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Work is well underway for this exciting event next summer to be held in Los Angeles. This WCGLBTJ conference will be held at the warm and welcoming Hillel, UCLA, a very modern three-floor building on the east side of the UCLA campus. More than 200 can be accommodated at Hillel for services, seminars, and kosher meals. We are also working with the UCLA Faculty Center (across the street from Hillel) as a venue for our Saturday evening entertainment. World-class speakers and leaders in the Jewish and GLBT communities will be giving seminars.

Historically, Los Angeles was the site of both the 3rd and 7th International Conferences of Gay and Lesbian Jews (as they were then known) in 1978 and 1982 respectively. These conferences were hosted by Beth Chayim Chadashim, a founding member organization of the World Congress. In the 1990s, two regional conferences were held in Los Angeles, one at Gindling Hilltop Camp (1992), organized by BCC, and one in 1994, co-hosted by Congregation Kol Ami and BCC. This three-day event will welcome visitors to our city from around the world. What impression will they have of our community?

If you live Southern California, or are willing to help out from a distance---would you consider volunteering on our social, ritual or hospitality committee? We'd love to have you involved!

Please, email us at la2010@glbtjews.org, for further details or if you have any questions. Check out our website at: http://www.glbtjews.org/

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Hide Details "For an LGBT generation that grew up closeted and among peers that are less progressive on LGBT issues, how can religious institutions support the inclusion of LGBT individuals when they may need higher levels of care?" This open dialogue explored the intersections of religion, LGBT issues, and aging. Other panelists included Rabbi Richard Address, Union for Reform Judaism, New York; Dr. John E. Hirsch, Temple Beth-El of Great Neck, NY; Herbert M. Leiman, Union of Reform Judaism, Rev. Dr. Cindi Love, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Community Church, Barbara Satin, Transgender and Aging Activist and Faith Work Consultant

Hide Details March 26th, 2008 is an important day of celebration and reflection for the Conservative Movement, marking exactly one year since Chancellor Arnold Eisen announced that openly lesbian and gay students would be allowed to attend the rabbinical and cantorial schools at JTS. In the past year, openly gay and lesbian students have started school at JTS and many more are applying for the coming year. The presence of Jews of all sexual orientations at JTS is cause for huge celebration. At the same time, there has been little discussion of what it means to be an inclusive community, no comprehensive and open conversation about how we have changed as a school now that openly gay and lesbian students are part of the "us" of the community, rather than a theoretical "them" or other. From casually dropped slurs to a lifecycle curriculum that does not reflect the experiences and stories of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Jews, we clearly have a lot of work to do to fully welcome Jews of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

That is why we are coming together this year on March 26th for a day of study and celebration, a day of thinking about how we live in community together, lovingly and respectfully, and model cooperation and co-existence based on the present reality, incorporating all of us into this holy kehilah. The day will include a variety of learning sessions and opportunities for joyous communal celebration, organized by the JTS Committee on Inclusion (a committee established by the chancellor last month). Darkhei Noam, a ten point plan with concrete goals for inclusion and diversity in the Conservative Moment will be presented to the faculty and student body. The event will be open to the entire Rabbinical Assembly, the whole JTS community, and students and faculty from other rabbinical schools.

Hide Details Where: Walker Creek Ranch, outside of San Francisco, CA

About: Nehirim is a Spiritual Initiative for GLBT Jews to create innovative programming, build community, and offer authentic, life-affirming spiritual paths for Jewish members of sexual or gender minorities. After four East coast retreats, this is the first on the West Coast. Nehirim West offers:

• A wide range of spiritual options, from traditional shabbat davening to meditation, yoga, and dance.
• Connections with GLBT Jews of all ages, religious affiliations, and walks of life.
• Workshops and seminars featuring a wide range of teachers.
• Teachers including Jhos Singer, Rabbi Jane Litman, Karen Erlichman, Sara Felder, Andrew Ramer, Noach Dzmura, Dev Noily, Bruce Bierman, Jay Michaelson and Rabbi Julia Watts Belser.
• Full scholarships for students, and financial aid for those in need

To register: Online at www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=165283

More information: www.nehirim.org

The IJSO is a co-sponsor and workshop leader of this event.

