About

Eighteen:22 seeks to transform the world — for LGBTQ Jews and for the communities around us.

What is Eighteen:22?

Launching in August 2015, with a three-day think tank in Salzburg, Austria, Eighteen:22 is a global network of today’s emerging and established Jewish LGBTQ and ally visionaries who share a passion for advancing positive change and have demonstrated a profound commitment to LGBTQ issues across a variety of areas in LGBTQ Jewish life and beyond.

Riding a wave of popular support for LGBTQ human rights worldwide, and taking its name from Leviticus 18:22 in an act of reclamation and defiance, Eighteen:22 launches 11-13 August, 2015, in Salzburg, Austria, with a three-day think tank that brings together today’s next generation of international emerging and established Jewish LGBTQ and ally influencers at the Schloss Leopoldskron, home of the Salzburg Global Seminar — a world-class, global conference center that holds both Jewish and LGBTQ connections.

Through a combination of inspirational speakers, leadership and practical skills-building workshops, and peer-led case-studies, Eighteen:22 will cultivate a global network of visionaries who are actively pursuing positive change in a variety of disciplines — across the public and private sectors — and have demonstrated a profound commitment to LGBTQ issues in Jewish life and beyond.

Participation in Eighteen:22 is subsidized by the Schusterman Family Foundation and others.

Applicants to Eighteen:22 spanned a diverse array of professions and concentrations, and represented nearly 30 countries from around the globe. Each applicant was vetted by a panel of established thought leaders in the LGBTQ and Jewish worlds. Finalists were selected based on a number of criteria including:

-Demonstrated commitment to and impact in some area of LGBTQ Jewish life and/or beyond.

-Established in a decision-making position, or a position that consults with or counsels the decision-makers.

-A stand-out as an expert, leading talent, or other general star of their community or initiative.

-Currently active in work that targets the intersectionality of LGBTQ and Jewish life, in any field, through their paid profession or through dedicated service/unpaid activities.

Given the way many Jewish LGBTQ people have been excluded from cultural and religious communities in the past, and vice versa, Eighteen:22 continues to be particularly aware of, and sensitive to, the issues of representation. With this in mind, our goal is to create a gathering that reflects the diversity of LGBTQ and ally Jewry from the Global South and North.

In addition to evaluating each applicant based on the aforementioned criteria, our recruitment and selection process considered the following areas of representation: Jews of color, Jews by choice, person with a mobility issue, person with accessibility issues/special needs/invisible illness, non-Ashkenazi background, interfaith family, other identity.

Eighteen:22 only exists today, because of the many decades of activism, advocacy, and organizing that has helped make visible the stories and struggles of LGBTQ Jews, giving rise to the many flourishing LGBTQ Jewish communities around the world. We owe a great debt to all those individuals and initiatives that came before us, and to those that continue to make the world a
better place.

Their leadership and perseverance continues to inspire us as we set off on this next chapter.

Eighteen:22 is organized by Robert J. Saferstein and Halley Cohen, in partnership with The Schusterman Family Foundation, a global organization that seeks to ignite the passion and unleash the power in young people to create positive change for themselves, the Jewish community and the broader world.

For general questions, press inquiries, and/or to learn more about Eighteen:22 and how you can become involved, please email us at info@eighteen22.com.

Our Vision

Eighteen:22 addresses several needs that have emerged — and continue to emerge — as cultures and attitudes concerning LGBTQ individuals across the global South and North are constantly shifting — often for the better, but in some places, for the worse.

After decades of fighting to be seen and counted as equals, the importance of LGBTQ human rights has catapulted to the forefront of global consciousness with cries for justice, and calls to action. Through a combination of grassroots activism and the work of established national and international advocacy organizations, this ever-growing wave of popular support has helped pave the way for governments around the globe to institute laws and protections thought impossible only a few years ago.

Jewish communities, which have often been ahead of local cultural norms, have even seen moves towards LGBTQ acceptance and inclusion in the most unexpected corners of traditional observance and Jewish life. Along with similar advances in the world’s many faiths, the realization of an entirely equal and just society seems more achievable now than ever before.

Yet, in far too many places, the persecution and oppression of LGBTQ individuals continues under the veils of religious dogma and the preservation of societal values. In these locales, agents of intolerance remain steadfast in promoting cultures of hatred and violence — in some cases, reversing protections previously granted — against those different than themselves.

Given these cultural shifts, and understanding the value of interfacing in person in a world where increased interconnectivity has led to fewer opportunities to do so, Eighteen:22 recognizes that the need for a global network of Jewish LGBTQ and ally influencers — one that works in concert with Jewish and secular efforts — in order to find solutions that drive social impact and global change is more important now than ever before.

Together, we have the opportunity to facilitate the next wave of positive change by supporting and contributing to the great work already underway, and also, to be a model for LGBTQ inclusion for other faith groups and distinct cultural traditions.

Taking our name from Leviticus 18:22 in an act of reclamation and defiance, Eighteen:22 launches 11-13 August, 2015, in Salzburg, Austria, with a three-day think tank that brings together today’s next generation of international emerging and established Jewish LGBTQ and ally influencers at the Schloss Leopoldskron, home of the Salzburg Global Seminar — a world-class, global conference center that holds both Jewish and LGBTQ connections.

Their leadership and perseverance continues to inspire us as we set off on this next chapter.

For general questions, press inquiries, and/or to learn more about Eighteen:22 and how you can become involved, please email us at info@eighteen22.com.

Impact

Through the creation of a vibrant, comprehensive global network, Eighteen:22 seeks to:

Connect distinct and remote LGBTQ Jewish changemakers, initiatives, and organizations around the world that are active, both regionally and globally, in the Jewish LGBTQ sphere.

Empower leaders in the execution of their ideas and change initiatives through in-person leadership and organizational development opportunities, and online resource sharing.

Give emerging LGBTQ/ally Jewish leaders increased access to the broader fields of leading Jewish and LGBTQ organizations, as they move into upper-level positions and gain influence, so that they may bring their transformative potential wherever they go.

Disrupt the patterns of isolation and burnout often associated with leaders and activists working on the frontlines by providing systems of support.

Create a forum whereby collaborations are fostered and accelerated across a variety of professions and areas of focus to increase individual and collective impact.

Form a comprehensive and ongoing understanding of “on the ground” LGBTQ Jewish movements around the world, and how this work fits into the larger global landscape of LGBTQ initiatives underway.

Become a first-line, multidirectional resource that links leading efforts with, and cultivates strategic alignment between, international and state bodies, prominent foundations and nonprofits, and grassroots networks in order to find solutions that drive social impact and global change together.

Give Jewish and LGBTQ organizations pathways to engaging our intersectional communities in substantive, culturally-competent, and meaningful ways.

Meet Our Fellows

Justine Apple

Executive Director

Kulanu, Toronto

Justine Apple is from Toronto, Canada. She has served as Executive Director of Kulanu Toronto (kulanutoronto.org) – voice of the Jewish LGBT community – since 2008. A passionate, committed leader, Justine oversees all aspects of the organization, from planning and running events, to increasing awareness of the organization, to strengthening relationships with Jewish organizations and synagogues across Canada and beyond. Through her tireless advocacy, Justine has made Kulanu Toronto a household name for many Jewish families in Toronto. Justine envisions Kulanu Toronto becoming a full-service agency to support the needs of queer Jews and their families. In 2012, Justine was selected as one of 23 Jewish leaders to participate in The Joshua Institute for Jewish Communal Leadership run by UJA Federation. In 2013, Kulanu Toronto was accepted as the newest resident of Genesis: UJA Federation’s Centre for Jewish Innovation. Justine is the recipient of the 2015 Bill Graham Award – an award given to people demonstrating exemplary leadership and service to the LGBT community. Justine recently joined the board of A Wider Bridge: a pro-Israel organization that builds bridges between Israelis and LGBTQ North Americans and allies. She also serves on the Local Partnership Council at Centre for Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and is a past Board Member of her synagogue, Congregation Shir Libeynu. Justine holds an Honours BFA and B.Ed. She worked as an Elementa- ry School teacher for five years before becoming actively involved at Kulanu Toronto. In addition to running Kulanu Toronto, Justine works part-time as a food photographer.

More About Justine

Shay Assor

Alumni, Community Affairs Consultant

Israel Gay Youth

With over ten years of experience in Israel and abroad, Shay Z Assor is helping organi- zations build and strengthen their communities and run meaningful, sustainable programs that help them better achieve their goals. Shay was born in Beer Sheva and spent most of his youth in Southern Israel. Upon finishing his army service, he began working with youth and young professionals, both in Israel and abroad. Working with geographically and professionally diverse groups, he realized that Israel, and Israelis, lack long-term thinking. The concept of follow-up as a strategy was almost non-existent in his society. Following that realization, Shay started working on creating and developing of Alumni communities for non-profits. Currently working closely with IGY (Israeli Gay Youth Organization) leadership on the foundation of its Alumni Community, to be officially launch on IGY’s 13th anniversary. In addition, he works with Ta- glit-Birthright Israel to build an Israel Community for the organization, reaching out to tens of thousands of Israelis who have joined the trip in the past. Together with these organizations he creates and facilitates break- through online platforms, events and conferences, helping activists and professionals network, learn from each other and work together.

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S. Bear Bergman

Writer, Educator, & Storyteller

Award-winning writer, educator and storyteller S. Bear Bergman is the author of seven books as well as the founder of Flamingo Rampant, a children’s press focused on feminist, LGBTQ-positive, racially-diverse children’s books. His most recent book for grownups (Blood, Marriage, Wine, & Glitter) made several Best Of lists, has toured JCCs across North America, and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. Bergman is a much loved speaker and storyteller at universities and festivals alike, because his signature blend of wit and warmth brings all the people to the yard (regard- less of their sex designation, gender identity, or gender expression) (which he would like to remind you are not the same thing).

