JQY

Tonight! Unleash Your Creative Side!!!

Join our JQY knitting & crochet circle. All yarn crafts are welcome! Bring your supplies and join the JQY staff for a relaxing afternoon of creating and schmoozing.

Don't have your own supplies? No worries, we'll have plenty available!
Join us in-person at 5pm EST at our WeWork building at 135 W41st Street.

We’ll have plenty of pizza and snacks to go around! For anyone ages 13-23. Register at JQY.org/knit

Summer is very much here 😰 which means it's time for another walk with Q***r Poet and Herbalist Student Ester Eckhaus.

This time we'll be spending time in the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and Prospect Park. We'll have cold drinks and ice cream, but make sure to bring a hat and some water. Let's see what's in bloom!

Sunday, July 28th at 4:30PM-7:00PM (ish)
Meetup Spot: BROOKLYN- exact location provided upon RSVP

jqy.org/trans

Facilitated by Tali with guest - Ester Eckhaus

Ages 13-23

You do not need to identify as any particular gender, sexuality or religion to be a part of an affinity group, but we do ask that you respect the mission of the space.

What is something you do to express your q***rness? Share your answers bellow! Gut Shabbes!

In this week’s parsha, we see Bilam ride his talking donkey and attempt to curse Bnei Yisrael. When he opens his mouth, however, he recites the blessing of Ma Tovu instead. Though it was never his plan to bless us, many Jews still say this prayer today.

At JQY, we understand the challenge that comes from feeling different than your peers and the grief that comes from negative speech. This week, we’re here to remind you that a kind word goes much further than a harsh one, and it is never too late to turn something difficult into a blessing.

We are now recruiting social work interns for the Fall semester! You are eligible to apply if you meet the following requirements:

- Current MSW student.
- Scheduling availability as detailed in the document below.
- Basic competence and interest in learning more about both Jewish Orthodox and LGBTQ sensitivities and norms.
- (Interest in developing) The ability to hold multiple and sometimes conflicting viewpoints at once. See the JQY Eilu V’Eilu philosophy.
- Kindness, consideration, collaboration, integrity, and a sense of humor.

More details included in the document below. To apply, send your cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Please indicate your name and "Social Work Intern" in the subject line.

Check out our event calendar for July and August!

Excited to share that JQY has been selected as a BREAKWEEK grantee, an opportunity powered by R&R: The Rest of our Lives that provides our entire staff with resources and funding to implement a 1-week organization-wide closure. Our team is planning to do our org-wide BREAKWEEK in January 2025, and are honored by the investment to continue strengthening our culture and supporting our team in accessing new avenues of rest and recovery this year.

Tomorrow: Join us at the Drop-In Center on July 16 for a Summer Movie Night! We will watch The Prom together and hang out with snacks and friends. This event is for ages 13-23.

International Nonbinary People’s Day is on Sunday, tag your favorite nice Jewish enby below 🥰

This week’s parsha opens with the “chok” (a law that has seemingly no logic or reason behind it) of para aduma, or the red cow. The para aduma is a rare and completely red cow used in a purification ritual.

The ritual of the red heifer is considered one of the most mysterious commandments in all of Judaism, and we think that’s pretty fabulous.

At JQY, we know that not everything needs to make sense to everyone in order for it to be beautiful and holy.

P.S. For commentary by the Cha”r (aka Chappell Roan) on the pink pony, visit https://open.spotify.com/track/1k2pQc5i348DCHwbn5KTdc?si=STt5rKRmTaeo2cXfz9BNdA

Join us at the Drop-In Center on July 16 for a movie night and screening of Unspoken, written and directed by Jeremy Borison. We will watch the film together and then have a Q&A with Jeremy! Register at jqy.org/unspoken

Unspoken follows the story of Noam, a closeted teenager in a religious community who discovers that he might not be alone. When he finds a love letter written to his grandfather by another man before the Holocaust, he sets out to find this mysterious person and uncover his grandfather's identity as well as his own.

Check out our photos from the Jew York Pride brunch and march! In collaboration with Eshel, Keshet, Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, UJA-Federation of New York, Sephardic Mizrahi Q Network, and Congregation Beit Simchat Torah - CBST

We're your favorite shabbos queen's favorite shabbos queen 💅🏻

"Wearing a Star of David necklace or a yarmulke today feels exactly the same to me as hanging a rainbow flag or sporting a Pride pin. Both are acts of resilience and expressions of identity in the face of adversity. They send a clear message: We are stronger than you think and we are not going anywhere."

