Today we were named one of the top American Jewish Organizations by Slingshot. We’re especially grateful to be honored as one of 17 Standard Bearers in the guide.
They write:
In the future, when Jewish life fully includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Jews, it will be because of Keshet.
AND BECAUSE OF YOU!
You along with thousands of:
• lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews
• our parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles
• teachers and administrators
• youth group leaders
• camp counselors
• rabbis and cantors
and countless others who believe that a vibrant and thriving Jewish community is one that includes all of us.
Mazel Tov to all of our friends and colleagues in Slingshot ’13-‘14 who inspire us with their commitment and dedication to our shared future.
You can learn more about the guide here. Our continued gratitude for all you do to make our community a home for us all.
The full text of Keshet’s entry:
In the future, when Jewish life fully includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Jews, it will be because of Keshet. Hebrew for “rainbow,” Keshet continually makes advances in the fight for LGBTQ inclusion in the Jewish community. Rather than simply shouting loudly from the sidelines, Keshet works within organizations to make small changes that impact communities in deep and sustaining ways. At JCCs, synagogues, schools, youth groups, camps, and social service agencies, Keshet provides training and resources to help communities be effective LGBTQ allies. In addition to community-building activities such as Shabbat dinners and singles mixers, the organization also develops curricular and resource materials used by Jewish organizations around the country to enhance their own programming. Keshet also works collaboratively with other LGBTQ Jewish groups to advance the Jewish LGBTQ movement as a whole.
Keshet continues to adapt its tactics, recognizing the new and changing needs of the Jewish LGBTQ community. Recognizing that coming out can be challenging for the whole family, the organization has expanded its program offerings to provide support and understanding for parents of Jewish LGBTQ children and teens. Most recently, Keshet has helped to launch The Purim Superhero, the first LGBTQ-inclusive Jewish children’s book, published in 2013. The organization also continues to provide trainings and educational resources, build community, and mobilize the Jewish community to support equal access to marriage and transgender civil rights.
Keshet is a Slingshot Standard Bearer because:
In its 17 years of operation, Keshet has built and led the field of Jewish LGBTQ inclusion. Over and over again, Keshet has proven its ability to adapt its work to the needs of the community. This adaptive nature combined with a focus on self-evaluation and the ability to embrace and foster partnerships with other organizations is valuable to the Jewish world in reaching every individual. “When other organizations entered this program space, Keshet has embraced and fostered partnerships with them,” writes one evaluator. “[Keshet is] nationally recognized as the leader when it comes to Jewish LGBTQ issues.
Shabbat
Pronounced: shuh-BAHT or shah-BAHT, Origin: Hebrew, the Sabbath, from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.