Hide Details LimmudLA is an independent, grassroots organization that brings together Jews of all ages and backgrounds in Los Angeles to celebrate Jewish learning, arts, and culture.

www.limmudla.org

Not all language for gender diversity is new. Early rabbinic writings extensively explored the role of exceptionally gendered individuals in Jewish society. In this session, we will review how, historically and in the present, Judaism recognizes that gender is complex and provides us with the tools to build a community that celebrates gender diversity.

Rabbi Julie Pelc and Daniel Gould, MSW - Workshop facilitators

Hide Details LimmudLA is an independent, grassroots organization that brings together Jews of all ages and backgrounds in Los Angeles to celebrate Jewish learning, arts, and culture.

www.limmudla.org

Inclusion and access for LGBT Jews is a core value of progressive Jewish denominations' commitment to social justice and creating a welcoming community for all Jews. Programs, tools and resources with an introduction to Kulanu: All of Us, a newly published LGBT inclusion guide will be discussed in this workshop.
Dr. Joel Kushner - Presenter

Hide Details Columbia University, New York, NY

The National Union of Jewish LGBTQQI Students Conference (www.nujlsonline.org/conference.php) brings college students together for a weekend that includes speakers, text study, and workshops on topics such as Judaism and queerness, activism, relationships, ethics, coming out, and politics, as well as providing an opportunity for students to build community, network, and practice Judaism in a queer context.

Jay Golden, IJSO Program Associate - Presenter

Hide Details The Transgender Religious Summit is a two-day conference with a focus on public and denominational policy issues that affect transgender communities. It is co-sponsored by The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry (www.clgs.org) and the National Center for Transgender Equality (www.nctequality.org).

Joel L. Kushner, Psy.D., Workshop Co-Facilitator

Hide Details Dr. Joel L. Kushner, Senior Editor of the new book Kulanu, (All of Us) A Program for Congregations Implementing Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Inclusion discusses practical tips for congregation to become a welcoming synagogue at this Department of Jewish Family Concerns sponsored seminar.

Hide Details All too often the points of intersection between the LGBT movement and religion are fraught with tumult and mistrust. After all, the Religious Right is the strongest opponent of LGBT equality. What is the current landscape of religion in America and how are our religious opponents impeding our progress? How are religious allies and LGBT people of faith countering our opponents and working to present their own message of inclusion and affirmation? What do these religious organizing counter efforts look like and how can we support them?

Hide Details Models of Pride is a free one-day conference that focuses on the concerns and interests of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer youth, and allies, ages 14 to 23. It is sponsored by Friends of Project 10.

Dr Joel L. Kushner, Roundtable Discussion Facilitator

Hide Details The Jeff Herman Virtual Resource Center (JHVRC) on Sexual Orientation Issues and Gender in Congregations and the Jewish Community is a web-based learning environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues (LGBT) in Judaism for the 21st century. This unique electronic compendium of Jewish texts and commentaries, frequently asked questions, case studies, LGBT liturgy and ritual, and scholarly articles is a significant tool to support research and study. With increasing user feedback, the site evolves in terms of what it offers on the intersection of Judaism, Sexual Orientation and Gender.

Hide Details Where: Elat Chayyim Center for Jewish Spirituality in the Berkshires Hills of Falls Village, Connecticut.

About: Nehirim is a Spiritual Initiative for GLBT Jews to create innovative programming, build community, and offer authentic, life-affirming spiritual paths for Jewish members of sexual or gender minorities. The 4th annual Nehirim retreat is a weekend of community, spirituality, fun, and personal growth. We daven, meditate, learn, eat, relax, do yoga, socialize together as a community. Participants are aged 18 to 78; gay, trans, lesbian, and bi; orthodox and atheist. Being a queer Jew today is a blessing, come and claim your heritage!