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David Bilchitz

Director

South African Institute for Advanced Constitutional

David Bilchitz is a Professor at the University of Johannesburg and Director of the South African Institute for Advanced Constitutional, Public, Human Rights and International Law. He is also Secretary-General of the Inter- national Association of Constitutional Law. David has published widely in the field of fundamental rights law and has also written several pieces on the rights of LGBTI persons and the potential clash with religious associ- ational rights. He co-organised the first legal conference in China on LGBTI people’s rights in April 2015. David is heavily involved in the Jewish community: he is a founder of Limmud South Africa and is currently the chair of Limmud International. He has been vice-chairperson of Beit Emanuel Progressive Synagogue, has functioned as a lay religious leader for many years and currently heads the Jewish identity portfolio of his synagogue. David organised the very successful tour of the film, “Trembling Before G-d,” to South Africa which opened up discussion on same-sex sexuality in the Jewish community there. Shortly there- after, he was one of the original founders of the organisation Jewish OutLook: the SA Jewish LGBTI alliance which sought to provide support, a social space and political representation for Jewish LGBTI persons. David was the chief legal advisor to OUT LGBTI Wellbeing, which led the successful campaign for same-sex marriage in South Africa. He is also an out-going board members of the South African Centre for Religious Equality and Diversity.

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Johnathan Bouzali Dayán

Executive Producer

KUTER Production House

Jonathan Bouzali was born in 1984, son of Argentinean immigrants who settled in Mexico City. At the age of 14, he started his profes- sional career by giving guitar lessons, becom- ing the Principal of the music school where he began as a teacher in only two years. At the age of 18, Jonathan founded and directed his own music school, MUSIC-HOUSE (music- house.com.mx), where he also worked as a producer for concerts and music festivals. At that time he started receiving offers from Televisa (Mexico ́s leading television network) and advertising agencies to start working for them on national TV programs and other commercial, promotional and advertising projects. That’s when he decided to create KUTER (kuter.mx), his audio- visual production house. The first advertising campaign he produced was the Mexican Red Cross National Campaign, when he was 21 years old. With hundreds of TV, cinema and radio spots and media campaigns for well-known companies, he continued working in the publicity and production industry, accruing a diversified portfolio of projects while working with some of the best known national and international brands and companies. Next to KUTER, Jonathan has cooperated closely with foundations and institutions of social support in diverse areas such as gender equality, health, arts & culture, people with disabilities, urbanism, sustainability, eating disorders among others, sharing his experience and expertise in marketing and advertising to help share the right messages to society.

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Tamás Büchler

Project Director

The Jewish Agency

Tamás (Tomi) Büchler studied law at ELTE University of Budapest and Jewish studies at the Rabbinical Seminary. He is a graduate of the Peace and Conflict Studies program at the University of Haifa. His work in the Jewish community includes youth work for various organizations, such as the Israeli Cultural Institute, the Jewish Agency, the Haver Foundation and the Limmud Conference. Tamás has coordinated educational projects in the field of young leadership (MiNYanim ), social justice and human rights (Tikkun Olam project, Me2WeBudapest) for students and young adults. Tamas also works with the Roma community in various frameworks. He is a PresenTense Global Fellow, a Rene Cassin Fellow, a Schusterman Fellow and a member of the ROI Community.

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Romina Charur

General Secetary

Jewish Argentine Gays

Romina is from Buenos Aires, and exercises her profession as a lawyer in an independent firm. She is the general secretary of JAG (Jewish Argentine Gays), working for the inclusion of human rights.

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Louis Cholden-Brown

Director

NYC Legislative & Budget Affairs Office, Corey Johnson

Louis Cholden-Brown hails from New York where he brings his background organizing diverse communities to his government service with the City Council. A former student of urban planning and modern Jewish history, he has worked with faith and marginalized communities around issues of economic, reproductive, racial, spatial and social justice and conducted research on the role of faith-based organizations in the delivery of government contracts and provision of social services. Responsible for coordinating the activities of the Council Health Committee and LGBT Caucus, Louis has embraced the mantra of housing as healthcare to seek ends to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and youth homelessness, a commitment which also permeated his tenure as chair of the Center for New Activism. In December 2014, legislation drafted by Louis to allow transgender New Yorkers to amend the gender marker on their birth certificates was passed after a 8-year campaign.

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Shana Cohen

Coordinator

Pride MN, Sweet Soiree Events & Entertainment

Shana Aviva Cohen is from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She graduated with her Masters in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 and is a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP). She owns and runs her own event company called Sweet Soiree Events & Entertainment. She plans & hosts LGBTQ Jewish events in the Twin Cities and is excited to begin expanding into LA and NYC. When she is not planning a party, you can find Shana at the St. Paul JCC working as the Membership Director, working for full inclusion of LGBTQ Jews throughout the JCCA. Shana also volunteers for JPrideMN as the Outreach and Engagement Chair of the organization.

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Evan Davidoff

Co-Founder & Executive Director

Global Partnership for Emerging Leaders (GPEL)

Evan Davidoff is the Executive Director and a co-founder of the Global Partnership for Emerging Leaders (GPEL). Evan holds a masters of social work degree with a concentration in international and community development where his master’s thesis was entitled “Social Works’ Role on Sexual and Gender Minority Rights in the International Arena.” His passions have led him to spend the last 10 years focused on engaging in work that upholds human rights worldwide and helping create a world where LGBTQ people live free of persecution and oppression. Evan has worked with CBST (New York’s LGBT Synagogue), Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice, and just recently joined Kulanu, an organization dedicated to empowering Jewish communities around the globe, as their Program and Development Coordinator. Evan lives in New York City with his husband, Hugo, who has spent the last decade photographing queer men from around the world, and their cat, Clark. In addition to LGBTQ human rights work he is also a fervent animal rights supporter and activist. Since becoming vegan 5 years ago as a person “10 Days of Awe Challenge” Evan has grown even more interested in veganism and loves to swap recipes and try different vegan restaurants around the world in his travels.

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Siegal Eli-Gers

Clinician

Response

Siegal is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She received her Master’s degree from the University of Michigan, with a certification in Jewish Communal Service She has been working for Response since 2005. Her specialties include working with adolescents and young adults. Siegal has focused her career on creating safe spaces for youth. Over the course of her career Siegal has been able to be a support and ally for many youth during their coming out process, as well as provide education, support and resources to their families. As part of the Response clinical team, Siegal has worked to create a culture of language and safety that is inclusive for all youth. Siegal is passionate about education, support and continuous evolution and change. SIegal is working on developing a gender support group as well as becoming trained in leading Rosh Hodesh groups to provide adolescents with as many options of support as possible. Siegal uses every opportunity she is presented with to provide education and support. Through her work at Response, Siegal has been able to be part of a team of people who have created a space that is gender inclusive and safe, providing counseling, activities, and parent support for youth and families within the LGBTQ community.

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Dalia Fleming

Education Coordinator

Keshet UK

Dalia is an active member of the British LGBT Community. Having been an activist since university through their Students’ Union and the National Union of Students, they have continued to build communities and fight discrimination through a variety of means. As Education Co-ordinator at Keshet UK (LGBT Jewish forum working for the inclusion of LGBT Jews in British Jewish life), they lead a team who go into schools and help facilitate conversations and better understanding of what it is like to be an LGBT Jew. In academia they have researched homophobia in halls of residents at University of Nottingham and having worked six summers at summer camps in the UK and USA, they investigated gender policing of trans and gender non-conforming young people at Summer Camp whilst at the London School of Economics (LSE). They are passionate about supporting people’s development and helping the entire British Jewish community - with a focus on young people - understand the experiences of British LGBT Jews and build safer spaces for LGBT Jews themselves.

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Rebecca Fox

Program Officer

Wellspring Advisors

Rebecca Fox works as a Program Officer at Wellspring Advisors, a donor advised firm that coordinates grantmaking programs that advance the realization of human rights and social and economic justice for all people. Prior to coming to Wellspring, she was the Executive Director of the National Coalition for LGBT Health, leading organizations nationwide to work together to improve the lives and health of LGBTQ people through advocacy, outreach, and education. She was also an Adjunct Professor of Human Sexuality at the George Washington University. She serves on the board of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice and is an active participant in the Selah Leadership Network for Jews engaged in social justice work. She is currently vice-chair of Funders for LGBTQ Issues. She has served on the board of Choice USA, a national organization that mobilizes and supports the diverse, upcoming generation of leaders who promote and protect reproductive choice, and Generations Ahead, which worked to engage a diverse spectrum of social justice stakeholders about the social and ethical implications of genetic technologies.

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Rachael Fried

Co-Director

JQY’s Women’s Programming (Jewish Queer Youth)

Rachael Fried holds an MSW in Community Organizing from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work and recently graduated from Parsons with an MFA in Transdisciplinary Design — systems design for social change. She also holds a BA in Studio Art and Graphic Design from Stern College. Rachael is a destigmatist, which means that she designs to approach taboos and to reduce stigmas and stereotypes. When she isn’t brainstorming new ways to create safe spaces, Rachael can be found painting fantastical creatures, repurposing old broken objects, and traveling the world in her bright green converse. She is currently the Co-Director of the Jewish Queer Youth (JQY) Women’s Space and is the program director in a Jewish summer camp.

