Aug 24, 2026 | Eshel in the News
The following is an edited excerpt from the conference session “How to Move Jewish Institutions from a ‘Welcoming Approach’ to a ‘Belonging’ Atmosphere.” How to Move Jewish Institutions from a “Welcoming” Approach to a “Belonging” Atmosphere By Stacey Aviva Clark, Rivka Herzfeld, Ely Winkler and Marianne Novak Panel: Stacey Aviva Clark is the Director of [more]
Aug 10, 2026 | Eshel Out Loud
In Pirkei Avot, we learn to take initiative for finding ourselves our own Rav to whom we may go for support and advice, and a friend with whom and from whom we can learn. “עשה לך רב וקנה לך חבר” - “Make for yourself a teacher, and acquire for yourself a friend” (Pikei Avot 1:6). [more]
Jul 2, 2026 | Eshel in the News
[caption id="attachment_166196" align="aligncenter" width="2121"] motimeiri/iStock via Getty Images Plus[/caption] RNS) — “The kid is a feigele!” I can still hear my relative saying the derogatory phrase, used to refer to a gay man or boy, aiming his ugly remark at a young man at a bar mitzvah celebration. In Yiddish, “feigele” literally means a [more]
Apr 28, 2026 | Eshel Out Loud
This Friday will be the 14th of Iyyar, exactly one month after Pesach. We celebrate Pesach Sheni, an ancient reminder of the value of inclusion. It originates the first year after the Exodus from Egypt. Bnai Yisrael are instructed to repeat the lamb offering they made the night that they went free: “you shall offer [more]
Nov 10, 2025 | Eshel in the News
In this powerful and deeply personal 93rd episode of No Hair, All Heart, Mookie Spitz sits down with Ely Winkler, the Director of Advancement at Eshel, an organization devoted to LGBTQ+ inclusion within the Orthodox Jewish community. Their heartfelt conversation cuts through theology, tradition, and identity with candid honesty and unexpected joy. Ely shares his remarkable [more]