A Wider Bridge Explained

A Wider Bridge
Location:1441 Broadway Suite 6149
New York, NY U.S.
Director:Ethan Felson

A Wider Bridge is a United States based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which mobilizes the LGBTQ community to fight antisemitism and support Israel and its LGBTQ community. AWB connects the LGBT communities in the U.S. and Israel and advocating for LGBT rights in Israel.[1] [2] The organization has activists across North America and around the world. It sponsors a campaign Queers Against Antisemitism which is described as "a movement of queer activists who pledge to fight antisemitism as it spreads around the globe."

History

The organization was founded in 2010 by Arthur Slepian after a homophobic shooting in Bar Noar, a gay bar in Tel Aviv. Slepian thought that LGBT relations between North America and Israel should not only come in times of crisis, but that the communities in both countries should be more consistently connected.[3] [4] [5] The group also focuses on the message that it is possible to be both LGBT and Jewish.[6]

In 2011 A Wider Bridge was named an Upstarter by the group UpStart, a Jewish entrepreneurial group.[7]

In 2017 A Wider Bridge announced that they would be changing directors on January 15 of 2018 from Arthur Slepian to Tye Gregory.[8] [9]

In July 2020 A Wider Bridge announced Ethan Felson as executive director.[10]

Services

Education

A Wider Bridge does educational presentations at various places across the United States, including college campuses, to inform others about LGBT rights in Israel.[11] [12] The group brings LGBT activists and artists from Israel across the U.S. to help educate people about LGBT life and culture in Israel.[13] [14] [15] A Wider Bridge also educates Jewish LGBT individuals in how to be better leaders.[16]

Trips to Israel

A Wider Bridge plans and sponsors trips that take LGBT people from the United States to various places in Israel so that they can learn and connect with LGBT and other human rights organizations in Israel and develop their leadership skills. The groups also meet with LGBT Palestinians and Ethiopians.[17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]

A Wider Bridge has also partnered with Olivia Travel to sponsor a trip specifically for women focusing on feminist and lesbian issues in Israel.[24]

Refugee advocacy

A Wider Bridge hosts events specifically to educate the public on issues about LGBT refugees from the Middle East and North Africa.[25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] The group also works to raise money for organizations helping these same LGBT refugees.[31] [32]

Controversy

Creating Change Conference

In 2016, A Wider Bridge had planned to present with Jerusalem Open House, an Israeli-based LGBT organization, at the National LGBTQ Task Force's Creating Change Conference.[33] The presentation was canceled by the National LGBTQ Task Force because of an outcry from anti-Israel activists. A Wider Bridge called for the presentation to be uncancelled through a petition and press release.[34] [35] The presentation was then uncancelled.[36] The presentation did go on, but was interrupted by protestors and was not completed.[37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] The National LGBTQ Task Force later condemned the protest for anti-semitism.[43]

Chicago Dyke March

At the 2017 Chicago Dyke March, three women claimed they were expelled for carrying a rainbow flag with the Star of David on it, a symbol of representation for Jewish LGBT individuals. According to the three women, they were told by the march organizers that they were kicked out because the march was anti-Zionist and pro-Palestine and because others were feeling threatened.[44] [45] However, march organizers claimed that the flag was an Israeli flag superimposed on a rainbow flag while American flags similarly superimposed were also not welcome, and that the three women were expelled after repeatedly expressing support for Zionism.[46] One of the women who was expelled was a regional director at A Wider Bridge, and the organization has since come out against their expulsion and has created a petition asking the organizers of the Chicago Dyke March to apologize.[47] [48] [49] [50] [51] The Anti-Defamation League, Human Rights Campaign, and the Simon Wiesenthal Center, have also spoken out against the banning of the Jewish Pride flag and the expulsion of the women.[52]

