Out in Israel Month

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ABOUT

EVENTS

SPEAKERS

RESOURCES

HOME

FACT ONE

1993 Israel Defense Forces

Proudly Accept ALL Israelis.

FACT TWO

1993 First Pride Parade Takes Place in Tel Aviv.

FACT THREE

1992 Israeli Parliament Ensures Workplace Protections for ALL Israelis.

Featured Events

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

A MONTH OF EDUCATION & CELEBRATION

NOV 2011

Out in Israel Month is a campaign of education and celebration. We aim to educate about the status of civil rights for LGBT Israeli citizens, hard-fought for throughout the years, and celebrate the LGBT community and culture in Israel.Israel is a multi-faceted society with many faces and just as many narratives. Through film screenings, performances, academic panels, presentations, and much more, we aim to broaden the conversation about Israelis and Israeli society and engage the local community in an array of programs which highlight Israel's success in the struggle for equality and recognition of all her citizens in the office, on the field, in the military, and by the courts.

FILM SCREENING WITH ASSI AZAR

FILM SCREENING: "MOM & DAD: I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU"

11.06 _ 2PM

Brattle Theatre40 Brattle StreetCambridge, MAPlease join the Boston LGBT Film Festival and Assi Azar as we hold a screening of Mr. Azar's 45-minute documentary about the journey that parents whose children tell them that they are gay go through.Azar will hold a Q&A session after the screening. Named by OUT Magazine in 2009 as one of the most 100 influential gay people around the world, Azar hosts Israel's version of the Big Brother TV show and is a well-known Israeli TV personality.

PRIVATE SCREENING WITH ASSI AZAR

FILM SCREENING: "MOM & DAD: I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU"

11.07 _ 8:30AM

Offices of McDermott, Will and Emery, LLP28 State Street, 34th FloorBoston, MAAs part of Out In Israel Month, please join JCRC on Monday, November 7th for a private meeting with Assi Azar, gay activist and Israeli television personality, for a private showing of his recently released documentary about his experience of coming out as a celebrity in Israel.Please RSVP to Hilary Stiss at hstiss_jcrcboston.org or at (617) 457-8650 by November 3rd.

BREAKFAST PANEL WITH GLAD & HOSHEN

Breakfast Panel and Discussion with GLAD

11.08 _ 8:30AM

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.One Financial Center, 2nd FloorBoston, MAPlease join the Out in Israel Month campaign, as part of Mintz Levin's new series "Israel Connections," for a breakfast panel discussion celebrating LGBTQ rights, culture and awareness in Israel and Massachusetts. Representatives from Hoshen, an information, advocacy, and education center of the LGBTQ community in Israel will present with Janson Wu, Staff Attorney at GLAD Boston on a panel discussion about legal issues related to marriage, civil unions, and adoption for members of the gay community in Israel and Massachusetts.8:30 am 9:00 am Breakfast and networking9:00 am 10:00 am DiscussionHeld in partnership with the Consulate General of Israel to New England and Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders.RSVP is required to BRSigel_mintz.com

READING & DISCUSSION GROUP

READ & LEARN: Between Sodom and Eden: A Gay Journey Through Today's Changing Israel

THRU NOV

The Out in Israel campus committee is pleased to host a city-wide Book Club based on this recent publication. Free copies and a resource guide are available for local students interested in learning more about this topic. Please contact mattl_cjp.org.From Publisher's Weekly: "If God didn't make Adam and Steve as well as Adam and Eve, somebody did--because they are certainly alive and well in modern-day Israel, along with their lesbian sisters. This engaging journalistic foray into everyday gay and lesbian life and culture in the Promised Land is brimming with surprising information and conclusions. Based on interviews with Israeli gay and lesbian activists, high school students, kibbutz members, teachers and legislators, as well as common citizens, author Lee Walzer, an American attorney and journalist, portrays a complex culture that--although deeply divided on many religious and political issues--is reconciling itself to, and even celebrating, gay life and sexuality."

COCKTAILS W/CONGRESSMAN BARNEY FRANK

Post-screening Cocktail Party with Congressman Barney Frank

11.06 _ TBA

Special guest Congressman Barney Frank will be joining us at an exclusive after screening cocktail party hosted by the Boston LGBT film Festival on November 6th. Time and location tbd.