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David Gee

Core Volunteer

Keshet UK

David is from London and has been involved in KeshetUK as a core volunteer. He has run workshops within schools and for international and national youth movements. David is interested in involving allies within the community. David’s partner is a foster carer and David wants to help promote LGBT families within the Jewish community. David also volunteers for LGBT education charity Diversity Role Models. He is currently in his forth year of studying medicine at King’s College London and has a degree in Neuroscience.

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Asher Gellis

Co-Founder & Executive Director

JQ International

Asher Gellis, the co-founder and Executive Director of JQ International based in Los Angeles serves as a consultant and educator to LGBTQ and Jewish organizations across the globe. Under Asher’s stewardship LGBTQ & ally Jewish community building has seen many firsts including LGBTQ Persian Noorooz events and services, the first fully-integrated and globally sourced LGBTQ Passover Haggadah, a city- wide Transgender Jewish calendar of events, and the JQ Warmline, the first national one- stop LGBTQ Jewish hotline offering resources and social service referrals to LGBTQ Jews, their families, and allies.

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Carlos A. Godoy L.

President of the Advisory Commitee

Ga’ava, the Jewish Community’s LGBTQ Advisory Committee (Montréal)

Principal leader since 2010 of Ga’ava, the Jewish Community’s LGBTQ Advisory Committee (Québec), Carlos is a respected and valued Jewish community volunteer even though he is not Jewish. Formerly a Vice-Pres- ident of the Québec Government’s Regional Youth Council for Montréal, Vice-President of the Québec Gay Chamber of Commerce and Member of the Executive and Board of Montréal Hooked On School, Carlos was appointed to Ga’ava’s Board as Chairperson in 2010 and made bridging differences and creating bonds between LGBTQ Jews and the greater Québec LGBT community a priority. Through Carlos’ leadership, Ga’ava has developed a closeness with LGBT community leaders, has been present in major community and Village events, has been active and vocal on issues and in the press, has been very engaged in the defence of common interests to Jewish and non-Jewish LGBT Québecers and has been an organizer of cultural-political-business-community exchange opportu- nities to the benefit of both communities. Through Carlos’ leadership, Ga’ava has become a model of participation and interaction of the Israeli and Jewish communities in the greater Québec society. By day, Carlos is Vice-President at Canadian PR/GR firm Impact Public Affairs, providing their clients with insight, advice and compre- hensive expertise on a broad range of topics. A proven strategist and communicator, Carlos has worked in the Public Relations sector since 1999 and is specialized in crisis and issues management, media relations, legislative and government affairs and strategic advocacy. Carlos currently works on numerous multidisciplinary files in the auto- motive, infrastructure, retail, sports entertainment and tourism sectors.

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Yelena Goltsman

Founder & Co-President

RUSA LGBT

Yelena Goltsman is a Ukrainian-born human rights and LGBT activist. She is the founder and co-president of RUSA LGBT, an organi- zation formed in 2008 to establish a social network for the Russian-speaking LGBTQ community in the New York area and beyond. RUSA LGBT regularly organizes cultural and social events to unite the Russian-speaking LGBTQ community and to increase accep- tance and inclusion of LGBTQ people within the greater Russian-speaking US community. RUSA LGBT works toward social justice, human and civil rights for LGBTQ people in US and in the countries of Former Soviet Union (FSU). Yelena immigrated to the United States in 1990. She has BS and MS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ukrainian Institute of Printing Technology in Lvov, Ukraine. Yelena is a 2012-2013 COJECO BluePrint Fellow. She is a recipient of the 2014 Brooklyn Lambda In- dependent Democrats Award. Yelena is a member of the prestigious 2015 COJECO Keystone Fellowship.

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Wayne Green

Founder & Director

Jewish and Gay Melbourne

Wayne is the Founder and Director of JAG Melbourne (Jewish and Gay). JAG was founded in 2013 as a social and cultural platform for young Jewish LGBTQI adults in Melbourne where social connections, support and advocacy is provided. JAG now also provides educational and advocacy events to the wider Jewish community to ensure the inclusion of diversity, equality and acceptance for LGBTQI Jews. Wayne works full time as an Executive Manager for the State Government of Victoria, at the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as in a part time role in early detection and prevention for HIV in high risk populations. Wayne is dedicated to improve the health outcomes of individuals and communities and is a strong advocate for social justice.

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Tyler Gregory

Director of Programs and Development

A Wider Bridge

Tyler Gregory joined A Wider Bridge in August 2014 as Director of Programming and Development, managing the pro-Israel LGBT organization’s fundraising and event portfolios. Previously Tyler worked at AIPAC as the Deputy Political Director for the Pacific North- west, where he focused on building broad based partnerships, advocating for a stronger US-Israel relationship. Tyler was instrumental in developing AIPAC’s first LGBT programming at the annual Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. and continues his involvement today as a pro-Israel political chair for young leaders and a member of the Northern California AIPAC Board. Additionally, Tye serves on the board of YAD, the Jewish Community Federation’s Young Adult Division, as the only LGBTQ representative. He is also an alumnus of the Pathways to Leadership Program, a nine month initiative for emerging LGBTQ Jewish leaders in the Bay Area. Tyler is a graduate of UC Davis, where he served as chapter President of Alpha Epsilon Pi. He is the Founder and past-President of the Davis AEPi Alumni Association, and remains involved with AEPi International, advising the organization on LGBTQ inclusion.

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György Hámori

Resident and International Expansion Associate

Moise House, Budapest

György ”Gyuri” Hámori has been a resident of Moishe House Budapest since May 2014 and works at the Herzl Center Budapest and the Israeli Cultural Institute as an Educational Coordinator. Gyuri received a Masters in Philosophy and Bachelors in Philology from the University of Szeged in Hungary. Gyuri was born in Budapest and has lived in the UK, Greece and Spain. He has worked and volunteered for a variety of NGOs and organizations across Europe, including the European Volunteer Service in Málaga, Spain and The City is for All activist group in Budapest, Hungary, which focuses on homelessness and the criminalization of the homeless. As a community leader and educator Gyuri’s future goals are to deepen his understanding of the jewish LGBTQ community and cre- ate safe spaces for them, also make sure that they can join the jewish community of Hungary

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Warren Hoffman

Associate Director of Community Programming

Center of Jewish Life and Learning, Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

Warren currently serves as the Associate Director of Community Programming for the Center of Jewish Life and Learning at Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, and is the director of Jewish Pride, Federation’s LGBT affinity group.. Prior to that he was the Senior Director of Programming for the Gershman Y in Philadelphia where the Jewish Exponent named him the “”next wave”” of arts and culture in the city. While in Philadelphia, he also founded Queer@TheCollaborative, Philly’s first social group for LGBTQ Jews in their 20s and 30s. He’s also a co-founder of Heymish, the longest-running havurah in Philadelphia. Warren also spent many years in the arts and served as the literary manager and dramaturg for Philadelphia Theatre Company where he dramaturged world premieres by Bill Irwin, Chris Durang, and Terrence McNally. In New York, Warren was the Associate Artistic Director of Jewish Repertory Theatre where he produced and dramaturged a season of Jewish musicals in concert. He was also a writer and reviewer for TalkinBroadway.com where he covered the Off-Broadway and cabaret scene. Warren is also a playwright and his work has been developed in New York, Philadelphia, and Dallas. In addition to working in the theater community, Warren holds a Ph.D. in American Literature from the University of California-Santa Cruz and has taught at multiple universities. He earned rave reviews for his book The Passing Game: Queering Jewish American Culture published by Syracuse University Press. His latest book is The Great White Way: Race and the Broadway Musical.

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David Jasqui

Coach

Pink David

David was born and raised in Mexico city, within the Jewish community. Since he was young he found out he was different from other boys, he felt more interested in film, music and theatre than in sports and when he became a teenager, it was undeniable for him, he was gay. His reaction was to hide it since he was bullied for being sissy and he made a promise to himself to buried who he was and fight it; so he could belong to his family, religion and community. He became a frightened teenager and a bitter young adult, he search for love in girls but destiny had other plans for him and luckily those were to face reality, get courageous and accept who he was emotionally, spiritually and sexually. It wasn’t easy because he did it by himself, with no help from an experienced, out of the closet gay jewish man, or therapy. But he found out he could be happy and the less homophobic he was with him, the less homophobic the world was with him. He participated in LGBTQ jewish groups to create spaces and equality within the community, but he needed to help people in a more personal way, so he had the initiative to create Pink David a group of volunteers, who give coaching and mentoring to LGBTQ jewish people and their families for accepting and dealing with the sexuality and identity issues. So one has to grow old in fear and alone anymore.

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Daniel Jonas

Chairperson

Havruta - Religious Gays in Israel

Daniel is 33 years old, born and raised in Jerusalem. An observant Jew, married to Uri. Has an MA degree in Jewish History from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His MA thesis focused on homoerotic aspects of the Sabbate- an theology. Currently serves as the chairper- son of ‘Havruta – Religious Gays in Israel.’ Daniel became motivated to volunteer and help his fellow closeted women and men fol- lowing the murderous attack at the Bar-Noar (gay youth club) in Tel-Aviv at Aug. 2009. He joined Havruta’s board, first as spokesperson and for the past several years as chairperson. Lately, he became more involved in local Jeru- salemite politics and culture, running in the Meretz primaries for the elections to the city council and, until recently, as ‘Yeru-Shalem – the וו.Coalition for an Inclusive Jerusalem’ coordinator

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Jaimie Krass

Crisis Counselor

The Trevor Project

A native of Chicago who is unafraid to admit that she prefers New York-style pizza, Jaimie first realized her passion for LGBTQ rights advocacy in February, 2004, when then-President George W. Bush proposed a constitutional amendment to restrict federally-recognized marriage to opposite-sex couples. She spent the ensuing months lobbying her Congress representatives. When she encountered vituperative, homophobic behavior one year later in the halls of her high school, it was as though gasoline had been added to the fire already burning within. In the following years, she founded and presided over her school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, organizing campus-wide participation in the National Day of Silence and creating a safe space for any student, LGBTQ-identified or otherwise. In the words of a former member, the GSA ”was the stepping stone to finding myself and gaining the courage to come out and live as I was meant to be.” Today Jaimie works as the coordinator for Columbia University/ Barnard College Hillel’s Birthright programs, volunteering as a crisis counselor for LGBTQ youth and on the Hillel International LGBTQ Inclusivity Committee in her spare time. She earned her BA in political science and Jewish studies from the University of Florida in Gainesville.