Pride Season 2024

A Wider Bridge sounded an alarm in early 2024 that anti-Israel activists might disrupt LGBTQ Pride events in multiple cities to protest Israel.[53]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A Wider Bridge - Idealist. www.idealist.org. en. 2017-07-12.
  2. News: Group's mission: Advancing LGBTQ rights in Israel Opinion. Bertran. Tori. Sun-Sentinel.com. 2017-07-12. en-US.
  3. News: Reflections from A Wider Bridge's Arthur Slepian - UpStart. 2016-06-20. UpStart. 2017-07-12. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20160706225412/http://upstartlab.org/2016/06/uncategorized/reflections-wider-bridges-arthur-slepian/. 2016-07-06. dead.
  4. Web site: We Mourn And Then We Dance: Lessons In LGBT Resilience From Israel To The U.S.. Slepian. Arthur. 2016-07-20. Huffington Post. en-US. 2017-07-12.
  5. Web site: Comings & Goings. 2017-05-06. Washington Blade: Gay News, Politics, LGBT Rights. 2017-07-12.
  6. News: A Wider Bridge Allows LGBT Jews To Keep Faith. McDonald. John. 2017-07-13. en-gb.
  7. News: The Bay Area Reporter Online Jewish LGBT organizations stake claim in SF. Bay Area Reporter. 2017-07-12. en.
  8. News: A Wider Bridge goes millennial with new executive director. 2017-07-05. J.. 2017-07-12. en-US.
  9. Web site: LGBT Jewish Org A Wider Bridge Announces Leadership Change - The Seattle Lesbian. theseattlelesbian.com. en-US. 2017-07-12. 2017-07-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20170717210904/http://theseattlelesbian.com/lgbt-jewish-org-wider-bridge-announces-leadership-change/. dead.
  10. Web site: LGBTQ rights group names longtime Israel advocate as director. 2020-09-08. The Jerusalem Post JPost.com.
  11. Web site: Israel's gay-friendly message not welcome in Santa Cruz. admin. 2015-02-06. J.. 2017-07-12.
  12. News: Group offers wider bridge to Israeli transgender teens visiting South Florida. miamiherald. 2017-07-13. en.
  13. Web site: Aguda, A Wider Bridge discuss U.S., Israeli LGBT communities - Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News Archive - Windy City Times. Windy City Times. 4 March 2015 . 2017-07-13.
  14. Web site: Mosaic of Westchester - A Wider Bridge Presents: Israeli Film Producer and LGBT Activist Gal Uchovsky-"Israeli Media: Agent for Equality?". mosaicofwestchester.org. en-US. 2017-07-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20170802213351/http://mosaicofwestchester.org/event/a-wider-bridge-presents-israeli-film-producer-and-lgbt-activist-gal-uchovsky-israeli-media-agent-for-equality/. 2017-08-02. dead.
  15. News: Don't Miss: A Night of Ethiopian-Israeli R&B and LGBT Advocacy in NYC. 2016-04-20. 2017-07-13. en.
  16. News: LGBTQ Pathways to Jewish Leadership. Jewish Community Federation. 2017-07-13.
  17. Web site: Oy!Chicago - Double Chai Check-In: Laurie Grauer is building Chicago 'A Wider Bridge'. Chaitman. Steven. Oy!Chicago. 2017-07-13.
  18. News: The Dangerous Myth of Israeli 'Pinkwashing' Must End. The Forward. 2017-07-12.
  19. Web site: Making aliyah with pride. New Jersey Jewish News NJJN. 2017-07-12. 2017-07-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20170722022855/http://njjewishnews.com/article/34568/making-aliyah-with-pride#.WWZkk4TysdU. dead.
  20. News: The Bay Area Reporter Online Jerusalem Openhouse leaders visit SF. Bay Area Reporter. 2017-07-12. en.
  21. News: Witnesses say false smears of 'antisemitism' at Chicago 'Dyke March' were initiated by Israel partisan. 2017-07-05. If Americans Knew Blog. 2017-07-13. en-US.
  22. Web site: 40 Years of Pride. Connextions Magazine - The Travel and Lifestyle Magazine for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Traveler. 2017-07-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20170818073232/http://www.connextionsmagazine.com/40-years-of-pride.html. 2017-08-18. dead.
  23. News: I Am A Transgender Zionist & An Anti-Israel Ambush Won't Stop Me. Simpson. Hannah. Bustle. 2017-07-13. en.
  24. Web site: Olivia Travel: Journey to Israel - Cruises, Resorts and Vacations for Lesbians!. www.olivia.com. en. 2017-07-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20170707225809/https://olivia.com/Travel/Trips_JourneytoIsrael.aspx. 2017-07-07. dead.
  25. Web site: Refugees Without Refuge: Stories of LGBTQ Refugees Stranded in the Middle East. Eventbrite. en-US. 2017-07-13.
  26. Web site: Refugees Without Refuge: Stories of LGBTQ Refugees Stranded in the Middle East. Eventful. en. 2017-07-13.
