The Institute for Judaism and Sexual Orientation at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) is the
first and only institute of its kind in the Jewish world. It is unique in its place at the juncture of academia and
professional training at the Jewish Reform Movement's seminary.
The Institute was founded in 2000 to help educate HUC-JIR students on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, on
how to challenge and eliminate homophobia and heterosexism and to learn tools to be able to transform the communities
they encounter into ones that are inclusive and welcoming of LGBT Jews.
Over time, this mission of education and the creation of welcoming spaces has expanded to the larger community outside
the walls of our four campuses in Los Angeles, Cincinnati, New York and Jerusalem. The Institute offers
consultation to
individual professionals, synagogues and organizations as well as seminars and workshops at HUC-JIR and at local,
national and international conferences. The Institute also provides scholarships for rabbinic, cantorial,
education and
communal service students to work in LGBT settings.
The Jeff Herman Virtual Resource Center (JHVRC) for Sexual Orientation Issues in the Jewish Community is a
web-based educational environment for all those interested in learning about Judaism, Sexual Orientation and Gender
Identity. It contains the largest online gathering of articles, texts, and websites on Judaism and lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender topics in the world. The JHVRC also features answers to Frequently Asked Questions, case
studies exploring how issues of sexual orientation and gender might be discussed in a Jewish context, and guides for
studying biblical and rabbinic text.
Celebrate CA's 1st Harvey Milk Day on May 22! Read his "Hope Speech" here.
Want to know how Jewish Denominations compare in their stance on marriage? Check out our new comparison chart!
Getting married or adopting a child? Check out our Liturgy and Ritual section for ceremonies specifically written for LGBT people around lifecycle events. Click here
Looking for a welcoming synagogue? Visit our synagogue locator. If you think your synagogue should be on the list, send us an email! Click here
Register now for the 20th World Conference of GLBT Jews! See you August 13-15 in LA. Registration fees increase June 30!
