Michele Amira attended our “Refusing to Choose: LGBTQ and Orthodox in Israel”event at DCJCC. The event was held as an open forum, discussing on the ways in which Modern Orthodox communities are creating room for intersectional Orthodox LGBTQ identities, both in Israel and the diaspora. In the Talmud it says, “Whomever saves a life, it […]
Robert Boo, Chief Executive Officer at Florida Equality Park’s Pride Center was joined by Zehorit Sorek and Daniel Jonas to talk about Orthodox LGBT life in Israel RELATED: Photos from the event in Florida are now on A Wider Bridge page on Facebook When Daniel Jonas was 15 and struggling with his sexuality he turned […]
Zehorit Sorek and Daniel Jonas are in the midst of a tour of talks around the U.S. about being Orthodox and gay. Today they visit Minneapolis and then will go to Chicago, but in between the busy schedule, Zehorit finds the time to reflect on their journey so far. Zehorit and Daniel with Rabbi Haim […]
While many people look at Israel as a welcoming place for LGBTQ people based largely on a strong Pride Festival presence in Tel Aviv. However, this is not the case for all LGBTQ Jews, which is what two prominent Israeli activists are hoping to change on a tour stop next week at Shir Tikvah in […]
As we open 2017, A Wider Bridge brings you a list of nine LGBT Israelis to keep an eye on in the new year. We invite you to fill out: Who should be the 10th? 1. Amir Ohana (politics) The right-wing gay Member of Knesset was already selected by Globes magazine as one of the […]
Counting down the biggest stories of 2016 on our website. In July, Six brave gay orthodox Jewish Israeli men agreed to share their coming out stories in order to demonstrate to young gay orthodox Jews that they are not alone. One of the six was Daniel Jonas (picture above), who said that coming out brought […]
At the end of Shabbat Israeli Channel 1 news aired an inspiring segment on the process in the religious community with regard to LGBT people. Activists from Havruta and Bat Kol were interviewed and shared stories about their lives as gays and lesbians in their religious communities. RELATED: Havruta and Bat Kol leaders come to […]
An unexpected meeting occurred over the weekend between Orthodox rabbis of the Religious Kibbutz Movement and their wives, and members of Havruta, the LGBT religious organization. The two groups were coincidentally staying at the same resort during Shabbat, and formed a spontaneous discussion circle on homosexuality and religion, led by Avicahi, a member of Havruta, […]
Six brave gay orthodox Jewish men agreed to be exposed and share their stories in order to demonstrate young gay Jews that they are not alone. A Wider Bridge brings you the confessions in a six-part article. Part 1/6 Daniel Jonas, Executive Director of Havruta, an organization for gay religious Jews: I realized that I […]
Last year, Bar-Ilan University prevented its LGBT Forum member from hosting an LGBT event. This year, the LGBT Forum managed to pull off a first of its kind panel at the religious academic institution. Tonight at Bar-Ilan an academic and social panel with gay blogger Netanel Azoulay, transgender Jewish educator Yiscah Smith, Havruta‘s chair Daniel […]