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Jason Landau Goodman

Executive Director

The Pennsylvania Youth Congress

Jason is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. He has been involved with J-Bagel since 2009, the Jewish LGBTQ student organization at the University of Pennsylvania. As Chair of J-Bagel, the organization transformed into one of the largest and most active Jewish LGBTQ student organizations in the nation. A fifth generation Pennsylvanian, Jason is the founding Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, the first and only statewide LGBTQ youth organization in the commonwealth. He has been a leader in the national LGBTQ youth movement for over five years, and has been named one of the top 12 LGBT Youth Leaders in the United States by Campus Pride. Through his personal interest in Jewish historical research, Jason has studied Yiddish at Penn and traveled throughout Eastern Europe. Jason grew up in a Conservative community outside of Philadelphia, and is actively engaged in Jewish life throughout Pennsylvania.

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Shoshana Levin

Group Facilitator

Youth Mentor and Advocate

Shonna self identifies on Jswipe as a Rabbi’s Daughter. She has been a key contributor within a gamut of projects in the frum community and has worked on; a documentary on mental illness in the yeshiva community, an Orthodox ED equine treatment center, special needs inclusion, sex positive kallah programming and LGBT activism. She contributes to a secretive group of frum queer members who had, have or will have a measure of female/feminine identity, and organizes, recruits for and facili- tates their events. She enables discourse with influential members of the Yeshiva community to structure support for queer youth in Monsey, Brooklyn and Lakewood schools. This coming year, Shonna is planning on opening a drop in, peer run safe space for frum queers and students in Washington Heights and Brooklyn, as well as building Torah engaging opportunities for frum queer women.

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Joseph Levin-Manning

Director of Engagement

University of Maryland, Baltimore County Hillel

Joe Levin-Manning is from Bridgeport, Connecticut by way of Raleigh, North Carolina. Since graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Carolina Scholar with a B.A. in Political Science and minor in Music in 2011, Joe has worked with several organizations in North Carolina, Florida, and Maryland supporting students of all ages. In his work, Joe has continually promoted inclusive and safe communities for those with mixed identities by being quite vocal about the intersections of his own identity. On cam- pus, Joe actively brings together the Jewish and LGBTQ communities for dialogue and personal exploration that builds a stronger and more inclusive community, reducing stigma by increasing overall understanding. Personally, Joe has been a competitive ballroom dancer, actor and performer, and loves to explore new places through cuisine and meeting locals. Currently, he is working on his Master’s in Business Administration with a focus on Management and Leadership at the University of Maryland College Park’s Robert H. Smith School of Busi- ness. Professionally, Joe currently works as the Graduate Coordinator for LGBTQ Programs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the Director of Engagement at UMBC Hillel. Joe currently resides in Baltimore where he is also tries to bring together Jewish young adults for Shabbat dinners at home, the best foundation to build an inclusive and supportive community.

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Mordechai Levovitz

Executive Director

Jewish Queer Youth

Rebellious and free thinking from the age of five, Mordechai insisted that he be considered a “boy-girl” on his first day at his ultra-Orthodox kindergarten. Throughout the next sixteen years in Orthodox yeshivas, Mordechai continued to challenge the gender norms of Orthodox Judaism, while developing a proficiency in Judaic studies. He was the first student in Yeshiva University to come out of the closet. In college Mordechai became New York’s first male Certified Rape Crisis Advocate. Mordechai was accepted early-decision to Stony Brook Medical School where he studied medicine for two years until taking a leave of absence to pursue a Masters in social work. Mordechai worked as a social worker for teens at the LGBT Center of Manhattan and as the LGBT consultant for the UN NGO Committee for Human Rights. Mordechai Is a member of Actor’s Equity and SAG, and has starred as lead actor in the US National Tours of Cabaret, Oliver! and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. In 2002 he founded “JQY,” a nonprofit for LGBT youth in the Orthodox community, and currently serves as its executive director.

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Jayson Littman

Founder & Director

Hebro
Hebro Travel

JAYSON LITTMAN is the founder of Hebro, an event production company targeting gay Jews in New York and has produced over 50 events since its inception in 2008. Jayson’s events and parties attract upwards of 1,000 attendees who travel to NYC from throughout the country to attend these unique events targeting the gay Jewish community. Hebro has also produced travel destination trips to Germany and Israel, and in April of 2014 organized its first Florida destination weekend that brought 80 gay Jews from 16 states and 3 countries.

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Robbie Medwed

Assistant Director

SOJOURN

Robbie Medwed is assistant director of SOJOURN: The Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity, where he oversees their educational programming and outreach, including their award-winning suicide prevention workshops, Jewish education sessions, and training seminars. Robbie also leads the legal advocacy efforts of SOJOURN, including their successful blocking of the harmful, so-called ”religious liberty” bill in the Georgia legislature. Robbie holds a master’s degree in Jewish education from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and has written curricula and nationally-recognized inclusive programs for the Marcus JCC of Atlanta, BBYO, USY, Camp Ramah, the Jewish Teen Funders Network, Babaganewz, and JewishGPS.

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Elias Gustavo Michanie

President

Jewish Argentine Gays

Gustavo Michanie has been working for more than 10 years in the creation and operation of JAG (Jewish Argentine Gays), and this year he has been elected once more as president. He has been part of the World Congress Jews LGBT. He is almost a full time activist for the Diversity and Inclusion Cause in Argentina. He also attended several American Joint Congress at which the LGBT issue was dealt with. Gustavo worked with many political representatives of the country involved in the discussion of the Equal Marriage Law that was finally passed in July 2010. He is one of the protagonists of the Documentary, “One Among Others,” which is a film describing the story of four gay members of the Jewish Community in Argentina.

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Jessica Minnen

Founder & Director

Seven Wells

Jessica Minnen grew up in a secular family in Kentucky, went on to study gender and sexuality at university, and worked in music journalism for five years before finding her way to Judaism. She founded Seven Wells in 2012 to create a space where Torah and classic Jewish texts serve as a framework for a larger conversation about gender, sexuality, and identity. In addition to her work with Seven Wells, Jessica is the Rabbi in Residence at OneTable, a startup initiative that supports young adults to end their week with intention around the Shabbat dinner table, and the founder of Ecstatic Mincha, a monthly Shabbat afternoon dance party in Brooklyn. (It’s as amazing as it sounds.) She is an alumna of Washington University in St. Louis, the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Paideia: The European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden, Baltimore Hebrew University, and the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she was ordained in 2013.

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Matthew Mishory

Filmmaker, Commerical Director

Filmmaker Matthew Mishory (born 1982, Santa Monica) has been named a “rising talent” by Variety and “a new major figure in U.S. independent cinema” by French magazine Les Inrocks. His feature film debut, Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean (official selection: Palm Springs, Seattle, Guadalajara, Rio de Janeiro, Transilvania, and Reykjavik International film festivals, as well as dozens of LGBT film fests) was released theatrically in the United States, the UK, and Germany. Artforum pronounced it “a nuanced portrayal of an entire era,” and Film International declared that “Matthew Mishory has managed to capture an austere beauty of a kind little known and little understood by all but the likes of Baudelaire.” His follow-up feature, the documentary Absent, about the legacy of the Holocaust in a rural Moldovan village, will be released in late 2015. Matthew previously directed the award-winning short film, Delphinium, about the late artist and LGBT activist Derek Jarman. The film was recently re-released in the UK by the British Film Institute as part of its year-long Jar- man2014 commemoration and installed in the National Film Ar- chive. As a commercial director, Matthew has handled campaigns for major international brands such as Roku, TCL, Turkish Airlines, Haier, and Hisense. He has taught and lectured at a variety of institutions, film labs, and festivals around the world. Matthew lives in Los Angeles, where he is involved in his synagogue and the local Jewish community.

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Eli D. Nassau

President

Guimel

Eli was born in Mexico City and lived there until he was eighteen years old. After graduating high-school he traveled to Israel to work in a Kibbutz (Naan) and then in a restaurant in Tel-Aviv. Eli then moved to Los Angeles to study his undergraduate degree at the University of Souther California. He majored in Cinema Studies and minored in Theatre. While in college, Eli co-founded and directed JAGS, the Jewish Alliance for GLBTs and Straights--a student organization that bridges the Jewish and LGBT identities. JAGS won a University award for Best Religious Organization in 2012. After graduating, Eli moved to New York City to pursue a career in the Entertainment Business. He worked in the Tribeca Film Festival for a year. Eli also participated in several Jewish-Queer organizations and events such as JQY, Hebro, and CBST. In 2011 Eli moved back to Mexico City and soon after, in Feb- ruary 2012, created Guimel with a group activists. Guimel is an organization that gives support to Jewish Mexican LGBTs, their families and friends. Today Eli is the President of the organization, and has worked to help the Community accept and include its LGBT members. Eli also works as a Stage Manager for The Lion King musical production in Mexico City.

