In the fall of 1998 the Office of Student Life at the University of Oregon received a notice in the mail about a student leadership conference aimed at empowering GLBT Jewish leaders. The Dean who received the memo called our local Jewish Student Union, LGBT Alliance and Hillel House to recruit someone to represent the University of Oregon at this conference called NUJLS. I was nominated, grant dollars were dispersed, I flew to Texas, met a dozen new friends and learned about Jewish community leadership. Just like that my career, as I write about in this blog, discovered its roots.
From my perspective one of the many barriers that people experience into the organized Jewish community was eliminated for me. Representing the University of Oregon as a Gay Jewish leader, gave me the opportunity as a young person to easily navigate into the depths of what our Jewish community has to offer.
Each Spring since 1997, Queer Jewish University-level students, as well as our steadfast LGBT allies, have joined together on a selected University campus to learn from each other for a weekend Shabbaton affectionately called NUJLS. Each year NUJLS features speakers, text study, and workshops on topics such as Judaism and queerness, activism, relationships, ethics, coming out, and time to talk about our differing views on how students think about Israel. NUJLS provides an opportunity for student leaders from Universities across North America to build community, network and become more familiar with Jewish life.
This February at American University in Washington D.C. students will be able to hear from galvanizing speakers, share shabbat meals and participate in leadership workshops all the while fostering in the next generation of connected and inspired LGBT Jewish leaders.
As an alumni of NUJLS and now a proud board member I am asking my networks to help me spread the word on campuses and in your greater communities about NUJLS. Learn more!
Related Links
- Visit the NUJLS Website!
- Top 10 LGBT Websites and Blogs
- This is a gender neutral restroom.
- Dr. Frank Kameny, Jewish Gay Rights Pioneer, Dies At 86
- finding the community that works for you
- breaking barriers
- shout out today: tomorrow is a day of silence
- The DCJCC GLOE Blog at 16th and Q
- Bet Mishpachah – Mishpachah Matters
- Gayim DC, a yahoo group for Jewish Gay, Bisexual and Trans identified men
- Nice Jewish Girls of DC, a yahoo group for Jewbians
- Out Gay Hillel Students at American University in DC: Oy J!
- Annual DC Metro Area GLBT Studies Symposium: Scholarship to Activism
- Spectrum Advisor Project
- A 2011 Guide to GLBTA Life at American University
- Jason Benkendorf named ED of American University Hillel
- countering the untrue (qjew.wordpress.com)
Gay Parents
February 5, 2012 at 2:19 am
Hurrah, thats what I was looking for, what a stuff! existing here at this website, thanks admin of this site.