Pride podcast

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Shulamit Izen reflects on coming out in a Jewish Day School and establishing a Gay/Straight Alliance.

Shulamit Izen, Fall 2001

In honor of Pride month (and a relatively calm and safe Pride Parade in Jerusalem today - yay!), I'm posting our latest podcast: LGBT activist Shulamit Izen describing her experience coming out at a Jewish high school and creating the first ever Gay-Straight Alliance at a Jewish School. I had the privilege of being Shula's teacher at the New Jewish High School during the events she describes, and I learned a lot from her about pride and integrity. It was amazing to see how a shy teenager could inspire her teachers and peers to be true to themselves, to take a stand, and to commit themselves to making their community more inclusive. JWA honored Shulamit in 2002 as a "Woman Who Dared" and you can read more about her here. She is also the subject of a documentary, Hineini, produced by Keshet and filmmaker Irena Fayngold.

To me, Shula's story captures what is at the heart of Pride -- celebrating who each of us really is not only changes the experiences of individuals in the world, but changes the world itself.