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Juval Porat

Cantor

Beth Chayim Chadashim

Juval Porat was born in Israel, studied at the Bnai Akiva Yeshiva, earned a master’s degree in architecture and worked as an architect in Berlin. While in school, Juval served as a cantorial soloist at several congregations. The passion for singing and service leadership bred by those experiences led him to pursue cantorial studies at the newly established Institute of Cantorial Arts in Berlin, part of the Abraham Geiger College. He spent his final academic year at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem, where he wrote a thesis on the development of the Friday evening liturgy in Germany. In June 2009 Juval was invested as the first cantor to be trained in Germany since World War II. Juval’s career at BCC (Temple Beth Chayim Chadashim in Los Ange- les) began when, while still a student, he served as BCC’s Cantor for the High Holy Days in 2008 and 2009. It felt so right, that he was hired as BCC’s Cantor the following year. In addition to leading services, Cantor Porat works with BCC’s family education program, directs the BCC choir, teaches adult educa- tion classes, produces concerts and works closely with Rabbi Lisa Edwards to meet the spiritual and musical needs of our congregation and in representing BCC in the larger LGBTQ and Jewish world. In 2012, Cantor Porat produced a celebratory concert and CD in honor of BCC’s 40th Anniversary and in 2015 he released his first album of original material named ”Optimism.”

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Surat-Shaan Rathgeber Knan

Founder and Manager

Rainbow Jews
Twilight People

Surat-Shaan Rathgeber Knan works for the Liberal Jewish movement UK and is a campaign- er for faith related LGBTQI issues. Surat-Shaan is the founder and manager of the landmark Lottery Heritage funded projects Rainbow Jews and Twilight People. Shaan is an out & proud transgender Jew and blogs for Jewish News UK about his transitioning journey. He is currently the community coordinator of the AHRC funded project Ritual Reconstructed: Challenges to disconnection, division and exclusion in the Jewish LGBTQI Community,Liberal Judaism; Rainbow Jews; Twilight People. London, UK in collaboration with three major UK universities. He has an M.A. degree in Psychology, Journalism and Theatre, and has worked for over two decades as educator and project coordinator with various organizations including Sydney Western University (Australia). As a high-profile public speaker, he has presented at numerous international conferences including Tel Aviv LGBT Leadership 2015; ILGA World; AIDS 2014 Melbourne, Global Interfaith Network, Johannesburg 2014, and WOGA Outgames, Antwerp 2013. He is now preparing for a ground-breaking portrait exhibition at The Jewish Museum London in 2016.

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Oliver Rosenberg

Founder, Executive Director

Or Chayim
Prealth

Oliver Rosenberg is the founder and Executive Director of Or Chayim. Or Chayim is the first Orthodox LGBTQ minyan in the world and is located in New York’s Upper West Side. It also provides a start-up Shabbat & holidays community experience for unaffiliated, traditional and Orthodox LGBTQ Jews. Founded in February 2014, Or Chayim attracts an average attendance of 70 people per Shabbat including 55 people afterwards for a sit down Shabbat dinner. Oliver was recognized by the Jewish Week as one of their 36 under 36 Jewish leaders in 2015.

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Harry Samuels

Advocacy Coordinator

American Jewish World Service

Harry is currently located in Washington, D.C. where he manages American Jewish World Service’s LGBT rights advocacy portfolio. In this capacity, Harry regularly interfaces with US government staff in Congress, the White House, at the State Department, and at USAID to ensure that our foreign assistance programs promote and uphold the rights of LGBT people in Africa, Asia and the Americas. In this capacity, Harry has worked with LGBT rights groups in Kenya, Uganda, Nicaragua, El Salvador and most recently Burma to connect them to stakeholders in the US government. Harry is also a certified indoor cycling instructor and teaches at a boutique fitness studio in Washington. In addition, he is a volunteer with HIPS, a local, public health organization that conducts overnight outreach to drug users in DC and to people engaged in commercial sex work. Previously, Harry was on the National Student Board of J Street U as the Northeast Campus Representative.

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Johanna Sanders

Chair

Aleinu, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah

Johanna Sanders is an extraordinary activist and community organizer who is passionate about social justice as well as providing spaces- particularly for young LGBTQ Jews- to come together, reaffirm their commitment to Judaism and form a welcoming community where everyone feels at home. Her career path is entirely dedicated to achieving justice- her current employment is with the legendary LGBTQ activist Urvashi Vaid at The Vaid Group working with social justice innovators, movements and organizations to address structural inequalities based on sexual orientation, gender identity, race, and economic status. Her future plan is to attend law school in the fall of 2016 focusing her studies on legal LGBTQ issues. Sanders has been a member of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah for just one year and has taken the synagogue by storm, building Aleinu, the synagogue’s 20s & 30s group, and creating the discussion series ‘Architects of the LGBTQ Movement’ which continues to bring in incredible activists. She has brought in countless new members and enjoys making CBST, Aleinu, the Chorus- all that she is involved in- accessible to all people.

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Phoenix Schneider

Director

LGBTQ Initiative, JFCS of Greater Philadelphia

Phoenix Schneider, M.S.W., has worked in the nonprofit sector for the past fifteen years, specializing in program development and direct services with LGBTQ individuals and communities. Phoenix is a thought leader in the area of LGBTQ youth and mental health and has extensive experience developing local and national programming for LGBTQ populations. Currently Phoenix is the Director of the LGBTQ Initiative with JFCS of Greater Philadelphia and responsible for designing and managing comprehensive programming to meet the current and growing needs of diverse Jewish LGBTQ communities in the Greater Philadelphia area. Phoenix oversees direct services, training and education, and community engagement with Jewish LGBTQ communities, families and allies. Prior to working with JFCS, Phoenix was the Program Director with The Trevor Project for six years and oversaw a safety net of suicide prevention programming for LGBTQ youth. Phoenix is trans, queer, Jewish and a lifelong advocate for LGBTQ individuals and communities.

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Nadav Schwartz

Vice Chairman

Havruta - Religious Gays in Israel

Nadav, 33, is from Jerusalem. An educator, graphic designer, and advertiser, he is currently the vice chairman of Havruta - religious gays. Nadav volunteers in Hoshen, Shoval, & Shira trying to make a change through the world of education. He is further involved in a bunch of other organaizations that are both religious and secular. His blog, “זו לא את ,זה אני,” has been active for over three years, talking about different issues and experiences form his life.

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Steve Share

Project Manager

Spectrum Philly

Meet Steven Share! Steven spent six years at Lord & Taylor in Philadelphia, NYC, and Washington DC, where he developed his public relations and human resources skills. He then spent six years as Senior Consultant for a private Customer Experience Management firm, where he was a business and Human Resources Consultant, and prided himself on being the “CMO” (Chief Morale Officer.) Steven was also a volunteer for the one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ pride events serving on fundraising and special events committees for Capital Pride in DC for 8 years. Steven joined Tribe 12 as Spectrum Philly’s Project Manager in 2014 and is honored to be on the forefront of building a vibrant, exciting LGBTQ Jewish community in Philadelphia. He is also Tribe 12’s representative for JProud, a consortium of organizations working to become more LGBTQ inclu- sive, and is on the Young Friends board of the National Museum of American Jewish History.

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Dave Shaw

Communications And Operations Director

Keshet UK
Gay Jews in London

Dave is a founding director of Keshet UK – the charity that works for full inclusion of LGBT people in Jewish life in the British community. As the communications and operations lead, he steers a team coordinating website, social media, CRM, press, editorial, and events. Aside from this, much of his work is spent meeting with representatives of community organisations to advocate for diversity and scope the needs of projects to make their organisations more inclusive. Dave is also co-chair of Gay Jews In London, a group with over 600 members, providing a safe space through social activities for those identifying as gay and Jewish in London.

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Yehoshua Shohat Gurtler

Legal Adviser

Havruta - Religious Gays in Israel
Shoval

Yehoshua is a founding member of ”Shoval,” a member and legal adviser of Havruta - Religious Gays and is active in the Pride Minyan. He is a founding member of Yachad, an inclusive Orthodox synagogue in Tel Aviv. He has also volunteered in Hoshen - Education and Change and in the Israeli LGBTQ support hotline. Yehoshua was a Major in the IDF’s Legal Corps and is now a partner in Israel’s largest law firm (Herzog, Fox & Neeman). He frequently speaks and lectures in different forums on issues related to LGBTQ rights and tolerance (including various US law schools and college campuses, where he has lectured at the invitation of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C.). Yehoshua (34) is originally from Jerusalem and now lives in Tel Aviv with his partner Lior (38) and their twins Noa and Yuval.

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Matthew Shurka

Ambassador

#BornPerfect Campaign
National Center for Lesbian Rights

Born and raised in Great Neck, New York, Mathew Shurka was 16 years old when he came out to his father about being gay. From that time until he was 21, he endured seeing four so-called “conversion” therapists in four different states. Today, the 27-year-old is open and proud, and since coming out in 2012, Mathew has been a strong national advocate for banning these destructive practices. Mathew is a dedicated full time advocate and Ambassador of the #BornPerfect campaign with the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR). The #BornPerfect team has promised to end conversion therapy in all 50 states by 2019. Thus far conversion therapy bans have passed in three states and Washington, D.C., paving the way for similar legislation to roll out across the rest of the country. More recently, Mathew joined Representative Ted Lieu to introduce a bill that has the potential to end conversion therapy on a federal level. Through his advocacy, Mathew shares his personal and traumatic testimony of his conversion therapy experiences, yet in the process, has also reconciled with his family, former conversion therapist and high school bully. Mathew Shurka is having a global impact by creating a conversation for love and acceptance through forgiveness and peace.

