by Sally Greenberg
It’s an honor to say a few words about my connection to Temple Sinai and, this being Pride month, my connection to the gay community.
I’ve been part of Temple Sinai since moving to Washington DC 28 years ago with my then-partner and 9-month old son, Joe. Joe grew up in this synagogue and started in the Temple Sinai Preschool at age 2 (he’s now 27 and married!). Temple Sinai was always a special and welcoming place for our two mom, one kid family and full of allies for our nontraditional family. I was comfortable here, I think, because I grew up in a big reform congregation in Minneapolis in a family committed to repairing the world.
It was here at Temple Sinai that Joe’s 4 grandparents celebrated his bar mitzvah and his confirmation; sadly none are around today but I still kvell seeing his photo on the wall outside the Bet Am with his confirmation class. I had my own adult B’nai mitzvah 15 years ago, studying with Rabbi Portnoy and Cantor Croen, so in some ways, I kind of grew up here too.
Let me say a word or two word about what Pride means for me and the LGBTQ community. Pride celebrations began in the wake of the Stonewall Riots in New York City in 1969. Pride is a celebration of the community in all its diversity and usually includes a big bold parade and lots of fun and partying – this expression of pride now happens in hundreds of cities around the country. I’m told that the biggest and best gay Pride celebration is actually in Tel Aviv!
So what does being a member of the LGBT community have to do with being Jewish? For me, a lot. Antisemitism and homophobia are twin evils, and each of our communities has a long history of being targets of hatred, violence and vilification. We’ve learned that we can never let our guard down – witness the rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the US and the recent epidemic of anti-gay laws passed in Florida, Tennessee and so many other places.
But hate is not who we are as Reform Jews. In fact, we should be incredibly proud that in 1977, a generation and a half ago, Reform Judaism was perhaps the first major religious group to call for decriminalizing being gay and demanding that LGBT relationships be respected. This was at a time when being gay was a criminal offense in pretty much every state in the US. So called “sodomy laws” aimed at the LGBT community were actually upheld by the Supreme Court as recently as 1986.
So we’ve come a long way – June and Pride month gives us the chance to celebrate our LGBT community and for us as members of Temple Sinai, be proud that this congregation and the Reform Jews have long embraced the gay community. Thanks to all for being here tonight and celebrating Pride.