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
FILM SCREENING WITH ASSI AZAR
PRIVATE SCREENING WITH ASSI AZAR
BREAKFAST PANEL WITH GLAD & HOSHEN
READING & DISCUSSION GROUP
COCKTAILS W/CONGRESSMAN BARNEY FRANK

webdesign by Word of Mouth Media

ABOUT

FACT ONE

1994 EL AL Airlines Bestows Benefits for Spouses of ALL Israelis

FACT TWO

2005 Openly Gay Singer Ivri Lider Wins "Singer of the Year"

FACT THREE

2006 Israeli Supreme Court Recognizes Same-Sex Marriages Performed Abroad

About the Campaign

Presented by

About

Cosponsored by

About
AJC
BOSTON LGBT FILM FESTIVAL
CONSULATE GENERAL OF ISRAEL
CJP

About

A MONTH OF EDUCATION & CELEBRATION

AJC

AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE

The AJC is an international think-tank and advocacy organization convinced that the best way to protect Jewish populations in danger is to work towards a world in which all peoples are accorded respect and dignity. AJC promotes pluralistic and democratic societies where all minorities are respected. Key areas of focus include: advocating for energy independence, promoting pluralism and shared democratic values, and supporting Israel's quest for peace and security.

BOSTON LGBT FILM FESTIVAL

No Frame

BOSTON LGBT FILM FESTIVAL

The Boston LGBT Film Festival is the longest running and largest LGBT media event in New England. Founded in 1984 by film programmer George Mansour, the festival has been hosted by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston since the early nineties. In 2009 the festival expanded to include screenings at the Brattle Theatre in iconic Harvard Square, Cambridge, and the brand new Fenway Health Center on Boylston Street in Boston. In 2011 we screened over 100 films from 25 countries.

CONSULATE GENERAL OF ISRAEL

No Frame

CONSULATE GENERAL OF ISRAEL TO NEW ENGLAND

The Consulate General of Israel is the official representative of the State of Israel to New England. We serve as the liaison between the residents of New England and the State of Israel. Through the fields of academia, culture, politics, economy, press and public diplomacy, we promote knowledge and understanding of Israel.

CJP

COMBINED JEWISH PHILANTHROPIES

CJP, Greater Boston's Jewish Federation, brings together the people, partners and resources to fulfill the most important needs and aspirations of our community.Rooted in compassion and justice and driven by innovation, we care for the vulnerable, forge strong connections with Israel and above all, inspire the next generation to embrace Jewish life and learning.

GLAD

GAY AND LESBIAN ADVOCATES AND DEFENDANTS

GLAD is New England's leading legal rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression.

ICR

ISRAEL CAMPUS ROUNDTABLE

The Israel Campus Roundtable facilitates connections amongst students at Boston-area universities who have an interest in Israel, providing them with support from local organizations and the community.

JCRC

JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL

JCRC builds the broadest network of support for Israel in Greater Boston by reaching out to prominent non-Jewish leaders, media, and the Jewish community. The JCRC provides advocacy tools, education, and media resources to help synagogues cultivate Israel Action Committees.

THE DAVID PROJECT

David Project.jpg

THE DAVID PROJECT

The David Project is dedicated to educating and inspiring strong voices for Israel through dynamic educational seminars, workshops, and curricula. Each year, the Campus Fellows program prepares hundreds of college students to assume leadership roles and bring Israel programs and events to their college campuses. We are guided by a commitment to provide students and adults with the knowledge, strategies, and skills to ensure that effective support for Israel thrives on campuses and in our communities.

STANDWITHUS

Stand With Us 2.jpg

STANDWITHUS

StandWithUs, is an international, non-profit organization. We believe that education is the road to peace. StandWithUs is dedicated to informing the public about Israel and to combating the extremism and anti-Semitism that often distorts the issues. We believe that knowledge of the facts will correct common prejudices about the Arab-Israeli conflict, and will promote discussions and policies that can help promote peace in the region. Through print materials, speakers, programs, conferences, missions to Israel, campaigns, and internet resources, we ensure that the story of Israel's achievements and ongoing challenges is told on campuses and in communities, the media, libraries, and churches around the world.