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Hannah Simpson

Coordinator

Trans Lifeline

Hannah is a medical student, marathoner, biomedical engineer, funny human being, devoted Jew, and transgender activist from New Jersey and now New York City. Since coming out, Hannah has contributed to numerous queer causes and communities, most notably working as a volunteer coordinator for the Trans Lifeline, a peer listening and crisis hotline created for and by members of the trans, nonbinary, and intersex communities. Hannah is also an organizing member for Shir HaMaalot Brooklyn, an independent monthly Havurah, and actively participates in many committees in Congregation Beit Simchat Torah of Manhattan. Hannah is also a writer on trans issues in religion and media, and has appeared as a commentator on MSNBC and Fox 5 (WNYW) New York.

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Zehorit Sorek

Chairwoman

Yesh Atid Party
Bat Kol

Zehorit Sorek, 39, established the Pride Minyan in Tel Aviv on Yom Kippur in 2009, after she felt like she had no place in her native, Orthodox synagogue. As a born-and- raised Orthodox Jew, Zehorit has dedicated her volunteer work to the creation of a proud Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender religious community. Besides her work for the Pride Minyan, she’s an active member of “Bat Kol,” the religious lesbian organization, and a former director at “Hoshen” an educational program for LGBT acceptance. Also, she’s a member of the advisory committee of the LGBT community center in Tel Aviv. In 2012, she got the honor of Distinguished Members of the LGBT Community. During the last year, she has served as the Chairperson of the LGBT caucus of the “Yesh Atid” political party. Zehorit holds a M.A. in History and Archeology in Israel from Bar Ilan University. Nowadays, she works in the education system training teachers. Zehorit currently lives in Tel Aviv, with her wife, Limor, and two kids, Tzvi-Bar (17) and Ariel (13).

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Michael Tolkin

CEO

MAX Labs
IMAX Corporation

Michael Tolkin is an innovator, entrepreneur, investor, and producer. He most recently served as CEO of IMAX Labs, the innovation arm of IMAX Corporation. As CEO, Michael led IMAX’s new venture efforts, developing and commercializing new products in the areas of media, entertainment and technology, with a focus on immersive platforms and virtual reality technologies. Prior to IMAX Labs, Michael founded and led Merchant Exchange, a loyalty marketing platform. Michael previously served as Director of Corporate Development and Strategy at IMAX and as an analyst at Oliver Wyman, a management consulting firm. While in college, Michael developed his first startup, Foodilly Chocolate Factory, a gourmet customized candy bar concept. Michael received his B.S.E. from Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania, and is the founder of NoMad Park, a proposed new park development in the heart of Manhattan.

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Gal Uchovsky

Filmmaker & Producer

President and Co-Founder of Israel Gay Youth

Gal Uchovsky is a filmmaker, writer, LGBT leader, and TV personality. He is a household name and a celebrity in Israel, and one of the leading commentators on arts and culture. Mr. Uchovsky has been a vocal advocate of gay rights, becoming a role model for young people. He is known for his firm standing against closeted celebrities and is a big advocate for visibility. The monthly Pink Time named him in 2010 ”The most influential gay person in Israel.” Mr. Uchovsky is the president of IGY, Israeli Gay Youth Organization, he founded with Yaniv Waizman in 2002. IGY is the biggest LGBTQ organization in Israel. Mr. Uchovsky writes and produces films and TV shows with his part- ner director Eytan Fox. Their work includes: ”Yossi & Jagger,” “Walk On Water,” and “The Bubble.” As a culture journalist Mr. Uchovsky was one of the leading voices in the new-media revolution of the 80’s. As a writer and later editor in chief of ”Ha’ir” (The City) he was tagged a spokesmen for the new Tel Aviv. He now writes a weekly column for Mako (a leading web site). Mr. Uchovsky hosted several TV shows. For five years he served as a judge on ”Israeli Idol.” He was labeled ”The Israeli Simon Cowel.” This year he was the first gay participant on the reality show ”Goal- Star” as part of a celebrity soccer team. Gal Uchovsky and Eytan Fox live in Tel Aviv. This summer they cele- brate their 28th anniversary.

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Joanna Ware

Regional Director

Keshet, Boston

A Jewish activist for LGBTQ issues since she was a teenager, Joanna joined Keshet in 2009 as a member of the JOIN for Justice Community Organizing Fellowship. In her time at Keshet, Joanna has built powerful communities of LGBTQ Jews and allies across Greater Boston, Massachusetts, and the country working in support of full justice and equality for LGBTQ people, including organizing the Jewish community in support of the successful passage of the Massachusetts Trans Equal Rights Bill in 2011. As Boston Regional Director, she directs Keshet’s work in Boston with Jewish institutions, LGBTQ Jews, and our friends and family, including the Keshet Parent & Family Connection. Joanna’s academic background is in gender studies, Middle East studies, and politics, and she brings to Keshet professional experience in Jewish youth work and informal education, anti-violence and anti-sexism education and prevention, policy advocacy, and community organizing. Originally from San Diego, Joanna is an alumna of Antioch College and has spent time living, learning, and working at the intersections of gender, sexuality, faith, and politics in Israel and Western Europe. She currently lives in Jamaica Plain, MA, with her partner Diana. On the critical question of whether she’d choose flight or invisibility as her super power, she always chooses to fly.

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Sarah Weil

Founder & Executive Director

Women’s Gathering Jerusalem
Queer Israel

Sarah made Aliyah from California in 2005 and has lived in Jerusalem ever since. The first two years she engaged in intensive Jewish studies in ultra-Orthodox seminary, and the last 8 years she has been trying to integrate both her religious and queer identities. To this end, she has been involved in a number LGBTQ and Jewish initiatives. She served for two years as Director of International Outreach for Bat Kol, the religious lesbian organization in Israel. In 2001, tired of going to Tel Aviv to go out and meet people, she created the Women’s Gathering, a totally grassroots initiative which continues to serve thousands of women and allies as well as works with tens of local businesses to make Jerusalem a more open, tolerant and inclusive place for LGBTQ peoples. Since the last Gaza war, she has been more active politically in integrating queer and Zionists identities. To this end, she is in the process of creating a queer Zionist think tank and blog with academics, politicians and activists, that will give support and a voice to thousands of LGBTQ Jews who feel that in order to be accepted in the queer community, they have to keep quiet on their support of Israel. Sarah works as Social Media Manager for the Elijah Interfaith Institute and is currently completing an MA in Philosophy at the Hebrew University with a focus in Eros, Gender and Ethics in the thought of Emmanuel Levinas. She belongs to an Orthodox synagogue in Nachlaot, Jerusalem.

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Heather Wilk

Executive Director

Straight But Not Narrow

Heather Wilk is the co-founder and Executive Director of Los Angeles based charity, Straight But Not Narrow (SBNN). SBNN works with various anti-bullying and LGBT equality campaigns to increase support from straight high school and university students. Celebri- ties, such as Josh Hutcherson (Hunger Games), Avan Jogia (Nickelodeon’s Victorious), Cory Monteith (Glee) and Gethin Anthony (Game of Thrones) work with SBNN to garner the attention of a new generation of advocates. Since SBNN’s establishment in 2011, the organization has been recognized by several LGBT organizations as one of the leading Straight Ally campaigns.

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Michael Zimmerman

Senior Campaign Executive

Jewish National Fund

Michael Zimmerman is from Jersey City, New Jersey. He is an active member of the LGBTQ community and has recently taken on LGBTQ leadership roles within his organization, Jewish National Fund. He has led an LGBTQ Taglit Birthright through Israel this past summer. He is currently working on forming a National LGBTQ lay leadership, comprised of active donors from around the United States who are eager to pursue projects in Israel which improve life for the LGBTQ communities around the country. He is very excited to be attending this conference and to have been given the opportunity to meet other Jewish LGBTQ leaders from around the world.

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Location

Eighteen:22 will hold its inaugural convening at the Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg, Austria. Built in 1736, and surrounded by 17 acres of manicured grounds, Schloss Leopoldskron is nestled by a small, idyllic lake, and features majestic views of the mountains and the Hohensalzburg Fortress.

With 55 modernized rooms in the Meierhof, 12 suites in the historic palace, and two townhouses, Schloss Leopoldskron is an exclusive and discreet hideaway just 10 minutes from the Salzburg Airport (SZG) and less than 5 minutes from the Old Town of Salzburg.

Eighteen:22 is excited to provide participants with accommodations of two people per room. We will do our best to honor all roommate and other requests taken on the registration form. Single rooms will be available for an additional fee.

Salzburg in August is a magical time of year, with the Salzburg Festival in full bloom. The average temperature ranges from 73-86 degrees Fahrenheit (23-30 degrees Celsius), so we’ll try to spend as much time outside as we can.

We highly encourage participants to arrive early and stay after our gathering to truly enjoy the sites!

The Schloss Leopoldskron was commissioned as a family estate on the shores of an existing pond in 1736 by the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg Leopold Anton Freiherr von Firmian (1679-1744), which he passed on in May 1744 to his nephew Count Laktanz Firmian.The palace had several owners during the 19th century, and was eventually purchased in 1918 by Europe’s most famous theater director and co-founder of the Salzburg Festival, Max Reinhardt.

