May 28, 2024

LGBTQ+ Israelis Receive Vital Support From Federation and Our Partners

LGBTQ+ Israelis struggling with trauma following the atrocities of October 7 are receiving vital support from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and our partners on the ground through the collective Jewish Federations of North America Israel Emergency Fund (IEF). Often marginalized by family and the greater community, many are reticent to seek care from state institutions, especially during tumultuous times of war when aggressive behaviors surge, including anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, are heightened. To date, more than $277,000 has been allocated to three essential nonprofits offering a variety of social and psychological services.

Itai, a transgender man on the spectrum, is a graduate of Marsha College, the vocational college of Israel Gay Youth (IGY), a nonprofit working to empower LGBTQ+ youth. After October 7, fearing for his personal safety, Itai did not leave his house, forfeiting his income as a nail artist. During the first two weeks of the war, IGY delivered groceries to his home and provided counseling with a social worker. IGY also opened a cooperative self-care salon on the college campus, providing a safe space in which Itai can regrow his client base and recover his personal and professional equilibrium.

By creating meaningful social spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals ages 12-23, IGY encourages them to be a constructive part of the community and Israeli society. The organization is currently reinforcing its groups in southern Israel that have been impacted by the war and assisting their most vulnerable.

Ma’avarim is an NGO offering social care and emergency welfare response to the Israeli transgender and gender-diverse community. Working in collaboration with the Gila Project and Trans Israel, two other leading trans-led NGOs, Ma’avarim provides assistance to Russian- and Arabic-speaking trans people.

These two organizations, along with other Israeli nonprofits in the LGBTQ+ sector, function under the national emergency mental health support system headed by the Jerusalem Open House, another IEF recipient. Dozens of psychologists and social workers are supplying a nationwide response to the trauma, loss and additional challenges incurred during the ongoing war.

In supporting the diverse services of these vibrant organizations, Jewish federations are standing with LGBTQ+ Israelis in their time of exceptional need.