December can be a weird time of year for LGBTQ + Jews and our allies. Some of us are just getting over an awkward Thanksgiving. Some of us are considering “coming out” when we visit our family in a few weeks. Some of us are creating new traditions with partners who are celebrating Hanukkah for the first time.
We’re surrounded by Christmas decorations and carols, red and green everything, and often times can feel overlooked or invisible. This feeling of isolation can feel all too familiar to a queer Jew who has kept their identity hidden for fear they won’t fit in or be welcomed.
This Hanukkah, we see you. We see your beautiful light and think of you when we light our Hanukkiah. As each evening’s candle burns bright, it’s our hope that your own sense of self love and connection to the LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities burns equally bright.
This week's Impact Story, is from one of our JQSA teens who is passionate about being a light for her peers by living openly and visibly as a queer Jew.
In honor of those in our community who need to see your light to recognize their own,
we invite you to make a donation as a Hanukkah gift to
the queer Jewish community.
Who really needs another toy or another gift card? What we need this time of year is connection to one another, the celebration of our identities and our love, and a sense of hope for the future.
And if you’re in town (and over 21), join us at this year’s Gelty Pleasures Hanukkah Party on December 19th! We’ll welcome you, celebrate, dance, light candles, and feel each other’s glow.
Wishing you a Happy Hanukkah!
Love,
The JQ Team
april
may