By this time the palace was in urgent need of repair. With the work of local artisans, Reinhardt spent twenty years renovating the palace. Besides restoring the staircase, the Great Hall, and the Marble Hall, he created the Library, the Venetian Room, and a garden theatre. Reinhardt brought life to Schloss Leopoldskron in literal terms, with his theater productions, audiences, and friends. In the plays produced here Reinhardt put the Schloss to full use, moving audiences from one room to another, employing the magnificent rooms as sets in and of themselves. During the Reinhardt years, Schloss Leopoldskron was an important gathering place for theatrical producers, writers, composers, actors, and designers from Europe and abroad.

hotellogo World War II brought an end to the Reinhardt era: in 1938 the Schloss was confiscated as “Jewish property.” Reinhardt, who escaped to the United States as actions increased against the Jews, and found work in Hollywood, never returned to Schloss Leopoldskron. He died in New York City in 1943. In 1945, after the war, the property was returned to the Reinhardt estate. The following year, Helene Thimig, the widow of Max Reinhardt, offered use of the palace to Clemens Heller, who founded the Salzburg Seminar, a “Marshall Plan of the Mind,” together with Scott Elledge and Richard Campbell, all Harvard graduate students.

Seminar lore has it that Thimig, who seemed to have had no intention of taking up residence in Salzburg again, had encountered Heller on the subway in New York, where she then resided. After listening to Heller’s idea with rapt attention, with a grand gesture of enthusiasm, she exclaimed, “Why you must hold it at Schloss Leopoldskron!” From this legendary exchange in a New York City subway, the bond was forged between Schloss Leopoldskron and what was to become Salzburg Global Seminar.

The “Salzburg Seminar in American Studies” (as it was first known and is still labeled on the front door of the Schloss) was founded as an international forum for those seeking a better future for Europe and the world. The first session offered not only education on American literature, art, history, and culture, but also a beautiful, calm setting, and nourishing food, enormously appreciated by those from countries long at war. This was later transformed into a “global forum.”

In 1959 the Salzburg Global Seminar purchased the palace, and in 1973 the adjacent Meierhof, which was part of the original Firmian estate. Since its first session in 1947, more than 400 sessions of the Seminars have been held on a wide variety of issues.

For more info on the Schloss visit: http://www.schloss-leopoldskron.com/en/history.html

The mission of Salzburg Global Seminar is to challenge current and future leaders to solve issues of global concern. To achieve this, they design, facilitate and host international strategic convenings and multi-year programs to tackle systems and challenges critical for the next generation.

Originally founded in 1947 to encourage the revival of intellectual dialogue in post-war Europe, Salzburg Global is a game-changing catalyst for global engagement on critical issues in education, health, environment, economics, governance, peace-building, and more. Salzburg Global works with carefully chosen partners to drive social change in the areas of imagination, sustainability, and justice.

They connects the most talented people and the most innovative ideas, challenging governments, institutions and individuals at all stages of development and all sectors to rethink their relationships and identify shared interests and goals.

Eighteen:22 is proud to hold our inaugural convening at the Schloss Leopoldskron, home of the Salzburg Global Seminar.

For more info, visit: http://www.salzburgglobal.org

The story of the von Trapp family has fascinated the entire world since the film version of The Sound of Music aired in 1965. When production began in Salzburg in 1964 nobody dreamed that this movie would become famous throughout the world. The leading actress, Julie Andrews, had recently made her successful debut in the Hollywood classic “Mary Poppins” and seemed predestined to play the part of a nanny.

Shortly after Max Reinhardt’s son, Wolfgang, bought the film rights from Maria von Trapp in 1956, the story was made into a German film. The musical version also enjoyed a huge success on Broadway, yet the worldwide breakthrough didn’t occur until Rodgers & Hammerstein’s film version was produced.

Schloss Leopoldskron was considered by the location-scouts as a filming venue most likely due to Wolfgang Reinhardt’s contacts. At that time a white music pavilion stood in the palace park and played an important role in the film’s romantic scenes. Since the number of tourists increased tremendously after the release of The Sound of Music, the pavilion was moved to Schloss Hellbrunn in order to reduce the congestion in the park at Schloss Leopoldskron.

Schloss Leopoldskron has been dubbed the “Sound of Music” palace for more reasons than its outdoor movie scenes: one of the main rooms of the palace, the Venetian Room on the first floor, was completely replicated in order to be used as a film setting. The magnificent handcrafted, gold wall panels and mirrors served as a model for the ball room scene in the film. It was also the backdrop for the private performance of the marionette theater.

In 1987, a special production called The Sound of Christmas was filmed at Schloss Leopoldskron, starring Julie Andrews, John Denver and Placido Domingo, thus re-establishing the connection to the movie. In 2015, The Sound of Music film celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Our Team

Robert J. Saferstein
Founder & Co-Chair

Interested in the interfacing of ritual, experience, technology, and culture, Bobby has used his background in the arts and media to broaden the definition of what ‘Jewish’ can look like by building community and realizing new points of engagement across multiple platforms.

Halley Cohen
Co-Chair

Halley is Director of GLOE – The Kurlander Program for GLBT Outreach & Engagement, which connects GLBT Jews at the Washington DCJCC. She considers it an honor to help make space for those who’ve never seen their whole selves represented in the Jewish community.

Beth Glick
Coach

Beth is Partner at ChangeCraft, a boutique consulting firm based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Having worked with organizational clients in over 15 countries on 3 continents, Beth’s expertise lies in working with organizations to maximize their strategic and operational impact in times of change, using a variety of techniques including coaching and consultation, training and facilitation.

Marcus Frieze
ROI Staff

As Program Officer for ROI Community, Marcus currently oversees various ROI/Schusterman programs including the ROI Summit and Connection Points. He also leads the team in training and use of various technology systems.

Seth Cohen
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation

As part of the senior leadership team of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, Seth serves as its Director of Network Initiatives, leading the Foundation’s efforts to identify, connect and support global networks of young Jewish adults to enable them to create Jewish experiences and communities for themselves and their peers.

Aviv Maman
Systems Manager

Ronny Slomovits
Logistics Manager

Devorah Rosenzweig
Operations Manager

Felix Bacher
Support Manager

Press

Read/Download The Official Eighteen:22 Press Release

For general questions, press inquiries, and/or to learn more about Eighteen:22 and how you can become involved,
please contact us at info@eighteen22.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the significance of the name, Eighteen:22?

We reclaim Eighteen:22.

Eighteen:22 refers to Leviticus 18:22, a verse that has been used against LGBTQ peoples for centuries. By taking this as our name in an act of reclamation, we can continue to transform this verse into a source of power and strength. In this way, Eighteen:22 denies others the authority to define who we are, and commands that we joyfully and steadfastly determine our future for ourselves and others excluded from the fullness of Jewish life.

How is Eighteen:22 different from other Jewish LGBTQ gatherings?

While there have been, and continue to be, gatherings of LGBTQ Jewish leaders, there has never before been a gathering quite like this.

Eighteen:22 is a first-of-its-kind convening that not only brings together today’s leading and emerging Jewish LGBTQ and ally influencers from around the world to address communal issues — including those working across disciplines, in both the for and non-profit sectors — but also interfaces Jewish and secular LGBTQ efforts in order to find solutions that drive social impact and global change.

Eighteen:22 can exist today, because of the many decades of activism, advocacy, and organizing that has helped make visible the stories and struggles of LGBTQ Jews, and has helped create LGBTQ Jewish communities around the world. We owe a great debt to all those individuals and initiatives that came before us. Their creativity and perseverance continues to inspire us.

There are so many of us working around the world at the intersection of LGBTQ and Jewish issues. Yet, we are all too often operating in our own silos, completely disconnected from one another. We don’t all know each other — and we should.

Eighteen:22 seeks to change this.

We understand the value of interfacing in person in a world where increased interconnectivity has led to fewer opportunities to do so.

We understand how important it is that individuals be included who don’t usually have the opportunity, because of political barriers, safety barriers, or a lack of financial resources.

We understand the necessity for a space where a plurality of voices can be expressed, and not only those that are the loudest or heard most often.

By placing primary emphasis on how we can best serve our fellows — i.e., through the creation of a global forum from the bottom up, that supports and bolsters the great work currently underway — Eighteen:22 can begin to facilitate the next wave of positive change for our Jewish, LGBTQ communities and for the world.

Then together, we create what comes next…

How is Eighteen:22 different from other gatherings, generally?

Don’t you hate going to conferences where you are surrounded by interesting people, but don’t have time to speak with them? Or how about going to an exotic location, only to be stuck in a generic looking conference room that could be anywhere in the world?

Yeah, we hate that too.

At Eighteen:22 we guarantee that you’ll have plenty of time to speak with, and learn from each other during and outside of the regular program. Also, we assure you that we’ll take full advantage of the beautiful rooms and surroundings at our hotel in Salzburg.

We know that in our line of work, there are long hours and few rewards. We at Eighteen:22, along with ROI Community, The Schusterman Family Foundation, and our group of donors want to show our appreciation by making sure you — who are so often focused on the needs of others — are taken care of yourselves. It’s just one of many ways we hope to say, “Thank You.”

Why Salzburg, Austria?

We at Eighteen:22 believe in the importance of relationships, and that in order to accomplish real change, we must work together. In seeking a venue for our first convening, we were looking for the following criteria:

Since the conference was to be truly global, the locale had to be as well — i.e, not just in the United States of America or Israel.
The space had to have both Jewish and LGBTQ significance — our selection of venue couldn’t be random.
It was important to use this as an opportunity to build a relationship with an existing, global initiative working in the LGBTQ space.

