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Dear Friend,
Back-to-school season is here! Though schools in New York City, where I live, will not start for another month, many schools around the country are gearing up for their faculty in-service days and the first days of school.
For LGBTQ+ students and educators, going back to school can mean different — and sometimes contradictory — things. For some, school can be a place of refuge, where teachers and peers affirm LGBTQ+ students’ identities, names, and pronouns. For others, it can be a place where they are forced to hide these identities.
As we continue to experience the barrage of attacks on the rights of LGBTQ+ people in general — and trans and nonbinary students in particular — going back to school this year may feel more complicated than in the past. LGBTQ+ youth are entitled to the same security and belonging their cisgender, heterosexual peers experience.
Jewish organizations — especially those serving youth — have a responsibility to ensure that LGBTQ+ young people find refuge and safe haven. In this moment, adults must say unequivocally: we will continue working to build a world where LGBTQ+ youth are afforded the same dignity, safety, and sense of belonging that every young person deserves.
You can play a part in making that difference: use our Back-to-School resources to bring belonging to your community for the 2025–2026 school year.
We look forward to doing this work — and building this world — together over the coming school year, and for as many years as it takes.
In strength,
Amram Altzman
Director of Youth Programs
he/him
A note from President & CEO Jaimie Krass:
I am beyond thrilled to introduce Amram (Ami) Altzman (he/him) in his new capacity — Keshet's Director of Youth Programs. An alum of Keshet’s very first LGBTQ+ and Ally Teen Shabbaton, Ami’s journey speaks to the power of the very spaces he now creates. As our Associate Director of Youth Programs, Ami provided crucial leadership in the expansion of our programming and outreach, enabling Keshet to engage with more LGBTQ+ Jewish youth than ever before and develop a robust pipeline of young leaders. He has also cultivated and deepened our partnerships with other youth-serving organizations, identifying new opportunities for programmatic innovation. Ami has done all of this with a deeply collaborative spirit, a steadfast commitment to youth empowerment, and the sharpest wit around. I can’t wait to see how he takes our youth programs to new heights!
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE
The Keshet team is overwhelmed with gratitude! Over the past seven months, you have generously donated over $2.7 million toward the Idit Klein Fund for the Impossible. Your special gift will honor Idit’s legacy and fuel Keshet’s future.
TAKE ACTION WITH KESHET
LGBTQ+ Community Forum: Safety and Solidarity. The regular 2025 Texas legislative session has ended, but our work continues. Join Texas community leaders for a series of expert panels on LGBTQ+ belonging, navigating healthcare resources, and reviewing the legislative landscape. Join us to get answers to your questions and connect with community. Sunday, August 17, 1pm CT. Register.
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:
Jewish Social Justice Roundtable Shivyon Cohort. Open to member organizations of the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable, with a sliding scale fee. If the fee is a barrier, please reach out to us! Launches with two virtual Days of Learning, October 30 and November 6. Learn more and apply.
Conservative/Masorti-affiliated Organizations Shivyon Cohort. Open to Conservative movement-affiliated organizations and congregations, and offered free of charge, thanks to the generosity of our partners! Launches with two virtual Days of Learning, November 11 and November 18. Learn more and apply.
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 Summertime Hangouts. LGBTQ+ Jewish teens are invited to our online hangouts taking place throughout the summer! All LGBTQ+ Jewish youth ages 13−18 are invited to join us for community, games, and joy this summer. Our next meeting is Thursday, August 7, 8pm 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, August 26, 7pm ET. Register.
Pacific Northwest Shabbaton. Our magical weekend retreat for LGBTQ+ Jewish teens is coming to the PNW! LGBTQ+ & ally Jewish teens in grades 7−12 (ages 13−18) are invited to join us November 14−16. Register.
MEET OUR BOARD
Rabbi Myriam Klotz (she/they) is a spiritual leader and a new member of the Keshet Board! We’re thrilled to have Rabbi Myriam join us, bringing educational expertise after 23 years working at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. We asked Rabbi Myriam what drew her to serve on the Board:
“I have been a fan and supporter of Keshet for a while now! It felt like a natural and wonderful next step to join the Board. As a rabbi, I have leaned into Keshet’s resources and presence in my work, and as a queer person, I have been uplifted time and again by what Keshet does and stands for. I am grateful to join the Keshet Board and offer what I can, especially at this time of leadership transition and also at such a critical time in the world.”
Thank you for your leadership, Rabbi Myriam! Please join us in welcoming them to Keshet!
A Heartfelt Farewell by Idit Klein
10 Years After Obergefell by Amram Altzman
Winning in Florida…Again! by David Weitzman
COMMUNITY EVENTS
More Than Rainbows: Nurturing LGBTQ+ Children in Jewish Life. Join this virtual workshop series hosted by Keshet and Response for Teens. Created for parents, we’ll equip you with the tools you need to support youth of all gender identities and sexual orientations, so that you can be a vital source of allyship and support. Sessions start Wednesday, August 6, 7pm CT. 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. If you’re in the Miami area, we invite you to join us on the second Monday of every month. Keshet is a co-sponsor of this program through the JCCA Keshet Shivyon Project. Monday, August 11, 6:30pm ET, at Alper JCC Miami. Register.
LGBTQ+ Fertility Support Group. Join our partner, Jewish Fertility Foundation, for their national peer-to-peer support group for LGBTQ+ individuals going through a fertility journey. Discover community and connect with resources tailored to your fertility needs. Keshet is a close partner. Monday, September 8, 8pm ET. Register.
LGBTQ+ Monthly Sit. Join Jes Heppler and guest leaders for a monthly Jewish mindfulness sit, offered by and for those who identify as LGBTQ+. Keshet is a close partner. Thursday, September 18, 12pm ET. Register.
