The day was hot, and the crowd was big. An hour before the parade got down to 12th and 5th where we were, the streets were already lined with thousands of supporters. This year, for the first time, the many religious groups that are part of the march weren’t towards the end when people are tired, and the day has already been saturated by near-naked bodies and pulsating music. No, this year they were at the very front. And, frankly, it was awesome.

The ritual of the march is fairly moving. First come the Dykes on Bikes, loud, simple, in your face, totally friendly. Their opening is ceremonial. It is exciting and reassuring. They come ahead of the rest of the community with an unmistakable presence. They clear the road and send a simple message: we are here. They always seem to me like our protectors, our big sisters that won’t let anyone ruin our day, or ignore our fight. Then come the organizers (Thank You Heritage of Pride) and the Stonewall Veterans. You can’t help but feel a sense of pride and reality, as these men and women come by, reminding you of how far we’ve come and how far there is to go.

But now come the Grand Marshals. This year Rabbi Sharron Kleinbaum and Reverend Dr. Troy Perry lead the way. And there presence, followed by group after group of religious communities (30 communities in the first section alone!) was met with roaring cheers from the crowd. The annual discussion after the march seems to be about the glistening bodies taking over (not that we don’t enjoy them.) But this year Heritage of Pride, affirmed by the community, put religious and community groups front and center. The music, the faces, the kippot, the collars, all created a feeling of community. Not because everyone there was religious, but because we have come to learn in NY that these communities work very hard to support our families, friends, and city.  The long felt schism between religion and LGBTQ pride is being recognized as only one part of the story.  Our community has long been supported and strengthened by faith, and many of these group were created by the LGBTQ population.

Following them came all kinds of other community groups that are not the big names we all know (and are proud of) like PS 3, an elementary school downtown on the west side. The Little Red School House was also there, with a float covered in paintings by their students. There was also the North East Two-Spirit Society and African Ancestral Lesbians United for Societal Change.  It was Queer in the best ways, and it was loving.

We’ll try to get some photos up soon.

The Jerusalem Pride March was a relatively peaceful success!  As we get ready for our own march here in NY, it’s wonderful to see this progress in Israel.  Congratulations to the Jerusalem Open House who organized the parade, and all fo the organizations, groups, and individuals that marched, supported it, and helped make it happen.

Gay Activists March Through Jerusalem - Los Angeles Times:

JERUSALEM — Hundreds of cheering gay activists marched through downtown Jerusalem on Thursday, while ultra-Orthodox Jews held a counterdemonstration across the city, burning tires and chanting psalms.

With police far outnumbering protesters, there was no violence during the brief Gay Pride parade, an annual event that highlights the deep divide between Jerusalem’s secular and religious communities.

Gay activists clapped and sang on their trek of just a few hundred yards, passing in front of the historic King David Hotel. Police said 2,500 people took part.

Opponents claim the march debases the Holy City, while gay activists say they are exercising their civil rights. Some 7,000 police were deployed throughout the city to prevent the violence that has marked the Gay Pride march in past years.

New York, NY, June 19, 2007.  Nehirim, a national organization that provides spiritual and cultural community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) Jews, today announced that it has significantly expanded its program staff, and will be increasing its programming over the next year. (more…)

Hiring a Jewish Communal Outreach Director and Seeking Interns for 5th Anniversary Celebration of Trembling on the Road

I am seeking a Jewish Communal Outreach Director and Interns for our 5th Anniversary Celebration of Trembling on the Road. The film, Trembling Before G-d, addresses sexuality, faith and religious fundamentalism through the stories of Hasidic and Orthodox gays and lesbians. (more…)

If you’ve been out for a while and living in a supportive community, it can be easy to forget that some people are just beginning the process.  Here’s a rant by an 18 year old that hasn’t found gaygevalt.com and all the other resources for LGBTQ Jews.

Hello! - JustUsBoys.com Gay Community:

I came looking for info on gay jews.. I am one.. and I have never met another..

Orthodox rabbi blasts Progressive decision on same-sex ceremonies (June 9, 2007):

Titled “When gay isn’t that happy”, Rabbi Milecki said he was shocked when he read the news that the Council of Progressive Rabbis of Australia, New Zealand and Asia had voted last week to permit — but not require — its rabbis to officiate at commitment ceremonies for gay and lesbian Jews.

Police approve Gay Pride event in Jerusalem over objections of ultra-Orthodox Jews:

Israel’s police on Sunday gave approval for a Gay Pride event in Jerusalem later this month, setting up a possibly violent confrontation between gay activists and ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Gay Pride Opponents Try New Tactic in Jerusalem :: EDGE Boston:

Anti-gay Israeli lawmakers may have hit on a way to abolish the Jerusalem pride parade: by reclassifying it as a “protest” rather than a celebration, and filing legislation to ban demonstrations that might “undermine public order or religious beliefs and morals.”

Every year I seem to get into the same conversation about the Pride March here in New York City.  It’s always about the scantily clad boys, the music, the question of the point of the parade, the lament that a sense of urgency even today seems to be forgotten.  Here is a well written letter about these issues to the March Committee and a well written and thoughtful response.  I recommend checking it out, and asking yourself what Pride will mean for you this year.

Also, this year, the religious groups are at the front of the parade, and the Marshal is CBST’s (The NYC LGBT Synagogue) Rabbi Sharron Kleinbaum.  So there is an all around effort to bring out more off the diversity in the parade.