Tel Aviv pride is where LGBT+ Jews are free to show their whole identity
I once felt forced to choose my gayness over Judaism, then a decade later forced to choose my Jewishness over gayness. The two now fully combine in the only place on Earth possible
After a tense week in Israel, I didn’t want to get my hopes up that attending my first ever Tel Aviv pride would actually happen. Even walking down to the beach with the thousands of others draped in colours and Israeli pride flags, I had a slight worry that the whole thing was going to be called off at the last minute.
The days leading up to pride saw us back in the bomb shelters after a 2 month break, triggering war mode throughout the country and leaving us all wondering whether the Pride Weekend would go ahead. But the threat of missiles floated away as the parade began its way down the beach on that sunny afternoon, music pumping, flags waving and the crowds dancing.
After almost 3 years of exile from the LGBT+ community in the UK, attending Tel Aviv Pride felt like the homecoming I’d been craving. For the last 2 years, Pride in London made it clear that the Jewish delegation was not welcome to march in the pride parade, forcing KeshetUK and consequently the majority of Britain’s queer Jews to withdraw from the march. Following their lead this year, Pride in Rome banned their Jewish delegation and Brussels Pride banned Jews from waving flags bearing Magen Dovids.
Flags bearing Magen Davids were all I saw at Tel Aviv pride. They filled the Tel Aviv streets with colour proudly representing the queer community within the Jewish state. It wasn’t until I was talking to a friend from England about the upcoming Pride in London that I realised I hadn’t seen a single flag that represented terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah or the IRGC. A common sight at any LGBT+ event in the UK these days, with no rational conversation to be had with those holding the flagpole in one hand and a metaphorical shovel in the other. In Tel Aviv it was simply joy and colour. A much needed celebration for the queer community within Israel and those who come from outside of Israel to Israel to take part.
The highlight of the day for me was when Yosef Swisa took to the stage, a gay singer and orthodox Chazan who performed his dance track ‘Everybody Needs Hashem’. On stage were two same sex couples and Yosef, dressed in his kippa and tzitzit, dancing to a song about Hashem. Towards the end of the song, the music stopped and Yosef sang the Shema, the sound of his acapella voice booming across the packed out beach as he covered his eyes and sang those 6 words that call every Jew home.
There I was: a gay Jew, once forced to choose my gayness over my Judaism, then a decade later forced to choose my Jewishness over my gayness. The two now fully combined in the only place on Earth possible. The only place I can safely live as an active and outwardly practicing gay Jew. Finally able to simply celebrate, no longer having to choose.
As the acapella Shema ended, the dance track kicked in and the crowd resumed their dancing. Yosef left the stage and the event turned into a who’s who of Israeli Eurovision singers from Yuval to Eden to Netta each outqueering the last with their performances. But for me, the Shema stayed ringing in my ears throughout the day.
It was a reminder of why I love Judaism, why I love being gay, why I moved to Tel Aviv, what I left behind in the UK, who I am, who I’ve been and who this city will finally let me be.
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