When Jamie, name changed for anonymity, first began raising their child in Greater Philadelphia, they knew they needed to find an inclusive space quickly. For Jamie, being a member of the LGBTQ+ community has often meant feeling a sense of isolation and misplacement. This is not a feeling they wanted their child to experience.
“I have often felt like the only Jew in queer spaces and the only queer in Jewish spaces,” they said.
This sentiment is common among people of intersectional identities. According to a 2021 Pew Research Center study, only 4% of American Jews identify as gay or lesbian, and an additional 5% say they are bisexual.
Luckily for Jamie, they found jkidpride, a program supported by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia that creates safe spaces for Jewish children and their parents to interact with queer culture and express their identities without fear of being persecuted.
“It’s amazing to be able to have a place where I am not the only Jew or the only queer,” Jamie noted.
jkidpride is a program run by jkidphilly, an arm of Jewish Learning Venture (JLV), a grantee of the Jewish Federation. This program focuses on uplifting the voices of those in marginalized groups within the Jewish community, such as Jews of Color and Jews of differing abilities.
“jkidpride celebrates all of queer culture as a part of our Jewish culture — embracing the Jewish value of klal Yisrael (Jewish oneness),” added jkidpride Director Robin Matthews. “It’s absolutely vital for children at all ages and in all families to feel a sense of inclusion, community and safety.”
This sense of belonging is actualized through jkidpride’s informal gatherings, educational programming and holiday celebrations, where LGBTQ+ Jews have the space to build relationships with one another. Programming runs the gamut from simple playground meetups to family paint afternoons with guest artists, LGBTQ+ Tween Game Nights, and their annual Lag B’Omer Drag Queen Storytime and S’mores.
“By creating this environment for families raising young, Jewish children, we are not only able to provide an inclusive space, but we are also acting as leaders in the community by emphasizing the importance of intentional and radical hospitality,” Matthews continued. “This, in turn, fosters a deep and long-lasting sense of belonging, which is something all Jewish families are looking for, especially now.”
In enacting this idea of “intentional and radical hospitality,” jkidpride uses a multi-pronged approach when hosting community programs. This includes partnering with LGBTQ+-owned businesses, focusing programming on social justice issues of inclusion, and choosing accessible locations for all abilities.
According to the Jewish Federation’s population study from 2019, one in ten Jewish households in the Greater Philadelphia area have an individual who identifies as LGBTQ+.
“Members of the Jewish community who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community were excluded from Jewish life and engagement for too long,” explained the Jewish Federation’s Director of Local Grants and Partnerships Brian Gralnick. “LGBTQ+ Jewish individuals are more likely to be socially isolated and economically disadvantaged. The Jewish Federation has specific program grants to improve the lives of the Jewish LGBTQ+ community, and this commitment will continue to be a priority.”
Among other allocations to JLV in fiscal year 2023, the Jewish Federation granted $85,000 to the Engaging Underserved and Disenfranchised Families program which includes jkidpride. This funding supported jkidpride’s ability to hire Matthews as the director, who has led the initiative since its inception, and its mission to create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ children to grow and learn confidently.
“One of the most successful ways we’ve been able to reach new Jewish LGBTQ+ families is through outreach at various Pride events throughout the month of June, almost all of which have a cost associated with participation,” Matthews said. “The funding from the Jewish Federation dedicated specifically to reach underserved populations has been vital. Without it, we wouldn’t have been able to grow our community so significantly and offer as many programming opportunities.”
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To help the Jewish Federation continue to support programs that promote diversity, equity and inclusion, make a gift at jewishphilly.org/donate.