Join us for an interactive discussion of why every Orthodox Jew should work to ensure that their shul acknowledges its LGBTQ+ members and includes them in ritual participation opportunities and even leadership roles.

Hear as Rabbi Eliezer Hirsch from Mekor Habracha/Center City Synagogue in Philadelphia and Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky from B’nai David-Judea Congregation in Los Angeles describe their efforts, while B’nai David-Judea member Jeremy Borison shares what these efforts have meant for him.

Eshel’s Executive Director and social worker Miryam Kabakov will detail why this effort is so important for the health of the Jewish community.

Dr. Michelle Friedman, the Founder of the Sharon and Steven Lieberman Chair in Pastoral Counseling at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, will serve as moderator.  Time will be set aside to answer questions from the audience.  Please join us!

Click here to sign up for the event and receive the recording.

When Things Don’t Work Out as Planned: Single Heads of Household in the Orthodox Jewish Community

Please watch to hear the personal experiences of individual heads of households - their challenges, triumphs, and advice on how to build a more sensitive and caring community.

About the speakers:

Ora Weinbach is a Masters of Divinity candidate at Yale Divinity School, Community Educator at the Young Israel of Brookline, and a Wexner Graduate Fellow. She is also a participant in Ohr Torah Stone's Halakha Scholars Program. She holds a BA in Jewish Education from YU and is a certified Sexuality Educator.

Rabbi Michael Balinsky, currently retired, was Executive Vice President of the Chicago Board of Rabbis. He served as Director of Faculty Development for the Melton Adult School and was the director of the Hillel at Northwestern for 20 years. He is a graduate of YU and RIETS. He is married to Dr. Myra Rapoport and they are the parents of three daughters.

Rabbi Noah Marlowe is a rabbinical student pursuing a certificate in Mental Health Counseling and MEd at Yeshiva University. He completed his BA in Psychology at Yeshiva College. Noah is an alumnus of Tikvah's Beren Fellowship, AIPAC's Leffell Fellowship, 92 Street Y's Jewish Innovation Fellowship, and the Fuchs-Mizrachi Beit Midrash Fellowship.

Nancy Stern Scholem has a BS in 19th Century English Literature and a MS in Early Childhood Education. She worked for 35 years in publishing. Nancy has resided for the past 15 years in Riverdale. As an active HIR Board member, she spearheaded the Pushka Project, and is involved in the Caring Caller and Bayit Connections programs. Nancy has been a frequent speaker on Jewish Genealogy and being a child of a survivor.

Shaping a Vibrant Orthodoxy: Finding Inspiration in Our Religious Lives

Sunday June 6, 2021

Featuring:

• Dr. Elana Stein Hain (Director of Faculty and Senior Fellow, Shalom Hartman Institute of North America)

• Rabbi Dov Linzer (President and Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah)

• Ann Pava (President, Micah Philanthropies and Committee Chair, The Graduate Program in Advanced Talmudic Studies (GPATS) at Yeshiva University)

A thought-provoking evening of conversation about The Future of Modern Orthodoxy, featuring leaders like:
-Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz (Associate Principal, SAR High School)
-Rabbi Ari Segal (Head of School, Shalhevet High School)
-Rabbanit Leah Sarna (Associate Director of Education and Director of High School Programs, Drisha Institute)
-Rabbi Ysoscher Katz (Head of Talmud Department, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah)
-Dr. Laura Shaw Frank (Director of Contemporary Jewish Life, AJC)
-Rabbi Mark Trencher (Founder, Nishma Research)
-Dr. Ellen Cohn (Chaplain and Expert in Modern Orthodox Jewish Education)
-Rabbi Eitan Cooper (Assistant Rabbi, Beth Sholom Congregation; Former Project Associate, Rosov Consulting)

Check out what our speakers have been thinking about lately:

• Dr. Laura Shaw Frank in conversation with Abigail Pogrebin on “Does God Need Us?” (The Forward) and her reflections as an Israel educator in “Seth Rogen is wrong about Israel education in America.“

• Mark Trencher on Orthodoxy’s complicated relationship with Donald Trump (JTA) and dissatisfaction with and diminishing commitment to Jewish day schools.

• Rabbi Ari Segal on addressing racism in the Jewish community, “Focus on Educators’ Qualities, Not Titles” in Modern Orthodox education and on “Struggling To Explain My Aliyah Move To Friends” published in the New York Jewish Week. See his article “The biggest challenge to ’emunah’ of our time” and Shalhevet High School’s six-point LGBT non-discrimination pledge.