  27. Web site: Blog Archives. B'nai B'rith International. 2017-07-13. 2018-03-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20180303152230/http://www.bnaibrith.org/events/archives/01-2016. dead.
  28. Web site: Human Rights & Israel. Israel Campus Roundtable. 2017-07-13.
  29. News: The Bay Area Reporter Online Israeli Jewish Ethiopian lesbians visit SF. Bay Area Reporter. 2017-07-13. en.
  30. Web site: Refugees Without Refuge: Stories of LGBTQ Refugees Stranded in the Middle East Commonwealth Club. www.commonwealthclub.org. en. 2017-07-13.
  31. Web site: Advance Israel's LGBTQ Refugee Program – AWiderBridge. awiderbridge.org. 10 July 2017. en-US. 2017-07-13. 2017-07-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20170724163116/http://awiderbridge.org/advance-israels-lgbtq-refugee-program/. dead.
  32. News:
    1. DoSomethingProductive: A Response to the Chicago Dyke March
    . The Times of Israel. 2017-07-13. en-US.
  33. Web site: LGBTQ group: Event with Jerusalem activists canceled due to anti-Israel pressure. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 19 January 2016 . 2017-07-12.
  34. Web site: CREATING CHANGE CREATES BIAS – AWiderBridge. awiderbridge.org. 16 January 2016. en-US. 2017-07-12. 2016-01-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20160129114836/http://awiderbridge.org/creating-change-creates-bias/?mc_cid=2d7ded0fd7&mc_eid=%5BUNIQID%5D. dead.
  35. Web site: In Praise of Discomfort: Learning From Dr. King and Confronting Pinkwashing. Fox. Stefanie. Truthout. en-us. 2017-07-13. 2017-07-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20170703080029/http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/34517-in-praise-of-discomfort-learning-from-dr-king-and-confronting-pinkwashing-by-israel. dead.
  36. Web site: Op-Ed: Gay community must build a tent large enough to include pro-Israel voices. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 25 January 2016 . 2017-07-12.
  37. Web site: VIDEO: Creating Change, Not Hate – AWiderBridge. awiderbridge.org. 24 January 2016. en-US. 2017-07-12. 2017-08-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20170812172518/http://awiderbridge.org/video_creating_change_not_hate/. dead.
  38. News: How 'Pinkwashing' Has Become an Authoritarian Creed of Intimidation. Slepian. Arthur. 2016-02-03. Haaretz. 2017-07-12. en.
  39. News: Israel advocates falsely claim Chicago LGBTQ protest disrupted Jewish prayers. Abunimah. Ali. 2016-01-26. The Electronic Intifada. 2017-07-12. en.
  40. News: Protest shuts down Israel lobby group at Chicago LGBTQ conference. Abunimah. Ali. 2016-01-23. The Electronic Intifada. 2017-07-12. en.
  41. Web site: Equality California Statement on A Wider Bridge Events at Creating Change. www.eqca.org. 26 January 2016 . en. 2017-07-13.
  42. Web site: Through IAN, Jewish Federations work to defeat BDS The Jewish Federations of North America. jewishfederations.org. en-US. 2017-07-13.
  43. News: National LGBTQ Task Force Condemns Anti-Semitism - National LGBTQ Task Force. 2016-01-25. National LGBTQ Task Force. 2017-07-12. en-US.
  44. News: Chicago 'Dyke March' Bans Jewish Pride Flags: 'They Made People Feel Unsafe'. Haaretz. 2017-06-26. Haaretz. 2017-07-12. en.
  45. News: Chicago gay pride parade expels Star of David flags. 2017-06-26. BBC News. 2017-07-13. en-GB.
  46. News: More than 1,500 at Dyke March in Little Village, Jewish Pride flags banned. Gretchen Rachel. Hammond. 2017-06-25. 2023-06-23. en.
  47. News: Chicago Dyke March Defends Ban on Jewish Pride Flags: It's 'anti-Zionist but Not anti-Semitic'. Sommer. Allison Kaplan. 2017-06-26. Haaretz. 2017-07-12. en.
  48. News: The Chicago Dyke March Preaches Inclusion. So Why Was I Kicked Out for Carrying a Jewish Pride Flag?. Grauer. Laurel. 2017-06-26. Haaretz. 2017-07-12. en.
  49. News: Jewish Groups Demand Apology After 'anti-Zionist' Chicago Dyke March Justifies Ban on Jewish Pride Flags. JTA. 2017-06-26. Haaretz. 2017-07-12. en.
  50. News: Protesters obstruct Jewish reception at gay rights convention. The Times of Israel. 2017-07-12. en-US.
  51. News: Queer Jews: What Kind of Ancestors Will We Be?. 2017-07-11. Jewish Currents. 2017-07-13. en-US.
  52. News: Cleveland Jews outraged at lack of pride shown at Chicago parade. ecarroll@cjn.org. ED CARROLL STAFF REPORTER. Cleveland Jewish News. 2017-07-12. en.
  53. News: What will you do to make Pride safe this year? . washingtonblade.com . 2024-03-14 . 2024-07-20.

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