Supported by

About
AJC
BOSTON LGBT FILM FESTIVAL

EVENTS

11.05 FILM DISCUSSION W/ ASSI AZAR
11.06 FILM SCREENING
11.07 PRIVATE SCREENING
11.08 BREAKFAST PANEL & HOSHEN
COCKTAILS W/CONGRESSMAN BARNEY FRANK
READING & DISCUSSION GROUP

11.05 FILM DISCUSSION W/ ASSI AZAR

FILM SCREENING AND DISCUSSION IN HEBREW: "MOM & DAD: I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU"

11.05 _ 8PM

384 Harvard Street Brookline, MA 02446Brookline, MAAs part of our Out in Israel Month campaign, we would like you to join us for an evening with Israeli celeb Assi Azar as he screens his documentary film, "Mom & Dad, I have Something to Tell You" about coming out to his parents and community. The screening will be followed by a Q&A and discussion with Assi. *This program is in Hebrew and ideal for Hebrew speakers only*The event is free of charge and the location will be provided upon RSVP. If you plan to attend, you MUST RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/AssiMotzashClub. Refreshments will be served, seating is limited.

11.06 FILM SCREENING

FILM SCREENING: "MOM & DAD: I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU"

11.06 _ 2PM

11.07 PRIVATE SCREENING

FILM SCREENING: "MOM & DAD: I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU"

11.07 _ 8:30AM

11.08 BREAKFAST PANEL & HOSHEN

Breakfast Panel and Discussion with GLAD

11.08 _ 8:30AM

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.One Financial Center, 2nd FloorBoston, MAPlease join the Out in Israel Month campaign, as part of Mintz Levins new series "Israel Connections," for a breakfast panel discussion celebrating LGBTQ rights, culture and awareness in Israel and Massachusetts. Representatives from Hoshen, an information, advocacy, and education center of the LGBTQ community in Israel will present with Janson Wu, Staff Attorney at GLAD Boston on a panel discussion about legal issues related to marriage, civil unions, and adoption for members of the gay community in Israel and Massachusetts.8:30 am 9:00 am Breakfast and networking9:00 am 10:00 am DiscussionHeld in partnership with the Consulate General of Israel to New England and Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders.RSVP is required to BRSigel_mintz.com

COCKTAILS W/CONGRESSMAN BARNEY FRANK

Post-screening Cocktail Party with Congressman Barney Frank

11.06 _ TBA

Special guest Congressman Barney Frank will be joining us at an exclusive after screening cocktail party hosted by the Boston LGBT film Festival on November 6th. Time and location tbd.

READING & DISCUSSION GROUP

READ & LEARN: Between Sodom and Eden: A Gay Journey Through Today's Changing Israel

THRU NOV

webdesign by Word of Mouth Media

EVENTS

FACT ONE

1993 First Pride Parade Takes Place in Tel Aviv.

FACT TWO

2005 Openly Gay Singer Ivri Lider Wins "Singer of the Year"

FACT THREE

1993 Israel defense forces

proudly accept ALL israelis.

SPEAKERS

ASSI AZAR

Assi Azar (b. 1979) is a well-known Israeli TV personality who co-hosts the Israeli version of the Big Brother TV show with Erez Tal.In 2005, Azar openly declared that he is a gay man.In 2009, he was chosen by OUT Magazine as one of the top 100 most influential gay people around the world.In 2010, he starred in the documentary, Mom and Dad, I Have Something to Tell You (Ima vAba, Yesh Li Mashu Lisaper Lchem), about his and other Israelis stories of coming out to their parents.He is pleased to speak about his experience as a popular media broadcaster in the Middle East, as well as what it was like for him to come out openly as a gay man in his field and with media scrutiny upon him and his family.

SHORTY

Shorty Shorty, whose real name is Hila Nissimov, was born on July 4th, 1983 in Bat-Yam, Israel. At the age of 15, while living with her older sister and attending high school in the US, she fell in love with hip-hop. At the age of 20, her first song was released to the radio. "Pinocchio" was a part of the "Yeladim G’dolim" (Big Kids) album produced by Avi Meskia. The song soon became the biggest hit of the year, with over 40,000 ringtone downloads. When she was 22, her critically acclaimed debut album was released under the name "Lehalef Et Hasoreret" (Taming the Shrew), a hip-hop album with an up-to-date sound. In 2007, she began hosting "My Blog" - a live daytime television show on Channel Two, and started her way to being a "double-threat" artist, taking over both music, and the television & film industry. Currently working on her second album, she released "Hezi regel befnim" (Foot in the door), a mega-hit song, and also changed her musical direction from hip-hop to funky pop-rock, with influences from Pink to Gwen Stefani and Nelly Furtado, Shorty is planning to bring a new sound to Israel.

