To the stabbing victims at today’s Jerusalem Pride, we pray for your speedy recovery — physical, psychological, and spiritual.
This needless, tragic display shows we still have much work to do. We call for each and every facet of the Jewish community to be vigilant against hate speech and intolerance, learn to identify LGBTQ issues, and face them head on with education and compassion. We must diffuse at the root that inkling which would foster a desire to commit a violent hate crime in the name of religious beliefs — a truly counterintuitive idea to the values I personally hold so dear as a Jew who grew up in the United States.
I am so proud of the U.S. Jewish community for its endless pursuit of social justice. The inclusion work that JQ International has been blessed to do touches all streams of Jewish life. This work is also afoot in Israel. We are seeing change all around us in both countries, but on days like today, we must step back and ask: What else can be done, both as individuals and as a community?
I am grateful that Benjamin Netanyahu responded quickly, seeking justice and calling this out as a heinous hate crime, and that other Israeli officials are following suit. It’s important to recognize the swift response and condemnation of the attacks against LGBTQ community members, as it’s an action displaying genuine respect and value for human life and dignity. This is a small triumph on a sad day. It was not so long ago that any acknowledgment made would have been indirect at best, or shrouded in a media double-speak that did little to bring visibility to premeditated violence against our community.
Today I have heard from many community members in shock at what happened today. If you need help processing this event or seek more LGBTQ Jewish resources, contact the JQ Warmline 855-574-4577. We help hundreds of people every year with a listening ear, and we’re here to provide resources and social service referrals.
-Asher Gellis, co-founder and Executive Director of JQ International