This groundbreaking collection of LGBTQ prayers, poems, liturgy, and rituals is both a spiritual resource and a celebratory affirmation of Jewish diversity. Giving voice to the private and public sectors of queer Jewish experience, Mishkan Ga'avah is also a commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of both the Stonewall Riots and the first pride march, reflecting the longtime advocacy of the Reform Movement for full LGBTQ inclusion.
Foreword, Loren Ostrow Acknowledgments, Rabbi Denise L. Eger Introduction, Rabbi Denise L. Eger Part I: Personal Prayers and Blessings Chapter 1: Prayers and Blessings for Friday Night and Mornings Friday Night: Prayers and Blessings for the Home Chapter 2: Daily Prayers and Blessings Chapter 3: Prayers and Blessings for Unique and Sacred Moments PART II: Community Voices Chapter 4: Prayers and Blessings for the Torah Service Chapter 5: Prayers, Blessings, and Readings for the LGBTQ Year Chapter 6: Prayers, Blessings, and Readings for LGBTQ Weddings, Covenants, and Partnerships Glossary Sources
A renowned activist and leader, Rabbi Denise L. Eger has been at the forefront of the fight for LGBTQ equality for decades. She is the founding rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami, West Hollywood's Reform Synagogue and was the first openly LGBTQ person to be President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. She was a founding President of the Lesbian, Gay, & Bisexual Interfaith Clergy Association and the first woman to be elected President of the Southern California Board of Rabbis.
Rabbi Eger was instrumental in helping pass the March 2000 CCAR resolution in support of officiation and gay and lesbian commitment ceremonies, co-authored the official Reform Movement gay and lesbian wedding liturgy, and officiated at the first legal wedding for a lesbian couple in California. In October 2011, Rabbi Eger was named a GLBT Icon for her long history of activism and service for Gay and Lesbian History Month by the Equality Forum; in 2014, she was honored by the City of Los Angeles as a Pioneer during Pride Month; and, most recently, was honored by the City of Los Angeles as a Woman Change Maker.
She is co-editor of Gender and Religious Leadership: Women Rabbis, Pastors and Ministers. Her writing has been featured in numerous prominent anthologies, and she has been covered extensively by Jewish, LGBTQ, and mainstream media. She is the editor of Mishkan Ga'avah: Where Pride Dwellsfrom CCAR Press.
Rabbi Denise Eger, along with this volume's many contributors, has expanded our tradition and elevated the entire Jewish community with her extraordinary collection of prayers and blessings consecrating holy moments in the lives of our LGBTQ family. I welcome Mishkan Ga'avah: Where Pride Dwells into the sacred Jewish canon, confident that every lover of an inclusive Jewish life will turn to this inspiring work again and again. -Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President, Union for Reform Judaism
As LGBTQ Jews, we remember the painful history of exclusion and marginalization that has long cast a shadow over the pride we take in our faith. This beautifully written, painstakingly edited book is an important and joyful contribution towards a fully inclusive Judaism, one which actively celebrates our identities and recognizes that all of us are created b'tzelem Elohim, in God's image. -Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, New York, NY
As LGBTQ+ peoples reclaim their spiritual heritage, rejecting the lie that God does not love us, we are writing our own stories, prayers, and liturgies. These offerings are used extensively in the reframing of the religious language of inclusion. Rabbi Denise Eger offers another layer of insightful and provocative liturgies that draw on her vast experience of ministry to the LGBTQ+ community over many years, and I commend her leadership and contribution in her latest work, Mishkan Ga'avah: Where Pride Dwells. -Rev. Dr. Neil G. Thomas, Senior Pastor, Cathedral of Hope, Dallas, TX
From personal morning prayers to community and special occasion blessings, Mishkan Ga'avah: Where Pride Dwells does a beautiful job of incorporating queer lived experience into Jewish practice. ... Whether you want to find a way to pray that feels more authentic or just want to learn more about the intersection between queerness and Judaism, Mishkan Ga'avah is a great resource.