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Dear Friend,
What do B’Mitzvah blessings, a primer on pronouns, and tips on taking action for LGBTQ+ equality in Blue states all have in common? You can find them in Keshet’s Resource Library! Just head to keshetonline.org/find!
Need gender neutral bathroom signs for your JCC? We got you. Tips to update your forms to be inclusive? Yep. Guidelines to make sure you’re not accidentally tokenizing certain community members but actually creating a place of belonging for all LGBTQ+ Jews? Absolutely. Inspiration for a Jewish holiday, a Pride celebration, or a Shabbat dinner conversation with guests who are political polar opposites? Of course! That’s our matzah and butter.
For almost 30 years, Keshet has created the tools we need to fight for our rights, find meaning in what it means to be Jewish and to be LGBTQ+, and make our Jewish communities affirming, joyous, safe havens. And those tools? They’re all in one, well-organized, easy-to-use place.
Once you’ve used the Resource Library, you might be moved to give back. There are so many ways you can help sustain this crucial work. Share a helpful resource with a friend. Let us know if there’s a resource we should include. Donate to ensure Keshet’s strong future.
In the face of many storms and even more rainbows, I’m so grateful to be in this work with you, creating together the world we all need to thrive.
In community,
Thea Hillman
Chief Communications Officer
she/they
P.S. Please keep scrolling for Keshet’s December newsletter!
TAKE ACTION WITH KESHET
Now is a great time to join Thrive: The Jewish Coalition to Protect Trans and LGBQ+ Youth. With our coalition partners, we are stopping anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in its tracks, protecting medical care, access to sports, and much more for trans youth. As we prepare for new legislative sessions in 2026, join our open meeting TODAY, Wednesday, December 3, 3pm ET. You don't need to be an organizational member of Thrive to attend! Learn more about Thrive and join the movement.
Across the country, we’re witnessing a surge of harmful legislation and rhetoric targeting trans, nonbinary, and intersex people, seeking to strip away fundamental rights. We need Jewish communities to stand up and affirm the dignity and humanity of all people. You are invited to sign our Jewish Pledge to Affirm the Dignity of Trans, Nonbinary, and Intersex People and take action today.
LEARN WITH KESHET
Shivyon: Keshet’s Equality Project is a year-long training and consultation program to help Jewish institutions become communities of LGBTQ+ belonging. It’s more important than ever that your Jewish community is ready to protect and affirm LGBTQ+ members. Bring Shivyon to your community! Email H. Henschel to learn more.
We are currently accepting applications for the following cohorts:
- Chicago Shivyon Cohort—Tzedek Edition. Open to organizations in the Chicago Metro area who are ready to take the next step towards mobilizing their community. Launches in-person with a Day of Learning, Thursday, December 11. Learn more and apply.
- MetroWest New Jersey Cohort. Open to organizations in New Jersey, especially organizations that have already done some work towards LGBTQ+ belonging and are ready to deepen their work in a rapidly changing landscape. Launches in-person with a Day of Learning, Thursday, February 5. Learn more and apply.
Keshet's Online Community of Practice for Jewish Educators. Join a community of Jewish educators and get ongoing support, resources, and training to help expand your capacity to be LGBTQ+ affirming in your Jewish educational settings. Together, we're creating a supportive online community where Keshet experts and partners will provide learning opportunities and share our newest resources, all while advancing our work towards LGBTQ+ belonging. Free-of-charge. The first session is Tuesday, December 9, 7pm ET. Learn more and register.
Building Blocks of Belonging. This three-part series on LGBTQ+ belonging in the classroom is designed for Bay Area Jewish educators, in partnership with Jewish Learning Works. Led by Rabbi Eliana Kayelle, Keshet Bay Area Education & Training Manager, we'll dive into various topics to energize and inspire us to ensure our community members are affirmed and thriving! While these sessions are intended to be taken together, feel free to attend any and all sessions you can make.
- Session 1: Cultivating Hope and Resilience as Jewish Professionals. Tuesday, December 16, 10am PT. Register.
- Session 2: Creating LGBTQ+ Affirming Programming, Policy, and Culture. Thursday, January 29, 10am PT. Register.
- Session 3: Navigating Pushback and Moving Forward. Tuesday, February 24, 10am PT. Register.
Request a Training, Speaker, or Advocacy Event. Bring Keshet to your community! We can host a training or advocacy event to teach you how to take action, or you can request a speaker for an upcoming LGBTQ+ event in your congregation. Learn more.
