Stories of Impact
Keshet Expands LGBTQ+ Belonging Across the South and Southwest
Meet our grantee partners who are turning vision into action: advancing justice, inclusion, and accountability across the Jewish communal landscape.
Keshet works for the full equality of all LGBTQ Jews and families in Jewish life. Keshet strengthens Jewish communities; equips Jewish organizations with the skills and knowledge to build LGBTQ-affirming communities; creates spaces in which all queer Jewish youth feel seen and valued; and advances LGBTQ rights nationwide.
When LGBTQ+ communities are facing increasing challenges nationwide, Keshet is meeting the moment with bold leadership, expanded training, and community partnerships to advance LGBTQ+ equality in Jewish life and beyond.
With support from a Spring 2024 Field-Building Grant from SRE Network, Keshet has expanded its Education and Training Programs to strengthen LGBTQ+ belonging in Jewish spaces, particularly in Texas, the greater Southwest, and Florida, where such support is urgently needed.
The Impact
In 2025, Keshet has already achieved remarkable impact:
- Education & Training: Provided trainings on supporting LGBTQ+ inclusion in Jewish life to 6,925 individuals representing 217 organizations across North America.
- Southwest Shivyon Cohort: Launched the first-ever Southwest Shivyon cohort in Dallas, Texas and the Broward County Shivyon cohort in Florida, where organizations made tangible changes such as inclusive website updates, hosting Pride Shabbat services, and adopting new anti-discrimination policies.
- Move to Thrive: Partnered with the Hebrew Free Loan Society to launch Move to Thrive, offering interest-free loans for LGBTQ+ individuals and families relocating from states with hostile anti-LGBTQ+ policies. To date, 20 loans have been approved and disbursed, providing support to a total of 43 individuals across these households.
- Jewish Pride Presence: Mobilized Jewish presence at Pride events, including the first-ever Jewish float in Palm Beach’s 2025 Pride Parade and a multiorganizational showing at Dallas Pride.
- LGBTQ+ Jews of Color Programs: Engaged 141 participants with 100% reporting increased confidence and pride in their identity
- LGBTQ+ Youth Support: Supported LGBTQ+ Jewish youth through initiatives like the Boca Queer Jewish Youth Alliance, which now gathers teens regularly for community and connection.
Keshet’s work has catalyzed culture change in synagogues, JCCs, and Jewish institutions across the country. Congregations and organizations are revising website language and membership forms for inclusivity, hosting new LGBTQ+ events, and training educators to create safer, more affirming environments.
“Through the Shivyon: Keshet Equality Project, we have been able to shift our LGBTQ+ programming to be more impactful, increase awareness surrounding our code of ethics, make our membership and school forms more inclusive, and train our schools' faculty on how to be more inclusive to students and families.”
– Shira Stevenson, Temple Emanu-El, Dallas
In Florida, Keshet’s impact has rippled into synagogue and communal life:
"As someone who believes the future of Judaism in North America is tied to an unalloyed embrace of diversity, I am proud of how Keshet has delivered leadership, advocacy, and training for our community. The program has engaged grassroots, rank-and-file members of Jewish Broward as well as opinion leaders who serve on the boards of our synagogues and communal organizations.”
– Evan Goldman, Jewish Federation of Broward County
Moving Forward
In the second half of this grant cycle, Keshet will continue to launch additional Shivyon cohorts, expand their youth engagement programs, and mobilize the Jewish community for LGBTQ+ equality during a critical political moment.
Keshet is building a Jewish communal future where all LGBTQ+ Jews can live, lead, and belong with safety, dignity, and joy. We’re proud to support their courageous work.
Learn More About Keshet’s Impact:
SRE Network mobilizes Jewish organizations to achieve gender equity and cultivate inclusive workplaces and communal spaces where all individuals can thrive and drive change. As a network of over 185 Jewish organizations, we are working towards a communal landscape that is safe, respectful, and equitable, where every individual thrives and organizations can achieve their missions.
Photos courtesy of Keshet staff.