the Hillel LGBTQ Resource Guide For Queer Jews everywhere: this guide is for you. table of Contents Here’s to a future of reconciliation, celebration, and peace. Letter from the Editor iv Acknowledgements vii Student Narratives viii Section 1: IntroductIon to LGBtQ JewISH HIStory & cuLture Language and Terminology 11 by: Miriam Ignatoff Glossary of Terms 14 Jewish LGBTQ History 19 by: Rabbi Leslie Bergson & Noah Branman Current Events 27 by: Rabbi Seth Goren & Josh Furman SectIon 2: HeLpInG SkILLS reSourceS Being an Ally 33 by: Rabbi Bruce Bromberg Seltzer Coming Out on Campus 43 this book contains God’s name. please treat it as you would a prayerbook. by: Rabbi Mychal Copeland LGBTQ Jewish Students and Mental Health 51 by: Rabbi Lina Zerbarini Putting the T in LGBTQ 55 by: S. Bear Bergman © 2007 Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life Children of LGBTQ Parents 67 All Rights Reserved by: Rabbi Sharon Stiefel Queer Jewish Ritual on Campus 71 by: Rabbi Jason Klein & Rabbi Mychal Copeland For additional copies, contact: Communications Department Challenging the Myth of Biblical Homophobia 93 Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life by: Rabbi Michael Rothbaum Charles and Lynn Schusterman International Center SectIon 3: proGrammInG & networkInG reSourceS Queer Jewish Programs 107 Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building by: Josh Furman 800 Eighth Street, NW Movies, Culture, Speakers, and Literature 113 Washington, D.C. 20001 by: Andy Ratto 202.449.6534 I. Film 113 [email protected] II. Performance 121 III. Speakers 124 An online version of this publication may be obtained at www.hillel.org/LGBTQ IV. Literature 135 Organizations and Institutions 141 Cover design: Cary Lenore Walski, Public Relations Director, Hillel at the University of Minnesota. Noah Branman Cover photograph: Vinícius Sgarbe, © 2007. Contacts (Staff and Student Groups Directory) 151 Publication Design, Layout & Production: Brian M Johnson at .c o m Hillel Policies and Benefits 161 We thank Rabbi Ayelet Cohen, Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, for the text of Shabbat Gavah. ear Reader, I am so pleased that you have opened The Hillel LGBTQ Resource Guide. of Jewish LGBTQ students. Following these general insights, two specific D The material you hold in your hands (or see before you on your screen) is the groups of students are addressed: S. Bear Bergman (Canadian-based artist and product of much hard work. Creating this resource was a labor of love for its activist) and Rabbi Sharon Stiefel (University of Minnesota) lend their expertise many writers, editors, advisors, and supporters. As Hillel professionals it is regarding welcoming, respectively, transgender students and children of LGBTQ our chosen duty to reach Jewish students where they are: to touch their lives, families. Finally, resources are offered for moving into action. Rabbi Jason Klein inspire their growth, and strengthen their roots. LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, (University of Maryland-Baltimore) and Rabbi Mychal Copeland (Stanford) Transgender, and Queer) Jewish students have been an integral part of our suggest affirming life-cycle and holiday-based rituals to enact/embrace. And to campus communities for generations. However, their presence, our presence, close off the section on helping resources, Rabbi Mike Rothbaum (Westchester) is sometimes welcomed, sometimes not. In the modern world of Hillel, the revisits Biblical Jewish texts so that readers may view our tradition as validating, struggles that LGBTQ Jewish students face for inclusion and affirmation may healing, and welcoming. stem more from ignorance than from malice. That is precisely why this guide The third and final section of the resource guide is very tachlis (pragmatic). was created and why your role is so very crucial. You are an educator and Here you will find “practical” resources for programming and networking. Josh a role-model. You have the capacity to help students heal from their wounds, to transform communities into warmer spaces, and to suggest the radical notion Furman (University of Washington) starts off with an overview of successful Jewish campus programs. Andy Ratto (Washington University) follows that all Jews can and should celebrate their identity with love, affirmation, LGBTQ with an extensively annotated guide to Jewish movies, culture, speakers, and joy. I hope that this guide will serve as a resource for both education LGBTQ and literature. Next, Noah Branman (Stanford) lists out organizations that serve and celebration. LGBTQ Jewish communities. I then offer a roster of LGBTQ and allied Hillel We all have much to learn. No matter how progressive you may be, how staff and student groups to learn with and from. Finally, Dennis Kirschbaum many Gay friends you may have, how extensive your knowledge-base is… there (Schusterman International Center) helped provide the texts that delineate the is what to learn. And so I ask you to read carefully and generously. What is equanimity and justice that Hillel has promised its employees. unique