about
i love complexity, find comfort in democracy and thrive in contradictions. i live for the adventure in any experience, proudly vote feminist and love israel. while working as a queer – lgbt – jewish – community organizer for close to five years i learned quite a bit about our global lgbt jewish community. this blog highlights my personal experiences learning, living and working within the lgbt and jewish communities. while i no longer update this particular blog please find out what i am up to now on my other blog.
this is me at home in san francisco getting ready for a holiday meal
.png)
Email.png)
My Blog.png)
Facebook
Google +.png)
LinkedIn
More about.me
Vizify Visual Bio
@jewishlgbt
@LisaFinkelstein
a professional queer jew's blog 
rebecca
July 4, 2010 at 7:55 pm
hello my friend, hope you have the trip of a lifetime filled with treasures of all sorts. You are amazing and I miss you. Finnegan is 5 now! crazy.
Jen Phillips
August 3, 2010 at 1:44 am
I can’t believe I haven’t seen this blog before. How wonderful that you are writing it! Yasher koach!
amosllassen
November 17, 2010 at 11:23 am
Very nice pages–I am honored to be featured here.
qjew
November 22, 2010 at 12:45 pm
thanks, amos!
Jena
May 12, 2011 at 8:00 am
What an awesome job you have! Nice to virtually meet you 🙂
beryl rae
June 23, 2011 at 12:31 pm
Hi! Actually working on a project for the Contemporary Jewish Museum at the moment– stumbled upon your blog while looking for contact info for Al Baum as recommended by Lisa Finkelstein (we are searching for project participants).
To paraphrase, the project is about Jewish experience in the innovative/independent/forward-thinking ethos of the Bay Area. perhaps you might have something to contribute?
I tried finding your email address on the site… no luck! Any chance you’d like to share it and continue the conversation thata way?
allofasuddenpartJew
August 2, 2011 at 10:35 pm
I love your blog and the theme! 🙂
ՊԱՅԾԱՌաՏԵՍ
August 25, 2011 at 12:20 am
Hey, nice to meet you! I’d love to ask: do you have Armenian roots, too? Or the end of your surname has nothing to do with Armenian -yan/ian? Toda.
Lisa Finkelstein
August 26, 2011 at 9:26 am
my father’s people spoke yiddish and came over on a boat from what is now present-day romania. i was told that they were most likely living near the black sea in a village until a ban on jews dwelling in rural area forced them into a city. since most romanian jews were of polish or russian extraction most likely they were not armenian. now this could be folklore or some form of the truth but i was also told that all of the jews that arrived in america on the day that his people arrived received the surname finkelstein. thanks for asking. i assume that you are armenian?
ՊԱՅԾԱՌաՏԵՍ
September 1, 2011 at 3:42 am
Yes, I am Armenian with Jewish roots and love towards modern secular and free Israel =)))
Allyson Block
September 24, 2011 at 8:17 am
Nice blog! I am a visual artist. I started making Ketubot about a year and a half ago based on my original artwork. I feature same sex Ketubot and will customize any text. Thought I would leave a note in case anyone is looking for a contemporary Ketubah! http://www.allysonblockjudaica.com
Thanks,
Allyson
Lisa Finkelstein
September 26, 2011 at 10:04 am
excellent, allyson! it is always helpful to know of artistic resources for jewish wedding planning. plus, thanks for the gift idea. i had never thought of giving a beautifully designed certificate for a baby naming as a gift before… great link. keep in touch.
domestigay
October 7, 2011 at 1:19 pm
I just found this blog today and it is amazing! Thank you for producing such a thoughtful lgbt blog and doing so much great leg-work of collecting resources in your post. I am adding to my Reader right…. now!
Lisa Finkelstein
October 7, 2011 at 1:24 pm
Wow, thanks new friend! i love doing the leg-work of collecting resources. for some odd reason, i simply enjoy knowing what is out there and how it evolves. keep in touch and lets swap resources.
Benjy
October 31, 2011 at 8:21 pm
Hello! I just stumbled across your blog and have been enjoying reading your posts. Keep up the good work!
Lisa Finkelstein
November 1, 2011 at 10:48 am
i am honored, benjy! thank you for the kindness! i look forward to learning more from your blog too! just from the title, discourses from the life of a gay orthodox jew, i am intrigued. I look forward to learning about your experiences! keep writing, brother! http://chalamti.blogspot.com
theinkbrain
December 14, 2011 at 5:13 pm
What I see here warms my heart. I am not Jewish, though I know for certain I have at least one Jewish ancestor – Ephraim Coen – who came over to Sri Lanka in 1780 with the Dutch East India Company.
These are difficult times for Jews everywhere who worry when they read about the situation in Israel and the new/old note surfacing in world opinion.
I feel a strong solidarity with my Gay and Lesbian Jewish brothers and sisters, and wish them well with all my heart.