Cost: $235 including room & board. Generous financial aid is available.

To register: Online at www.jewishretreatcenter.org or call 800-398-2630

More information: www.nehirim.org

The IJSO is a co-sponsor of this event.

Hide Details Out and Faithful is an interfaith panel discussion series that is a joint project between the Institute for Judaism and Sexual Orientation and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. This panel will look at various forms of love, including agapeic love &nash; love that comes from compassion for the world and leads to social justice, erotic love and the trust and openness that is necessary for romantic love to flourish. Who are your role models for love? Is there love outside of long-term relationships? How do our various kinds of love compete: love for our parents and siblings, love for our friends, love for our lovers? How does the LGBT community foster love?

Dr. Joel Kushner moderates the series that brings together LGBT Jews, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims and those of other faith traditions to discuss and explore spiritual and religious issues and concerns. One significant theme examined will be the common and divergent struggles LGBT people face in building and maintaining spiritual integrity within both supportive and hostile environments. This series was originally pioneered by the New York Gay and Lesbian Center.

Hide Details Participants in this seminar learned about the curriculum resources of the Tartak Learning Center and the inclusion resources of the Institute for Judaism and Sexual Orientation, including text study, youth group programs on prejudice and stereotypes, resources for parents of LGBT kids, how to do a same gender marriage ceremony, or bris or divorce and much more.

Hide Details Out and Faithful is an interfaith panel discussion series that is a joint project between the Institute for Judaism and Sexual Orientation and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. This Open House Faith Fair is for welcoming and affirming places of worship to introduce our community to a variety of religious traditions and spiritual paths that are welcoming and affirming to LGBT people in the greater Los Angeles area. Participants learned about the many places where they can pray, chant, sing and worship that embrace and celebrate all sexual orientations and gender identities. These are the spiritual homes that we all rely on to give our lives depth and meaning, and for many of us to provide with additional avenues for developing community and life-long friendship.

Dr. Joel Kushner moderates the series that brings together LGBT Jews, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims and those of other faith traditions to discuss and explore spiritual and religious issues and concerns. One significant theme examined will be the common and divergent struggles LGBT people face in building and maintaining spiritual integrity within both supportive and hostile environments. This series was originally pioneered by the New York Gay and Lesbian Center.

Hide Details Felicia Park-Rogers, Executive Director, Congregation Beth Chayim Chadashim and former ED of COLAGE-Children of Lesbians & Gays Everywhere draws on her professional experience as well as personal experience as a child of gay and lesbian parents and as a lesbian mother herself to explore what do LGBT families look like, what do children in LGBT families need and how can Jewish Institutions welcome all families in Klal Yisrael.

Hide Details Dr. Joel L. Kushner discusses religious organizing skills and the Reform Movement's journey toward inclusion. Co-panelist included: Rev. Troy Plummer, Executive Director of the Reconciling Ministries Network in the United Methodist Church, Chicago, Il. Rev. Ruth Garwood, National Coordinator for the United Church of Christ Coalition for LGBT Concerns, Cleveland, Ohio.

Hide Details Models of Pride is a free one-day conference that focuses on the concerns and interests of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer youth, and allies, ages 14 to 23. It is sponsored by Friends of Project 10.

Dr Joel L. Kushner, Roundtable Discussion Facilitator

Hide Details Dr. Joel L. Kushner and Daniel Gould, MSW led a two hour seminar to educate clinicians and staff to recognize that gender is complicated for everyone whether or not you are transgender or intersex; to understand some of the vocabulary that is used by individuals within the transgender, gender nonconforming and intersex communities to self-identify; to understand texts from classical Judaism that refer to gender diversity; to know how to find more information on gender diversity and finally, to take action steps to build a practice or agency that is welcoming to transgender, gender nonconforming and intersex individuals.

Hide Details Now open to the public - The JHVRC has been completely revised to be LGBT inclusive as well as adding a new LGBT Liturgy and Ritual section. This unique resource now contains over 400 resources on the intersection of Jewish and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.

