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STACY GITTLEMAN

in
the

Jewish & Queer

Multifaith Alliance director addresses
Farber Hebrew Day School students.

Jewish LGBT group talks of empowerment.

JUDY GREENWALD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A

the oldest of the three panelists at 57,
bout 30 members of Jewish
said that things have come a long way
Detroit’s LGBT community
since he came out in college.
gathered at Ferndale’s Local
“Back in my teens, queer was such a
Kitchen and Bar to listen to how three
derogatory term, and now it is a word
Jews from different generations have
embraced their Jewish and sexual and of empowerment,” Elkus said. “When
I sat my parents down to tell
gender identities and share
ABOVE:
them I was gay, they thought
their own stories at NEXTGen
Steven Davis,
Jessica Leuchter, I was going to tell them I was
Detroit Pride’s Sept. 14 pro-
Jayson Olson,
dating a non-Jewish girl.”
gram, “Navigating Jewish and
Ron Elkus and
When it comes to dat-
Queer.”
Sam Dubin.
ing, the panelists expressed
Pride co-chairs Sam Dubin,
that they all wanted to find
25, of West Bloomfield and
a Jewish partner, and they have no
Steven Davis, 37, of Ferndale are hop-
easier a time at it than do their Jewish
ing that events like this create a “new
heterosexual counterparts.
kind of Jewish family” and open dia-
Jessica Leuchter, 25, a Ph.D. pre-can-
logue of being LGBT and Jewish. They
want others to know that these identi- didate in chemistry at the University
of Michigan, said there are many
ties need not be mutually exclusive.
more men looking for men on Jewish
The panelists, ranging from their
online dating services than lesbians.
50s to their teens, discussed how
However, she said that she is happily
much has changed in terms of accep-
dating. In her life, she has been active
tance over the decades. With the
in United Synagogue Youth and Hillel
onset of LGBT-friendly youth group
on campus at Wake Forest University
chapters, Birthright trips to Israel and
and now heads up a Jewish grad stu-
gay-oriented interpretations of the
dent group at U-M.
weekly Torah portion, they spoke of
“Carrying on Jewish traditions into
how far the Jewish community has
my adult and someday into married
come, yet at the same time, how far it
life is very important to me and has
should go to welcome LBGT Jews.
nothing to do with my sexuality,”
One step can be as small a gesture
Leuchter said. “And when I am ready,
as placing a safe sticker or displaying
my rabbi even said he would officiate
a rainbow flag in the office of a syna-
my wedding. But I’m not ready, not
gogue or a Jewish day school.
just yet.”
When attendee Lee Epstein, 31, of
Jayson Olson, 17, of West Bloomfield
Ferndale, started working at Hillel
said he has never lived in a time when
Community Day School this fall to
there was not social media, and this
facilitate spirituality and song and
has its pros and cons as a transsexual.
prayer leading, he simply put out a
rainbow flag in the corner of his office. The College of Creative Studies stu-
dent who founded the first gender-
“Just by having that flag out, some
neutral BBYO chapter in Michigan
students have approached me to say
embraced his Jewish adulthood twice:
they are glad to see I have this flag,
first as a bat mitzvah and then again
and that is enough,” said Epstein. He
as a bar mitzvah when he transitioned
said he has lived in Orthodox Jewish
communities where some “very frum” into becoming a man.
“When I find a YouTube video of a
friends muse they observe 612 com-
trans adult living out their life, holding
mandments. “We need to come to an
down a job or owning a home, I have
age of co-existing realities. Yes, you
hopes that this can be my life some-
can be an observant Jew, and you can
day,” Olson said. “I am thankful for the
be gay at the same time.”
generations of the LGBT community
Panelists spoke about how coming
who paved the way to a more accept-
out is a continual process, whether it
ing society for those of my generation.”
be to family, friends or co-workers.
Ron Elkus of Huntington Woods,
•

24

Helping Syrian Refugees

September 28 • 2017

jn

O

Martini, a general manager of a hospi-
n a day devoted to remem-
brance of the horrific events 16 tal, was trying to offer medical help to
the injured, but due to brutal govern-
years ago designed to destroy
and divide, Farber Hebrew Day School ment opposition, he explained, this
work had to be done in secret.
(FHDS) hosted a presenta-
ABOVE:
Martini’s involvement in this
tion on Monday, Sept. 11,
Shadi Martini of the
endeavor eventually led to his
affirming the importance
Multifaith Alliance
need to flee the country.
of interfaith cooperation
for Syrian Refuggees
He worked from abroad
to combat evil and exem-
talks to Farber high
and
began looking for assis-
plify tikkun olam by helping
school students.
tance from fellow Arabs. He
those in need.
was shocked when other
Shadi Martini, director
offers of help came from Israel.
of Humanitarian Relief and Regional
“When I asked why, the Israeli
Relations for the Multifaith Alliance
answer was: ‘That’s what we should
for Syrian Refugees (MFA), addressed
do. We’re neighbors. It’s our duty to
FHDS high school students, faculty
help you.’ This was dangerous on both
and members of the Jewish commu-
sides, but we took the chance because
nity about his organization’s efforts
we needed the assistance.
to raise awareness about the ongoing
“And from that work something
hardships endured by refugees fleeing
developed I never could have imag-
war-torn Syria and the close relation-
ined,” he said. “Just by people opening
ships being built with Israel in answer
up, meeting and talking to each other,
to these innocent people’s suffering.
we learned about one another and
FHDS Head of School Rabbi
began to understand one another.
“That was the first step. From
there, I joined the Multifaith Alliance
and have brought in Jewish, Christian,
Muslim, Sikh and secular organiza-
tions to help the victims of war. What
started with 13 groups has grown to
more than 90 organizations offering
assistance.”
According to the MFA, in 2013 it
identified an opportunity for Israel
and Syria to provide humanitarian
ABOVE: Head of School Rabbi Scot Berman,
aid and, over the next few years, has
Shadi Martini, JCRC Executive Director David
brought Syrians and Israelis together
Kurzmann and Principal Rabbi Noam Stein.
for meetings, encouraging the use of
Israel as a staging area for relief ship-
Scot A. Berman acknowledged the
ments. In 2016, the first such ship-
school’s partnering with the Jewish
Community Relations Council/AJC for ment was delivered from the United
the event. High School Principal Rabbi States through the Golan Heights into
Syria.
Noam Stein expressed the school’s
To date, MFA and its partners have
honor in hosting someone who works
delivered more than $31 million of
to further the positive relationship
relief supplies through Israel to 1.5
between those of different faiths.
million people.
The Syrian-born Martini shared his
“This is the good that comes from
story of growing up with prejudice
former adversaries working together
and hatred, and his journey to move
to create a model for future coopera-
past these feelings to understand and
tion,” he concluded, adding a special
work with others.
message for the students in the audi-
“We were always taught that Israel
ence: “The people who want to do
was the enemy,” he said. “The Jewish
population that helps Israel is also our good are the majority. Open your eyes
and your hearts, and you’ll find mag-
enemy. This is what we believed.”
nificent people.” •
Because of Syria’s civil war, in 2011,