Last September, the Office of the Chief Rabbi released a 33-page Guide to make Orthodox schools responsible for the wellbeing of all their students entitled “The Wellbeing of LGBT+ Pupils: A Guide for Orthodox Jewish Schools.” From May 10-19, Eshel is bringing the co-authors, Dr. Benjamin Ellis and Dalia Fleming of KeshetUK, to five U.S. cities.
Dalia Fleming is an experienced trainer, facilitator, and programme manager, drawing upon a strong volunteer and local government background. In her role as KeshetUK’s first Executive Director, she works to build constructive, supportive relationships with organisations across the Jewish community, accepting that each group comes from a different starting point. From London, England, Dalia was brought up in a modern Orthodox household, graduating from the University of Nottingham and the London School of Economics.
Dr. Benjamin Ellis divides his time between medical work as a Rheumatologist and as Senior Clinical Policy Advisor to a national non-profit, Versus Arthritis. As a volunteer, Benjamin helped establish and is now chair of KeshetUK, the organisation working so that no one should ever have to choose between their LGBT+ and Jewish identity. Benjamin grew up in an Orthodox family in Leeds, England, then studied for two years at Yeshivat Har Etzion before completing degrees at Cambridge then University College London.
Have a look at Eshel’s 49Ways49Days Campaign as we counted up the Omer to Shavuot!
Boston: May 10-12
- 5/10- Meet with Eshel/JOIN/Keshet Staff, Jamaica Plain: 9:30am
- 5/10- Harvard Law School: Social Change in Religiously Conservative Communities, Cambridge: 12:00am
- 5/11- Minyan Kol Rina Presentation at Kehilat Israel Synagogue, Brookline: 10:00am – Open to Public
- 5/12- Sunday Brunch at the Home of Local Community Leader, Brookline: 9:00am
Chicago: May 12-13
- 5/12- Dinner Reception with Community Leaders and Allies, Lake View East: 6:00pm
- 5/12- The Wellbeing of All Our Teens: Presentation and Discussion + Dessert at Private Home, Lake View: 8:30pm
Los Angeles: May 13-14
- 5/13- Dinner Reception with Community Leaders and Allies, Beverlywood: 6:00pm
- 5/13- The Wellbeing of All Our Teens: Presentation and Discussion at Private Home, TBA: 8:00pm
DC: May 14-16
- 5/15- Cocktails and Dinner Reception with Community Leaders and Allies, Friendship Heights: 5:00pm
- 5/15- The Wellbeing of All Our Teens: Presentation and Discussion at Kehilat Pardes, Rockville: 7:30pm – Open to Public
New York: May 16-19
- 5/16- Meeting with Local Day School Educators: 2:30pm
- 5/16- Donor Cocktail Reception, Midtown: 6:00pm
- 5/17- Oneg Shabbat in Private Home, White Plains: 8:30pm
- 5/18- The Wellbeing of All Our Teens: Post-Kiddush Presentation at Hebrew Institute of White Plains: 12:00am – Open to Public
- 5/18- Seudah Shlishit: What does this Guide demand of us all? Private Home, White Plains: 5:30pm
- 5/19- Closing Event Panel: The Wellbeing of All Our Teens with bagels and coffee at Kehilath Jeshurun, Manhattan: 10:00am – Open to Public