Synagogues are important centres of Jewish life and experience for many Jews. KeshetUK works with synagogues and Rabbis across all denominations - including Liberal, Orthodox, Masorti, Reform communities and Independent and Partnership Minyan, so that LGBT+ people and their families can feel included within the synagogue’s tradition.
In the UK, Jewish communities provide a wide range of services, support and facilities. Rather than see these duplicated for Jewish LGBT+ people, Jewish communities should ensure that their provision is inclusive of LGBT+ people and their families, and meets their needs.
Jewish communities are diverse and there is no single approach that will work for everyone. KeshetUK works in partnership with communities to identify their goals, then we tailor our support so they can achieve them.
KeshetUK workshops use a mixture of methods to understand how LGBT+ inclusion can work in Jewish communities. They are interactive and create a space where any question can be asked.
In the UK, Jewish communities provide a wide range of services, support and facilities. Rather than see these duplicated for Jewish LGBT+ people, Jewish communities should ensure that their provision is inclusive of LGBT+ people and their families, and meets their needs.
Jewish communities are diverse and there is no single approach that will work for everyone. KeshetUK works in partnership with communities to identify their goals, then we tailor our support so they can achieve them.
KeshetUK workshops use a mixture of methods to understand how LGBT+ inclusion can work in Jewish communities. They are interactive and create a space where any question can be asked.
What we offer synagogues
- The Community Life Training Menu - a tiered training programme that can be adapted to your values and to support all staff members (whether Rabbis, Rebbetzins, cantors, professional staff, lay leadership etc). You can read more about it below.
- LGBT+ wellbeing and inclusion training - appropriate for Rabbis, cantors, religious education teachers, lay-leadership, general staff (e.g. receptionists, security etc) adapted to be inline with the values of each community
- Meeting with individuals such as Rabbis, teachers and staff - in confidence where necessary - to increase their understanding of what including Jewish LGBT+ people and their families could look like
- Bespoke sessions - previous ones have included themes including LGBT+ mental health and a timeline of LGBT+ history
- We are creating a Consultation Support Service which will help synagogues set their own goals and we can help them achieve them. If you're interested in taking part in this pilot - please do contact us
Belonging In Ritual
LGBT+ Jewish people should have the experience they're expecting to have, including in rituals and life cycle moments. This is why KeshetUK is starting a new partnership project about Ritual and lifecycle events. To find out more about it, please click here.
Community Life Training Menu
The KeshetUK Community Life Programme launched in 2022. KeshetUK’s Head of Community Life is working with Jewish communities to create and enhance spaces for Jewish LGBT+ people and their families in the UK.
The Community Life Programme will grow and strengthen KeshetUK’s offer to Jewish community organisations and synagogues by providing a wider variety of training and offer more in-depth support.
The Training Menu is organised into tiers of training, with Tier 1 representing the fundamental, basic building blocks that will allow for the more complex conversations in Tier 2 and Tier 3. While we understand many of you will feel prepared to have the more complex discussions early on, we recommend that organisations progress from Tier 1, to ensure that all your members are on the same page, although this will not be compulsory.
Please click here to see our full Training Menu options (Opens PDF)
The Community Life Programme will grow and strengthen KeshetUK’s offer to Jewish community organisations and synagogues by providing a wider variety of training and offer more in-depth support.
The Training Menu is organised into tiers of training, with Tier 1 representing the fundamental, basic building blocks that will allow for the more complex conversations in Tier 2 and Tier 3. While we understand many of you will feel prepared to have the more complex discussions early on, we recommend that organisations progress from Tier 1, to ensure that all your members are on the same page, although this will not be compulsory.
Please click here to see our full Training Menu options (Opens PDF)
Recent Synagogues work
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Testimonies
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"Working with KeshetUK opened my eyes to exactly how uncertain it can be as a member of the LGBT community. Silence does not always equal acceptance, and tolerance can be easily interpreted as disinterest. Training with KeshetUK made me want to do better as a person and as a community."
Felicity Miller, Vice-Chair New West End Synagogue |
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"KeshetUK has helped me as a Rabbi to deepen my understanding of issues and challenges faced by LBGTQI people and also to appreciate better the meaning of inclusion. The first KeshetUK session that I attended at Limmud, four years ago, was a real eye opener as I had the opportunity to question my own assumptions and perhaps unconscious prejudices. The Jewish community needs KeshetUK so that it can truly be an inclusive community."
Rabbi Mark Goldsmith Alyth, North Western Reform Synagogue |
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“The LGBTQ+ training we received from KeshetUK at New North London Synagogue was really excellent for both our professional team and lay leadership. The fact that the KeshetUK team worked with us in advance to ensure they hit the right tone for our community was really appreciated, and the training itself was practical and accessible, thought-provoking and engaging, and delivered in an extremely sensitive way. It left us with a series of very clear actions to follow up on that will undoubtedly enhance our LGBTQ+ inclusion across the NNLS community.”
Claire Mandel, Chief Executive, New North London Synagogue (2023) |