HOSHEN Hoshen Hoshen (the Hebrew acronym for “Education & Change”) is the information and education center of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community in Israel. Hoshen is a nationwide, non-profit volunteer organization whose purpose is to fight stereotypes regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. Over 200 volunteers work daily to achieve this goal via a wide array of educational activities aimed at many different target audiences: high school students and teachers, university students and faculty members, police and border guard corps officers, soldiers, army cadets and officers, medical staff, social workers, and guidance counselors. Hoshen is officially recognized by the Educational Psychological Authority (SHEFI) of the Ministry of Education.Hoshen’s roots go back to 1976. At that time, Dr. Moshe Dov established the speaker’s bureau at The Aguda (The Israeli National Association of the LGBT Community). In 2001, the department was renamed “Hoshen” (Education & Change) and re-organized to become the Aguda's public relations office. In July 2004, Hoshen became an independent non-profit.For the past six years, Hoshen volunteers have been carrying out a wide array of educational activities, personal meetings, academic lectures, workshops, and seminars dealing with sexual orientation and gender identity.Hoshen's main educational activity is the Personal Story: two LGBT individuals share their own personal story. This allows for the creation of a stereotype-free environment, with the unique attributes of each story-teller. The way that the personal story is conveyed by the volunteers helps the audience relate to them, sympathize with the difficulties and hardships they had to face and sometimes the price theyhad to pay.Hoshen's educational activities help LGBT teens tremendously; teens that yearn for a positive LGBT role-model, someone who they can relate to, ask questions, and receive first-hand information regarding their experiences.

Visitors and Local Experts

Please scroll through the gallery to learn more about the speakers and guests who are a part of the Out in Israel Month campaign. If you are interested in bringing any of these visitors to your campus or organization, please contact us by sending an email to events_boston.mfa.gov.il

RESOURCES

FACT ONE

1993 First Pride Parade Takes Place in Tel Aviv.

FACT TWO

1992 Israeli Parliament Ensures Workplace Protections for ALL Israelis.

FACT THREE

1993 Israel Defense Forces

Proudly Accept ALL Israelis.

LEARN

DIRECTIONS

TIP: CLICK THE IMAGES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GAY RIGHTS & SOCIAL PROGRESS OF ISRAEL

> START

IMAGES

Men of Israel Film Shoot

Assi Azar

WATCH

CAMPUSES

FACT ONE

1993 First Pride Parade takes place in Tel Aviv.

FACT TWO

1993 Israel defense forces

proudly accept ALL israelis.

FACT THREE

1992 Israeli parliament ensures workplace protections for ALL israelis.

CAMPUSES

HARVARD

TUFTS

BU

EMERSON

UMASS AMHERST

BRANDEIS

WELLESLEY

HARVARD

HARVARD
NOV 8 _ 12:30PM HOSHEN - Kresge Building, Room 201NOV 15 _ 4PM SHORTY - Ravv Hall at Harvard Hillel 52 Mt. Auburn St.

TUFTS

TUFTS
NOV 15 _ 7PM SHORTY - 220 Packard Ave. Medford, MA 02155NOV 7 _ 7:30PM HOSHEN - 220 Packard Ave. Medford, MA 02155

BU

BOSTON UNIVERSITY
NOV 5 _ 7PM ASSI AZAR - Boston University Hillel, 213 Bay State Rd. Boston, MA

EMERSON

EMERSON
NOV 6 _ 6PM ASSI AZAR - 120 Boylston St. Room 230

UMASS AMHERST

UMASS AMHERST
NOV 16 _ 7PM SHORTY

BRANDEIS

BRANDEIS
COMING SOON

WELLESLEY

WELLESLEY
NOV 17 _ 7PM SHORTY