The Luke Sklar Mental Health Initiative presents
Jewish LGBTQ+ Resilience: Strategies for Coping Through Challenging Times
Monday, November 25, 7:30 pm
A panel discussion with Risa Epstein, Founder Camp Machane Lev, National Executive Director, Canadian Young Judea
Sarah Colen, MSW, RSW, Psychotherapist
Emunah Woolf, Inclusive Jewish Community Coordinator at the Miles Nadal JCC
Emma Wakelin, Public Affairs consultant, leading voice in the Ontario 2SLGBTQ and trans communities
Moderated by Rabbi Taylor Baruchel, Director of Outreach and Next Gen Engagement at Holy Blossom Temple
Monday, November 25th at 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm, in the Mishkan
Young LGBTQ+ Jews are reporting increasing instances of antisemitism in queer spaces since October 7th – from friend groups, universities, pride events, social media, and more. Conversely, Jewish spaces are not always successfully and meaningfully affirming, welcoming, and including queer Jews.
Social support is often cited as having the largest impact on supporting wellness for individuals. In a climate where LGBTQ+ Jews face compounding social and political discrimination, our panel of LGBTQ+ speakers and professionals will shed light on personal experiences, community resources, and strategies that give us hope. We’ll discuss solutions individuals have found to build community and connection, develop coping mechanisms, and foster resilience.
Please join us in the Mishkan and feel the warmth of community as we learn together, share together, and enjoy refreshments after the program.
For anyone who can’t make it in person, the event will also be Livestreamed.
The link to the Livestream will be provided when you register here.
More about Risa Epstein:
Risa Epstein has been the National Executive Director for Canadian Young Judaea since 1992. As a child, she attended Camp Shalom, Camp Solelim, Camp Biluim Canada (1980!), and Biluim Israel. As Director of Camp Solelim for 13 years, Risa expanded her portfolio on what it meant to be an educator, why it was so important, and how leaders can learn from each and every one of their campers.
In the beginning of 2017, Risa was approached by CYJ’s social worker with a conundrum: A gap in the Jewish community that needed to be filled. Along with the social worker Gaela Mintz, Risa decided that she needed to create a space within Canadian Young Judaea where children and teenagers could freely express and celebrate their gender identity, and sexual orientation, while exploring their Jewish Identity in a camp setting. And so, Camp Machane Lev came to life.
More about Sarah Colen:
Sarah Colen is a private practice psychotherapist based in Koreatown, Toronto. As a Jewish and bisexual woman, her therapeutic work is informed through both the lens of her own lived experience alongside her educational and professional background. Prior to graduating from the University of Toronto’s Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, Sarah taught as an English educator in Israel. In addition to her work with diverse client populations overseas, she further specialised her treatment of LGBTQIA+ affirming work, Eating Disorders, and Trauma as a private practice clinician. These experiences have led to a healing-centred and compassion-forward framework in her practice, where the focus lies in finding safety both within ourselves as well as our chosen families.
More about Emunah Woolf:
Emunah Woolf is the Inclusive Jewish Community Coordinator at the Miles Nadal JCC. They have worked toward creating accessible and inclusive spaces that celebrate LGBTQ+, disabled, neurodivergent, and Sepharadi/Mizrahi people and identities for the past 8 years. Their academic research focuses on hope in community organizing and activism, food justice and disability justice connections, and disability politics in post-secondary educational institutions. Emunah is passionate about finding creative ways to co-create community spaces that welcome multiple ways of engaging and centre the needs of those who haven’t yet found spaces where they belong.
More about Emma Wakelin:
Emma Wakelin is a public affairs consultant with over 20-years’ experience in provincial and federal governments. She has worked as a senior advisor to MPs and MPPs and Cabinet Ministers across many ministries. Emma is passionate about community building and advocacy and is a leading voice in the Ontario 2SLGBTQ and trans communities. With that in mind, she is committed to assisting clients navigate and thrive in the diversity, equity and inclusion fields.
If you have a question you’d like addressed by any member of our panel, during the program, in confidence, please send in your question to: [email protected].
This program is generously sponsored by The Luke Sklar Mental Health Initiative.
