This article explores the annual retreat for LGBTQ+ Jewish people held at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in Falls Village, Connecticut. It highlights the experiences of participants like Zippy Spanjer, who find solace and community in a space where they can be both Jewish and queer without fear of judgment. The retreat offers a unique opportunity for LGBTQ+ Jews to celebrate their identities, connect with others, and engage in meaningful conversations about faith, sexuality, and belonging.
A 29-year-old from Rochester, New York, Zippy Spanjer was experiencing for the first time what has become an annual pilgrimage where Jews with diverse sexual identities can unwind and be themselves. Spanjer was part of a vibrant social scene with other LGBTQ+ students when she was a student at the Stern College for Women at Yeshiva University, and part of the underground Pride Alliance. But since graduating and moving back to Rochester, New York, her social life has suffered.
Here, however, in the scenic foothills of the Berkshire Mountains at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, she was able to celebrate Shabbat, pray, sing, cry and share stories with 96 Orthodox or formerly Orthodox Jews who identify as queer from across the U.S. 'I have not found a place where I am comfortable being both Jewish and queer,' said Spanjer. 'In the Jewish spaces, you never know how someone’s gonna think about the queer stuff, and in the queer spaces you never know how someone’s gonna think about the religious stuff. And to me, these aren’t diametrically opposed.' Spanjer was joined by other individuals like her, seeking a space where they could fully express their identities without fear of judgment. At the retreat, they engaged in meaningful conversations, celebrated Jewish traditions, and forged lasting connections with others who understood their unique experiences. The Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center has become a haven for LGBTQ+ Jews, providing a platform for acceptance, inclusivity, and spiritual growth
LGBTQ+ Jews Religious Retreat Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center Acceptance Community Orthodox Judaism
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