants shared their experiences, disappointments, and triumphs with each other in having an LGBTQ child within an Orthodox community.
We were blessed to have the chief rabbi of Efrat, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, join us. One of his messages to us over the weekend was: The God I love is the God of love. As parents, we must imitate the God of love and let love, and respect, be the guiding emotions in raising our children. Indeed, love for their children is the tie that binds this community together.
By the end of the weekend, this group had become family to each other. Only they know the pain and isolation they each feel within their communities because they have an LGBTQ child. Only they know the joy of sharing freely about their child with peers. Each year, new parents join this community, and parents who have been around for awhile stay. This becomes their new Orthodox community, this becomes their family.
Miryam Kabakov
Executive Director
What Participants are Saying about the Parent’s Retreat
It was nice to re-engage with the parent community and catch up with them. Most importantly, it was wonderful to see how some have moved on from initial experiences and a weekend of tears.
I found that there are others grappling with this issue that come from the same starting place as me, and that I can be a resource to help other parents.
It is very difficult to fully express the sense of gratitude I have that there is such an organization as Eshel exists!! With a full heart, and tears of gratitude, I thank all those who developed Eshel. ❤️ May we all go from strength to strength together!!
Hearing the individual stories of the adults who are navigating this was incredibly reassuring. Being able to tell our stories to others without fear of being judged was amazing.