LGBTQ+ Pride – Where Do We Belong?

In January 2024, I took on a new volunteer position with Hadassah’s grassroots advocacy team. I had already been organizing and participating in the advocacy process in my Richmond, VA, chapter so I was prepared and excited for the opportunity.

Because of my relative proximity to Washington, DC, one of the “perks” of my new position is occasionally being invited to congressional and other national events. On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, I was invited by Hadassah and joined Elizabeth Cullen, Hadassah’s Director of Government Relations/Education and Advocacy, to attend a program titled “We Belong: Pride and Solidarity.” This event, cohosted by Israel’s Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog, the Israeli Embassy, A Wider Bridge, Bet Mishpachah and Adas Israel Congregation, was a demonstration of unity with the LGBTQ+ community. Hadassah was a supporting organization, and I was honored to be included. (See Hadassah’s policy statement in support of the LGBTQ+ community.)

Photo courtesy of Hadassah.

Photo courtesy of Hadassah.

An early indication that we are not living in normal times was the fact that the venue was not announced until the morning of the event. Clearly, there must now be heightened security for the Ambassador. I assumed that it would be a noteworthy evening. My assumption was an understatement. The program was powerful, in that it brought together all the issues, both broad and personal, currently facing the Jewish world.

The event began with the introduction of comedian and mistress of ceremonies Judy Gold, who is openly and unapologetically a lesbian. She introduced Ambassador Michael Herzog who stated, “As Pride Month comes to an end, the Embassy felt compelled to honor and affirm its support by joining with the LGBTQ+ community, as it is a seamless part of the Jewish world.”

Since the October 7^th Hamas attack on Israel, Jews have gotten a clear message that you cannot be a proud Zionist and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Ambassador Herzog’s response is quite clear: “You should never have to hide who you are or any aspect of your identity in order to belong somewhere.”

(After the event, Ambassador Herzog posted on the media site X that the event “reaffirmed our support for the LGBTQ+ community at large” and that “we stand firm with those who have faced unique challenges over the last nine months due to their Jewish Identity or other identification with Israel.”)

Framing the issues that face the Jewish world and, specifically, the LGBTQ+ community, Gold treated us to a poignant comedy routine with the theme, “Where do we belong?” She spoke about her enduring love for Israel and its people and articulated the horror and confusion she has felt watching the negative reaction toward Israel by the progressive and, explicitly, the Queer community.

Gold noted that when she sees signs promoting “Queers for Palestine,” she thinks that their pronouns will eventually be “was” and “were,” since same-sex sexual activity among men is considered a crime in Gaza. She bemoaned the fact that the progressive community has shown little empathy for Israel’s situation following the brutal October 7^th attack by Hamas or the necessity for the ensuing war, leaving LGBTQ+ Jews with no political home.

I cannot do her comedy routine justice, but she made us laugh from the depth of our souls and there was not a person in the room who didn’t need the release. It seemed that there was not one word spoken by Gold that didn’t resonate with the audience.

Gold then introduced Daniel-Ryan Spaulding. Mr. Spaulding, a non-Jewish, Canadian-Croatian comedian who lives in Berlin, has a unique international perspective on Europe’s rampant anti-Israel vitriol. He considers himself a Zionist and has visited Israel on many occasions.

Spaulding stated upfront that we need to stand up to the lies perpetrated by Iran and Qatar in their global conspiracy to shift people’s sense of reality. He added, “This war is for the entire free world.” Spaulding then interviewed two openly gay men who proudly served in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and continue to serve as reservists.”

Natanel, a young IDF soldier who was at the Nova Music Festival during the October 7^th massacre, also spoke. While thankfully, he survived, he lost many close friends that day.

Natanel was soft-spoken. His story was gripping. He told us that he is surviving the trauma only thanks to massive support from the IDF leadership, his fellow soldiers, family and Israel’s unbroken commitment to inclusion.

Spaulding noted that Israelis overwhelmingly support LGBTQ+ rights and that gay and lesbian soldiers are not made to hide their identities Spaulding’s warmth and empathy helped these men tell their stories. One of the speakers, for example, related how he and his husband became proud fathers with the support of the Israeli health system. He noted that this would not happen anywhere else in the Middle East.

Emphasizing that while he understood the LGBTQ+ community’s empathy for Gazan families, Spaulding said he did not understand how they could support a Middle Eastern society that criminalizes LGBTQ+ behavior. Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, he said, must “defend itself against a seven-front war supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI).”

Mr. Spaulding wrote afterward on Instagram, “Hopefully when Hamas, Hezbollah and the IRI are defeated, Saudi Arabia and Israel will join forces for a beautiful path towards peace in the Middle East.”

Next up Gold introduced US Representative Ritchie Torres from New York’s 15th congressional district, the poorest district in the US. Torres, she said, “was a smart progressive based in facts.” Torres is openly gay and an ardent supporter of Israel. His remarks were powerful and unfiltered.

He blames the supporters of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for perpetrating the absurdity that you can’t be a progressive and a Zionist at the same time. “They have made every progressive issue about Palestine,” Mr. Torres noted. “I’d rather be on the right side of history than the right side of Twitter,” he added. “I will stand up even if I stand alone.”

“We Belong” was an apt name for this event. We belong to a Jewish community that should not tolerate anyone being marginalized. We all belong to Israel. We must work to support each other so that no one needs to hide their identity.

It was said during the event that pride encompasses hope. But we can hold out hope only if we remember the power of community.