KESHET EVENTS
Online Youth Programs. Our weekly online hangouts for Jewish LGBTQ+ and ally youth! Please note our adjusted dates because of the holidays:
For ages 11-13 and in grades 5-7: Join our online Tween Programs. A place for LGBTQ+ Jewish tweens to meet, play games, and chat in community. Next meeting is Monday, December 8, 7pm ET. Register.
For ages 13-18 and in grades 8-12: Join us for Monday Evening Hangouts, hosted by and for LGBTQ+ Jewish youth. Discussions, games, and more await! Next meeting is Monday, December 8 ET. Register.
For ages 18-24 and post-high school: You’re invited to our 18-24 Chill Space for Jewish LGBTQ+ and ally young adults. This is a space for young adults to chat and chill in community. Next meeting is Thursday, December 4, 8:30pm ET. Register.
Pride Hanukkah Party. Join Keshet partner Jewish Federation of Broward County for a warm and affirming evening as we light the menorah and celebrate Hanukkah together. This event is designed for our LGBTQ+ folks and allies to connect, share traditions, and find community. Monday, December 15, 6pm ET. Register.
Youth Hanukkah Party in Chicagoland. Keshet is hosting a Hanukkah party for Chicagoland youth, with candle crafting, a latke bar, and more! LGBTQ+ Jewish and ally youth and young adults are invited to celebrate with us. Sunday, December 21, 5pm CT. Email Issac Young to register.
Into the Menorah-Verse: A QJOC Nerd Event. Step into the Menorah-Verse for a Hanukkah celebration unlike anything you've seen before. LGBTQ+ Jews of Color are invited to gather for a night of nerdy Jewish joy, led by Junetember Jonez of Bizarro Torah. Sunday, December 21, 7pm ET. Register.
QJOC Kinship Affinity Space. Join our monthly meeting for LGBTQ+ Jews of Color, as we gather to recharge, share laughs, and build community. Tuesday, December 30, 7pm ET. Register.
Queer Jewish Youth Alliance. Join LGBTQ+ Jewish youth from South Florida to celebrate living at the intersections of our LGBTQ+ and Jewish identities. This event is open to all LGBTQ+ and Jewish teens, ages 13-18. Locations will be shared after registering.
2026 LGBTQ+ & Ally Teen Shabbaton Retreats. These magical weekend retreats are unique gatherings for LGBTQ+ and ally Jewish teens, 13-18 years old, to explore and learn about their Jewish and queer identities in an affirming and joyful community.
March 20-22 in the Midwest
April 17-19 on the East Coast
Learn more and register.
KESHET RESOURCES
Flowers for Our People. Curated by Keshet Jews of Color Program Manager Sage Cassell-Rosenberg, this historic and groundbreaking exhibit uses photography and written reflections to reimagine iconic figures from Jewish text through the lens of LGBTQ+ Jews of Color. View the exhibit, including reflections written by Saffie Kaplan.
Trans Jewish Youth Are Ready for More by Elie Hausman
Transness Is Our Salve by Rabbi Lonnie Kleinman
Keshet Conversations: On Writing—and Reading—Rom-Trom-Coms an interview with Rachel Runya Katz by Sage Cassell-Rosenberg
COMMUNITY EVENTS
LGBTQ+ Monthly Sit. Join Jes Golden and guest leaders for a monthly Jewish mindfulness sit, offered by and for those who identify as LGBTQ+. Keshet is a close partner. Thursday, December 4, 12pm ET. Register.
Pride Empowerment Circle. In a time when the LGBTQ+ community is under attack, it is more important than ever to be in community with one another. Join the Alper JCC in Miami on the second Monday of every month. Keshet is a co-sponsor of this program through the JCCA Keshet Shivyon Project. Monday, December 8, 6:30pm ET, at Alper JCC Miami. Register.
Spotlight On: Stories by LGBT Jews in the Federal City. Hosted by Keshet partner the Capital Jewish Museum, this event will feature local community members as they perform their stories on stage. Inspired by themes of Hanukkah, join us to honor the voices and experiences of LGBTQ+ Jewish Washingtonians. Tuesday, December 16, 7pm ET. Register.
Modern Family Building 101. Join Jewish Fertility Foundation for an interactive program designed for anyone exploring or undergoing fertility treatment. Get invaluable guidance from a panel of medical and legal experts as you navigate this journey. Sunday, January 11, 3pm ET. Register.
Jewish Grandparents Network Learning Fest 2026. Join the first global virtual gathering of Jewish grandparents. This immersive experience is specially designed for connection and participation, with expert sessions, small-group conversations, and a keynote from clinical psychologist, Dr. Becky Kennedy. Tuesday, January 27, 3pm ET. Register.
