Sun 20 May 2007
Who Says the Deep South Ain’t Progressive?
Posted by Head Yenta under Life, Death and Guilt In BetweenNo Comments
Bravo! Brava! Bravissima! to Rabbi Josh Lesser, who was bestowed the Georgia Center for Nonprofits’ Revolutions Leadership Award last week. Reb Lesser founded Atlanta's Rainbow Center, a research and support center for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered folk that's managed by the local Jewish Family and Career Services and sponsored by Lesser's Reconstructionist and GLBT-welcoming congregation Bet Haverim (House of Friends).
The non-profit Rainbow Center spreads its message of tolerance to the Jewish community at large (and Atlanta's Jewish community is massive and sophisticated, which always seems to surprise those who think there's no Jews in Georgia) by dispatching "volunteer ambassadors" — gay Jews — to Hebrew day school, synagogues and other Jewish gatherings to educate and promote social justice for everyone.
I'm picturing a flock of gorgeous drag queens sweeping into a Hadassah meeting and firing up a rousing chorus of "Hinei Ma Tov," but that's probably my own wishful thinking. Still, I gotta figure out how to get a Rainbow caravan over to shake up Savannah — I know the Senior Yenta Lunch Bunch would be so down.
oh my GOD I would fly down just to see that
I had the privilege to daven & kabbalat shabbat at Reb Lesser’s shul, when I was in Decatur for an academic conference – Bet Haverim is a very cool scene—open, warm, diverse & the service was very participatory—they don’t have their own building yet & have services in a church … even so, if I were in the ATL area, I’d be so there.
The online magazine is indeed amazing! Here in Colorado we have the Intermountain Jewish News and its…not quite up to the level of what Atlanta has. Any spillover into Savannah?
amshav—Atlanta is about 4 hours drive & a few decades ahead of the rest of the South. Like the Head Yenta says, we really need a shliach from Reb Lesser’s Rainbow caravan to come and shake things up here.
As a staff member of Jewish Family & Career Services in Atlanta I am quite proud of this very progressive Rainbow Center- every city should have a program like this and my co- worker who runs it is doing such great work! Sorry to dissapoint your wishful thinking Yenta- the volunteers that do the much needed education are not drag queens, but I like the idea! Atlanta is more progressive to be sure, but is still in the South and that would most likely scare the #@$# out of the local yokels.
Thanks for sharing this important story!!
As a staff member of Jewish Family & Career Services in Atlanta I am quite proud of this very progressive Rainbow Center- every city should have a program like this and my co- worker who runs it is doing such great work! Sorry to dissapoint your wishful thinking Yenta- the volunteers that do the much needed education are not drag queens, but I like the idea! Atlanta is more progressive to be sure, but is still in the South and that would most likely scare the #@$# out of the local yokels.
Thanks for sharing this important story!!