Hide Details Dr. Joel L. Kushner meets with all 1st year HUC-JIR students from the combined programs - Rabbinic, Cantorial and Education to introduce the resources and opportunities of the IJSO and JHVRC.
HUC-JIR, Jerusalem Campus

Hide Details Hosted by City Commissioner Bruce M. Abrams, Esq., Rabbi Laurie Coskey, Ed.D, Rabbi Elizabeth Goldstein and Rabbi Tamar Malino at the home of Bruce M Abrams in San Diego, the Institute for Judaism and Sexual Orientation recognized the pioneering accomplishments of Jane Fantel. Ms Fantel is a School of Jewish Communal Service alumna and recipient of an honorary Doctor of Jewish Communal Service degree from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. She is also an LGBT community and Jewish community leader who has supported the development of the IJSO as well as JPride, the local LGBT Jewish organization for the greater San Diego area. Ms. Fantel and her partner Laura Galinson, Director of the Price-Galinson Collaborative Fund shared their work and their story.

Hide Details Out and Faithful is an interfaith panel discussion series that is a joint project between the Institute for Judaism and Sexual Orientation and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. Dr Joel Kushner moderates the series that brings together LGBT Jews, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims and those of other faith traditions to discuss and explore spiritual and religious issues and concerns. One significant theme examined will be the common and divergent struggles LGBT people face in building and maintaining spiritual integrity within both supportive and hostile environments. This series was originally pioneered by the New York Gay and Lesbian Center.

Hide Details Dr Joel L. Kushner, panelist, discusses psychological issues in caregiving and compares gay and lesbian caregiving issues with those of heterosexual caregivers as part of a Department of Jewish Family Concerns seminar.

Hide Details Dr. Joel L. Kushner discusses aspects of LGBT and Jewish Families as part of a Department of Jewish Family Concerns panel

Hide Details Author Aaron Hamburger reads and discusses his new book, Faith for Beginners, about a rebellious, gay college student and his family on a trip to Israel and the transformations they all experience.

Institute for Judaism and Congregation Beth Chayim Chadashim. Co-sponsors. Los Angeles, CA.

Hide Details Speakers: Drs. Caryn Aviv and David Schneer, Founders, Mosaic: The National Jewish Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity

What is safe space and how can Jewish leaders help create safe space for all Jews who seek it? In this workshop and text study, we will discuss how Jewish Leaders can use language, build new Institutional structures and change power dynamics to make all Jewish institutions safe for Queer Jews. By examining the history of Jewish Institutions by and for queer Jews and the effect these groups have had on the wider Jewish world, we will chart the history of queer Jewish safe space and propose new directions for future Jewish Leaders.

Hide Details Creating Institutional Change: Inclusion and Advocacy
Speaker: Rabbi Harold Schulweis, Congregation Valley Beth Shalom

Case Studies in Action: LGBT Issues in the Congregation
Facilitators: Rabbi Lewis Barth; Rabbi Lisa Edwards, Rabbi Denise Eger; Madelyn Mishkin Katz, David Levy; Scott Minkow; Corey Slavin; Steven Windmueller; Sandy Rubenstein

Hide Details The Coming Out Process and Lifecycle Needs
Speaker: Rabbi Yoel Kahn, Ph.D.
Discussion Group Facilitators: Rabbi Denise Eger, Jane Fantel, Jay Geller, Esq, Agnes Herman, MSW; Dr. Sandy Klasky, David Levy and Sandra Rubenstein

Hide Details Confronting and Acknowledging Stereotypes
Speaker: Avi Rose, Executive Director, Project Inform, Information, Inspiration and Advocacy for People Living with HIV/AIDS, Graduate of the Hebrew Union College School of Jewish Communal Service and USC School of Social Work

Leviticus 18:22 and Lev 19:1-18 Text Study
Facilitators: Fran Chalin, Rabbi Lisa Edwards, Rabbi Denise Eger, Rabbi Alan Henkin; Rabbi Susan Laemmle, Scott Minkow and Cantor Samuel Radwine