How the WSCP Began
In the summer of 2018 Eshel organized the High School Pledge Project (HSPP). This campaign asked yeshiva day school alumni to create 30-second videos appealing to their alma mater to create a place for their LGBTQ+ students and take a pledge to create inclusion policies for them. The campaign strategy follows our theory of change; mobilize the grassroots, and leaders will listen. Within six months of HSPP’s launch, ten modern Orthodox day schools in the United States adopted inclusion policies and others are in process.
It’s likely that at least one student, camper, congregant, or participant in your class or group identifies as LGBTQ+. Research suggests that approximately 7-10% of the population identify as LGBTQ+, and up to 26% of high schoolers. Many adolescents are recognizing and openly sharing their identities at younger ages.
No Expulsion
Supports and respects all students/campers. The institution will not expel, dismiss, suspend or otherwise discipline students/campers for coming out and being open about their gender identity or sexual orientation.
No Bullying
No member of the administration, faculty, staff, student body, or camp will be permitted to harass or discriminate against any child on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.
No Reparative Therapy
The institution will not recommend, refer, or pressure children towards “reparative” or “conversion therapy.”
Support
Strives to connect children struggling with their sexual orientation or gender identity with support services.. If appropriate services cannot be found on school/camp grounds, leaders should connect students/campers with such opportunities outside of the school.
Integration
Being open about one’s sexual orientation will not prevent a child’s full participation in religious and other activities.
Open Admission
An applicant’s or a parent’s gender identity or sexual orientation will not preclude a child’s admission.
In 2021, Eshel Launched the Welcoming Schools and Camps Projects to further our work advocating for more LGBTQ+-inclusive youth spaces, beginning with faculty wide LGBTQ+ inclusion workshops and case based counseling support.
Why Do We Need Welcoming Schools/Camps?
Jewish Day Schools and Camps provide a sense of Jewish identity, belonging, and community for children and their parents. For student aged children and young adults, schools and camps are often the child’s only source of community and where they spend the majority of their time. LGBTQ+ youth are at a higher risk for being excluded and made to feel like second class citizens which threatens their mental and emotional wellbeing. Eshel helps Orthodox institutions provide inclusive environments, helping LGBTQ+ individuals feel at home.
Halachic Judaism values every individual. It prohibits embarrassing individuals, calling them by a name other than what they wish to be called, or threatening their physical or emotional safety. Orthodox institutions should not engage in any of these activities and, in fact, should work to prevent them.
Many families report that their LGBTQ+ child was treated differently than other children or experienced discrimination in their day school. Many families lack access to an Orthodox education for their child because of the parent or child’s LGBTQ+ identity. The goal of Eshel’s advocacy work with schools is to ensure that all families can secure an Orthodox education and community for their child.
What Makes a School or Camp Welcoming?
Every school and camp is different, and faces unique challenges and opportunities around inclusive policies. For example, Eshel helps institutions respond to complicated questions that arise around gender identity and tefillah, or overnights, or in other contexts in Orthodox spaces. Eshel will work with your institution to come up with a solution that best fits the specific needs of the organization, community, and individuals involved. At the same time, Eshel has identified common policies and practices that we recommend institutions adopt and adapt to help keep students and campers safe.
Many Welcoming Schools and Camps engage in some, but not all, of the practices below:
- Admits students who are openly LGBTQ+
- Admits students whose parents are LGBTQ+
- Has an anti-bullying policy which protects LGBTQ+ students
- Provides teacher training in addressing anti-LGBTQ+ bullying
- Has public, written policies allowing LGBTQ+ students to attend
- Educates faculty about LGBTQ+ identities and issues
- Has trained individuals on staff to comfortably and successfully receive students who wish to disclose their identities students
- Uses LGBTQ+ inclusive language in the classrooms and at all school activities
- Uses LGBTQ+ inclusive language and information in curricula about Jewish lifecycles and health
- Allows LGBTQ+ individuals to participate fully in student life, including sports, Shabbatonim, and extracurriculars
- Has a student club or space, whether physical or virtual, where LGBTQ+ students and allies can connect and share their experiences
How Eshel Makes Schools and Camps more LGBTQ+ inclusive
- Staff-wide professional development workshops around LGBTQ+ inclusion and the needs of LGBTQ+ students in Orthodox settings
- Workshops via network organizations like Prizmah and CAJE
- One-on-one consultations with leaders and staff to address individual cases as they arise
- Resources around LGBTQ+ inclusion, halacha, and child mental and physical health
- Resources and policy counseling around gender in various school/camp and religious settings
How Eshel Helps Parents and Children
- Research and guidance around finding a welcoming school or camp
- Individual coaching and intervention
- For general information and resources for parents, click here
Finding a Welcoming School or Camp
There are schools in cities around the United States that have a range of inclusive policies, including Sephardi and yeshivish schools. Reach out to Dr. Sunnie Epstein if you have a question about a specific organization or geographic area.
Each school or camp and family faces unique circumstances that vary widely. While Eshel advocates for more inclusive policies overall, Eshel is also here to work closely with individuals to find practical solutions that work for them in the current environment. We recognize that there are limitations and challenges specific to Orthodox schools and camps, and address those realistically.
Reach out to Dr. Sunnie Epstein to find a welcoming school or camp, or for counseling regarding your institution. Please also reach out if you have had a positive experience with a school, camp, youth group, or Israel program so we can let others know!
