This past week was Pride Week in the Jewish community, organized by the Rady Jewish Community Centre. As Tamar Barr, Interim Executive Director of the Rady JCC wrote in an email to the Winnipeg Jewish Review, "The Rady JCC has been presenting programming and outreach to and with the Jewish LGBTQ2+ for 20 years.  This work  is a part of our Rady JCC’s mission and Pride Week is an opportunity for the Rady JCC and other community agencies to show their support for LGBTQ2+ community members, families, allies and supporters.  In 2019, the Rady  JCC celebrated Pride in six different ways including two flag raisings, a Shabbat Dinner and family program."

 

Adam Levy,Public Relations and Communications Director at the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, was one of a number of people who spoke at a flag raising at the Asper Campus in solidarity with the Jewish LGBTQ2+ community.

 

"Inclusion, respect, and equality are basic human rights that must be upheld by everyone, and I am proud to represent an organization and be part of a community that values all of its members regardless of gender, sexual and relationship diversity," Levy said.

 

The Pride Shabbat Dinner had a sold-out house on Friday, May 24.  As Barr relates, "It was a beautiful and welcoming way to open up Pride Week in the Jewish community.  Guests participated in a beautiful Shabbat Service and enjoyed a delicious meal." Pride Board members, Rabbi Kliel  Rose,  CIJA, Rady and Federation representatives joined the diverse group in celebrating Shabbat with song and spirituality.

 

Barr says " The response was fantastic  for all six events. Participants of all ages came out to support and celebrate the LGBTQ2+ and Jewish communities."

 

Barr noted that "Coinciding with Pride week and as part of the Winnipeg International Jewish Film Festival, we presented the Israeli film Family in Transition. It was held off-site at Cinemateque to a sold-out audience.We were fortunate to have Lara Rae, Co-Founder of the Comedy Festival  and a proud trans woman to lead a Talk  Balk after the movie."

 

When asked how many Jewish people marched in the pride parade on June 2 with the float  representing the Jewish community, Barr responded that " An amazing crowd – loud and proud, of allies and queer people, from the Jewish LGBTQ2+ community and others came to celebrate and support pride. There was also representation from different community agencies and community members."