With the Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg, Austria, home of the Salzburg Global Seminar (SGS), we found what we were looking for!

Not only has SGS demonstrated a profound commitment to LGBTQ human rights, including having created and hosted several conferences on global LGBTQ issues, but the campus holds Jewish ties as well.

Prior to World War II, the Schloss Leopoldskron was the former home of famed Jewish director, Max Reinhardt. During the Holocaust, the Schloss was confiscated by the Nazis, forcing Max to defect to the USA.

Following the war, the facilities were reclaimed, and turned into a global conference center whose mission would be to help facilitate conversations around important global issues, and launch initiatives that make the world a better place. Hence: The Salzburg Global Seminar.

As Jews, LGBTQ individuals, and a gathering with the name Eighteen:22, we couldn’t not be moved by this amazing story of reclamation!

If that weren’t enough, many scenes from the film, The Sound of Music (currently celebrating its 50th anniversary), were filmed on the premises. It doesn’t get much “gayer” than that, right?

Do I have to be an ROIer, or an alumnus of a Schusterman program to attend Eighteen:22?

No! Eighteen:22 is open to both ROIers/Schusterman alumni and non-ROIers/Schusterman alumni alike.

I’ve already attended the ROI Summit, or a Schusterman program. Am I still eligible to attend Eighteen:22?

Yes! Eighteen:22 is open to all ROI/Schusterman program alumni (REALITY, etc.). You will be able to use your Micro Grants for all travel-related expenses to attend Eighteen:22.

How much will this cost me, other than the participation fee, to attend Eighteen:22?

We know that travel to Salzburg, Austria is expensive, and are able to provide a number of subsidies to help defray the costs of attending. We won’t know how much that will be, until we have received all of the applications and selected finalists. Our goal is to remove as many barriers to attending, and we will do whatever we can to help you get to Eighteen:22 – so go ahead and apply!

If you are an ROIer or Schusterman program alumnus, you will need to use your Micro Grant to cover the costs of travel to Eighteen:22.

Other than travel-related costs and the participation fee, Eighteen:22 will cover all food, housing, and program costs for our attendees.

What do you mean by LGBTQ Jewish work?

Eighteen:22 is looking to build a global network of Jewish LGBTQ and ally “doers.” In order to have the greatest post-gathering impact, successful applicants will already be active in work that targets the intersectionality of LGBTQ and Jewish life, in any field, through their paid profession or through dedicated service/unpaid activities.

LGBTQ Jewish work can look like many different things. It could be:

A community organizer at an LGBTQ nonprofit/NGO who brings people together on Jewish community issues.
A singer-songwriter who shares their own LGBTQ life in their songs, but actively frames it through a Jewish lens.
An individual who works in entertainment, research, health, law, government, etc., whose Jewish values strongly inform the nature of their work.
The coordinator of an all-volunteer organization, who gathers LGBTQ Jews for social events.
Someone who works at a Jewish advocacy organization, who has helped their organization to pay attention to LGBTQ issues.

Not sure if your work qualifies? Email us at info@eighteen22.com.

Is this gathering just for Jews? How do you define who is Jewish?

We know that in order to find solutions that drive social impact and global change, it is critical that we cultivate strategic alignment among international, national, and local initiatives that are both Jewish and secular in a non-Jewish way. In order to for Eighteen:22 to be most effective in this effort, it is important that our inaugural convening be focused on individuals who are Jewish or working the intersectionality of LGBTQ and Jewish life.

Matrilineal, Patrilineal, Part-Jewish, Jews by choice, Crypto-Jews, etc. — we don’t adhere to a single definition of who is a Jew. If you have any questions as to your eligibility regarding your Jewish background and identity, please contact info@eighteen22.com.

If you are not Jewish and feel deeply that this gathering applies to you and your work, please contact info@eighteen22.com.

Why must participants be aged 22-40?

ROI Community and The Schusterman Family Foundation are committed to developing the next generation of Jewish leaders from around the world — at Eighteen:22 and throughout their portfolio of programs. Across their many gatherings, they have identified this age range as one that works best for the kind of development that will take place at our first convening this August.

If you are outside of this age range and still feel deeply compelled to apply, please contact info@eighteen22.com.

Can I come for only part of the gathering? 

No. We are asking everyone to commit to the entire period of the gathering, from Tuesday to Thursday, as we believe that being present for the entirety of the gathering is essential to the goals of both communal and professional development.

Can I bring my children and/or partner/spouse?

While we love children and our partners/spouses, we strongly suggest that you attend Eighteen:22 by yourself in order to get the most out of the gathering. If this is not possible, please note that you will be responsible to provide and pay for a single room, childcare, and/or any additional food costs for the duration of the Connection Point. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@eighteen22.com.

Is it safe to travel to Salzburg, Austria?

Austria is one of the safest countries in the world, and has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe. That said, our ground team is in constant communication with local law enforcement and anti-terrorism experts to ensure we are safe and secure during our stay. Additional security will be provided based upon their recommendation.

Do I need a visa to travel to Austria?

Citizens of The United States of America, Canada, Israel, the Schengen States, and many other countries need just a passport to visit Austria: no visa is required. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date you enter the country. For more information and a list of countries that do not need a visa, click here: http://www.austria.org/do-you-need-a-visa/

Do I need to have medical insurance? Where do I purchase coverage?

Yes. All participants will be required to have medical insurance, and will need to sign a waiver taking responsibility for obtaining this insurance, and indemnifying Eighteen:22 and our partners from future claims. There are many websites where one can purchase this.

Where can I get travel insurance?

Click here to compare plans and purchase.

For further questions or concerns, please contact us at info@eighteen22.com.

Will I need an adapter for my appliances in Austria?

The electric current in Austria is 220-240 volts, C or F (most common), single phase, 50 Hertz, the same as in most of Europe. If your appliance does not work on 220 volts, you will need an adaptor.

How many people will be there? Where will participants come from? 

Eighteen:22 will convene approximately 60 participants from around the world.

We are looking for strong representation from leaders coming from all over the world, as exciting and challenging work is occurring globally. In addition to those coming from North America, Western Europe, and Israel, we look forward to receiving applications from those working in the global South, Russia/FSU and Eastern Europe, and other locales not often represented at these gatherings.

How likely am I to be chosen? How do you plan to rank applications?

We’re thrilled that so many outstanding leaders are interested in this global gathering.

First and foremost, we are looking to bring together those change-makers who are dedicated, passionate, and making a real difference with work that is both interesting and innovative — and of course, those who want to connect with their peers from around the world!

Second, we are working hard to have a gathering that reflects the diversity of our community — participants from world-wide locations, Jews of color, Jews by choice, people with mobility issues, people with accessibility issues/special needs/invisible illnesses or conditions, Jews of non-Ashkenazi backgrounds, interfaith families, and more.

Other than demonstrating a commitment to, and impact in some area of LGBTQ Jewish life and/or beyond, there is no single most important factor that we are looking for when selecting finalists. Rather, we will be balancing a variety of factors with every application. Simply show us who you are!

With only 60 spots, selecting those who will attend this first gathering will be no easy task. We definitely won’t be able to take everyone we would like. Please know that if you are not selected, this is just the beginning for Eighteen:22, and that there will be many ways you can be involved in the future.

Our hope is that this inaugural gathering will be the first in a long line of ways by which Eighteen:22 can help support and facilitate positive change around the world for LGBTQ Jews and the communities around us.

In what language(s) will the gathering be conducted?

Eighteen:22 will be conducted in English, and all participants must be able to communicate (speak, read, and write) in this language — though we look forward to hearing many languages spoken during social conversations!

Will I be attending as a representative of my initiative/organization, or as myself?

Both! Please come prepared to share your work and yourself.

We want to create connections and develop skills that will last for years (and future initiatives) to come. That means we want to engage in what you’re doing now, and invest in who you are personally.

Contact Us

Partners

Connection Points

Connection Points is a series of local and thematic peer-led gatherings designed to empower participants to work in partnership to create new, and strengthen existing, avenues of Jewish experiences for themselves and their peers. Connection Points is an initiative of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation.

In 2015, ten Connection Point gatherings will take place on five continents with themes ranging from education to the arts, community building to international development, inclusivity, social justice and more.

For more info, click here.

Schusterman Family Foundation

The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation (Schusterman) is a global organization that seeks to ignite the passion and unleash the power in young people to create positive change for themselves, the Jewish community and the broader world. Schusterman pursues its mission by working collaboratively with others to support and operate high-quality education, identity development, leadership training and service programs designed to help young people cultivate their growth as individuals and as leaders.

For more info, click here.

Keshet is a national grassroots organization that works in the United States of America for the full equality and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Jews in Jewish life.

Keshet is proud to fiscally sponsor Eighteen:22.

For more info, click here.

Friday Night Lights produces world class, experiential events for gay Jewish professionals that offers new access points into the Jewish community and fosters long-term involvement in both Jewish and LGBTQ life.

For more info, click here.

GLOE – The Kurlander Program for GLBT Outreach & Engagement – connects queer Jews (and our friends!) at the Washington DCJCC. As the only full-time LGBTQ program at any Jewish Community Center, GLOE is proud to serve as a resource and a model for organizations building their own queer Jewish communities.

For more info, click here.

Eighteen:22 would also like to thank the Lippman Kanfer Family Philanthropic Fund, Stuart Kurlander, Alex Greenbaum, and others for their generous support.

For general questions, press inquiries, and/or to learn more about Eighteen:22 and how you can become involved, please contact us at info@eighteen22.com.