The Capital Jewish Museum, located at 575 3rd St in Washington, D.C., held a complementary panel for their museum’s new exhibit about queer jews, called “Striving to Belong: LGBTQ+ Jews in Orthodox Communities.”
Mitzpeh viewed the museum’s new exhibit, “LGBTJews in the Federal City,” and attended the panel. The exhibit includes artifacts and photos that tell the story of the fight for queer Jewish acceptance. As long as there have been Jews in D.C., there have been queer Jews in D.C. and this exhibit seeks to tell their story.
Tal Bresler, a senior neuroscience major at UMD, has worked to build spaces for the queer Jewish community on campus. She spoke at a complementary panel for the museum’s new exhibit, called “Striving to Belong: LGBTQ+ Jews in Orthodox Communities.”
The panel featured Bresler, Rabbi Hyim Shafner, an orthodox rabbi with experience leading congregations that have members with diverse sexual and gender identities and Peninah Gershman, the mother of an out gay Jewish son.
Bresler spoke about her experiences with modern Orthodoxy and her own queer identity. She explained that queer Jewish groups use outward affirmations to create a healthy culture.
“I think queer frum community is built in two ways, through visibility and support you can fall back on when visibility is scary or unsafe,” Bresler said.
Bresler previously struggled with sharing her sexuality and wanted to continue promoting the strategies she used to increase her confidence.
“Gathering articles, TV shows and podcasts where others looked queer and spoke about being gay and embraced visibility helped me when I couldn’t be out. Now that I’m in a safer position, I’m honored to have the chance to give voice to queer orthodox experience and be the visibility someone else might need,” Bresler said.
The mom’s story focused on the way her love for her son led her to not only accept him but also ensure he stayed in the Jewish spaces that were right for him.
The Rabbi focused on when queer Jews looked for his guidance. He said he accepted the Jews that came to him, but only did it to keep them religious rather than wholly accepting them into the community.
He likened queer Jews to those who do not observe Shabbat or niddah, a position that sees being gay as an inherent violation of Judaism.
The LGBTJews in the Federal City exhibit will stay open until Jan. 4, 2026.