about The Hillel LGBTQ Resource Guide is that it was written and This text is a living one. Over the years it is our hope and intention edited by your colleagues. LGBTQ and allied professionals in “the field”, on college campuses, have contributed their knowledge, their experiences, and that this guide will be added to, edited, expanded, and revisited. their suggestions to this marvelous resource. Please allow them to guide you. In the meantime, on behalf of our writers, editors, and, most of all, our students I want to thank you for learning with us and from us. This guide is broken down into three sections. In the first section you Now, as our grandmothers would instruct us: Go Learn. will find background information regarding the community your students are coming from or coming to. First, Miriam Ignatoff (Oberlin) coaches readers in how to use vocabulary inclusively. She includes an extensive lexicon of popular words you may not be familiar with (e.g. FTM, genderqueer, heterosexism, ze, etc.). Next, Rabbi Leslie Bergson (Claremont Colleges) and Noah Branman (Stanford) begin by offering an overview of Jewish LGBTQ history in the United States and Israel. Finally, Rabbi Seth Goren (University of Pittsburgh & Carnegie Mellon) and Josh Furman (University of Washington) bring the reader up to date D’ror Chankin-Gould with cutting edge information on current events that students are discussing, Editor in Chief, Hillel LGBTQ Resource Guide coping with, and advocating for. Senior JCSC Fellow, Columbia/Barnard Hillel The second section of the guide focuses on helping skills: how can 2 August 2007 a Hillel professional best assist LGBTQ Jewish students along their challenging, 18 Av 5767 complicated, and exciting journeys? Rabbi Bruce Bromberg Seltzer (Smith and Amherst Colleges) starts off by coaching readers in how to be active allies. Next, Rabbi Mychal Copeland (Stanford) offers insight into coming out on campus while Rabbi Lina Zerbarini (Yale) teaches about the mental health iv the h i l l e l l g b t q Resource Guide v Acknowledgements The production of this resource guide would not have been possible without the help of many people. Thanks are due: To the writers: your words will encourage affirmation and active learning. Thank you for contributing your artistry and your intellect. Thank you: S. Bear Bergman, Rabbi Leslie Bergson, Noah Branman, Rabbi Bruce Bromberg Seltzer, Rabbi Mychal Copeland, Josh Furman, Rabbi Seth Goren, Miriam Ignatoff, Dennis Kirschbaum, Rabbi Jason Klein, Andy Ratto, Rabbi Michael Rothbaum, Rabbi Sharon Stiefel, and Rabbi Lina Zerbarini. To the editors: your insight and foresight have made our offering more complete and more accessible. Thank you Becky Adelberg, Paul Cohen, Rabbi Mychal Copeland, Josh Furman, and David Levy. In particular thanks are due to my fabulous colleagues on the chief editing team: Vanessa Prell, Rachel Singer, and Rabbi Sharon Stiefel. Without you this work would not have been possible. Also to copy editor, Chanel Dubofsky a favorite quote comes to mind. E.B. White writes of the infamous Charlotte: “It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.” Chanel is both. To the entire team: this project has been supported by internet whizzes, financial spelunkers, brainstormers, cheerleaders, and many others. Here I call out their names… apparently it takes a village to write a book. Rabbi David Almog, Simon Amiel, Melanie Annis, David Basior, Kerin Berger, Marc Bragin, Scott Brown, Gregg Drinkwater, Wayne Firestone, Nomi Fridman, Yana Geyfman, Josh Gold, Clare Goldwater, Jennifer Gravitz, Mark Greenberg, Leah M. Kahn, Nellie Krentzman, Rabbi David Levin-Kruss, Dan Libenson, Nathan Martin, Ellen Mazer, David Milch, Rachel Grant Meyer, Caren Minkoff, Ariel Naveh, Jose Portuondo, Ellen Rosenshein, Jodyn Rozensky, Jeff Rubin, Noa Sattah, Jamie Berman Schifffman, Jacob Staub, Cary Walksi, Nathan Weiner, and Kenny Weiss. Particular thanks are due to Leora Shudofsky my tolerant supervisor who enabled me to dedicate energy, time, and passion to this important project. And to Cantor David Berger, the love of my life: not only did you contribute directly to the writing of this guide, but you supported me, encouraged me, and loved me, throughout the many twists and turns along this road. Thank you so much. Thanks to Hillel at the University of Minnesota Public Relations Director, Cary Walski for her cover design. A very special thank you to designer Brian M Johnson at for stepping in at the last minute under excruciating deadlines to give this dream its form and to make it a reality. Finally, to the project leaders: to Rabbi Sharon Stiefel- advisor, tireless supporter, and chief advocate: your passion and experience have been priceless. I can not thank you enough. Saving one of the best for last, this project was the brain child of Rachel Singer (former Senior JCSC Fellow, University of Chicago) and myself. Rachel co-chaired the initial meeting at Hillel Professional Staff Conference with me, helped send out all the subsequent emails, and guided this project’s progress with vigor and passion.