- Rachael Fried, Executive Director of JQY

Show a Pride flag and a Jewish star Nine months ago, after Oct. 7, many people in my life started being more intentional about showing up as Jewish in public spaces. People I have known for years, who have rarely or never worn Judaic…

See you on Sunday at Jew York Pride!! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Join us this Thursday at our annual Nachas Gala where we will honor our JQY Champion, Meredith. We are so excited to celebrate this Her monumental contributions to our cause at this event and support life-saving resources for LGBTQ+ youth. Get your tickets today if you haven't yet and be sure to sponsor an ad in Meredith's honor.

Hear the incredible vocals of Tonewall and much more at our Nachas Gala this Thursday at 7pm! Get Tickets at JQY.org/nachas

Gut Shabbes! 🌈✨

Join us one week from today at our annual Nachas Gala where we will honor the incomparable Jayson Littman. We are so excited to celebrate this community trailblazer at our event and support life-saving resources for LGBTQ+ youth. Get your tickets today if you haven't yet and be sure to sponsor an ad in Jayson's honor.

Join us for a day of festivities starting with an indoor Jew York Pride Brunch in Times Square from 9:00 - 11:30 AM. From there, you'll have the option to either a) march in the Heritage of Pride March or b) meet up for a parade watch party at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan.

With immense gratitude to our co-sponsors: USY, Temple Emanu-El Streicker Cultural Center, The Grad Network, Sephardic-Mizrahi Q Network, Repair the World - NYC, NFTY, Jewish Theological Seminary, JCRC of NY, JCC Harlem, JAFI, Hunter Hillel, Footsteps, Columbia/Barnard Hillel, B'nai Jeshurun, Ansche Chesed, A Wider Bridge, and 92 NY

Join us in honoring this day and visit ’s Juneteenth 2024 Resource List for events, readings, and more that center Black Jews

It's time to celebrate all our JQY graduates at a special year-end graduation gala!
Whether you're graduating from middle school, high school, college, or the Drop-In Center- this is the night to celebrate all your accomplishments!

This year's graduation honoree is COURT! Court has been attending since the first drop-in program, so let's come together and celebrate Court and all they have added to the Drop-In center over the years!

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To sponsor a night of Drop-In Center, visit: jqy.org/sponsordropin
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Join us in-person from 6:30pm-9:30pm EST at our WeWork building at 135 w 41st street.

No need to register for in-person drop-in, just show up! We’ll have plenty of pizza and ice-breaker questions to go around.

If you need assistance with transportation to drop-in please apply at jqy.org/travelrequest

Join us on a private tour of the American Museum of Natural History with our very own JQY Alum, Tova Frank.

We will have an hour-long walking tour of the Museum's highlights, and then go behind the scenes for an hour to some non-public spaces where we will interact with museum collection specimens as well as meet some live animals.

Tova Frank (they/them) is an educator at the American Museum of Natural History, teaching science classes to students as young as 2 years old up to 5th grade. They utilize their interdisciplinary background in Theater and Environmental Science to make sure every class is as entertaining for the adults as it is for the students! As a former longtime attendee of the JQY Teen Drop-in Program and now a proud q***r Orthodox adult, Tova is passionate about making space for everyone to embrace their complex identities, both in the classroom and beyond.

Register at jqy.org/museum

Tonight!!!

This week at JQY

Join Tali and Trans film producer Sam Katz for an evening to learn about the production process and even make a short video for JQY. Together we write a small script, work with a camera, mic and even edit a very very short video. Accommodations can and will be made for those uncomfortable being on camera! This will be very fun.

Dinner will be served
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JQY Affinity groups are for ages 13-23, You do not need to identify as any particular gender, sexuality or religion to be a part of a group, but we do ask that you respect the mission of each space.

Join therapist, writer, and speaker Dr. Sara Glass as she discusses the experience of being part of the LGBTQ+ community while navigating her Orthodox background, as detailed in her new memoir Kissing Girls on Shabbat.

Kissing Girls on Shabbat is not only a love letter to Glass’s children, herself, and her family—it is an unflinching window into the world of ultra-conservative Orthodox Jewish communities and an inspiring celebration of learning to love yourself.

Register at https://www.92ny.org/event/kissing-girls-on-shabbat

Shabbat Shalom! 6 more days till summer!!