Our special guest for the evening is Rabbi Micah Buck. Rabbi Micah Buck (he/they) is Keshet’s Director of Education & Training, where he supports organizations across the spectrum of Jewish life to build communities in which LGBTQ+ Jews and our families can thrive. Before Keshet, Micah had the position of Coordinator of Community Chaplaincy with the Jewish Family & Children’s Service of St. Louis, where they provided personalized support, connection, and meaningful programming for individuals throughout the St. Louis community. His work took him to hospitals, nursing care facilities, private residences, and many unexpected places!
Friday Night:
Cultivating The Discipline of Hope
Throughout the US, LGBTQ+ Pride Month is marked by celebrations, parades, glitter, performances, and general exuberance. It is a time for silliness and joy! It is also a time that connects us to a powerful history of resistance and resilience, and speaks to the power of the LGBTQ+ community to cultivate hope and joy through even the most difficult of situations. Join Keshet’s Rabbi Micah Buck to learn about the history of Pride Month, as well as ways that we might look to the Queer and Jewish traditions as sources of inspiration and hope in this challenging time.
Post Kiddish Discussion:
Meeting this Moment: What the Jewish Tradition Has to Say About Protecting LGBTQ+ Rights – post-Kiddush talk, in partnership with Noam Altman
With mounting threats to LBGTQ+ rights in the U.S., particularly to the rights of transgender, nonbinary, and intersex individuals, Jewish organizations have an important role to play. A majority of Americans across all political parties believe in the dignity and civil rights of the LGBTQ+ community, yet religion is often used as an excuse to target the LGBTQ+ community. The Jewish tradition offers us powerful language for the moral imperative to affirm, protect, and advocate for trans and queer civil rights – and it is more important than ever to have the tools to bring a faith voice for equality to the table. Join Rabbi Micah Buck from Keshet to learn about the current landscape facing the LGBTQ+ community, understand what the Jewish tradition has to teach about defending LGBTQ+ rights, and identify concrete action steps for this moment.
Rabbi Micah Buck will also speak during Shabbat morning service in the RCM as well as in the Sanctuary.
Bio:
Rabbi Micah Buck (he/they) is the Director of Education & Training at Keshet. He believes that all Jewish communities can be places of full belonging for LGBTQ+ Jews and our families, and works to offer Jewish communities the knowledge, tools, and confidence to fully live into that vision. Rabbi Micah has rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary, and has worked as an educator, chaplain, and advocate. They live in St. Louis, MO, and are an exuberant teacher, photographer, baker, and parent.
Anshe Emet is grateful to the following families for underwriting this special Pride Shabbat:
Anonymous
Robert Beal and Alan Landsberg
Jessica Choplin and Debra Stark
Stephen Trevick and Richard Getzel
Carlton and Michael Triolo-Sapp
You’re invited to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride with our Jewish Chicagoland community! Right now, as our LGBTQ+ rights are under attack, it’s more important than ever that we come together as a community to affirm and celebrate our LGBTQ+ and Jewish identities, especially our trans, nonbinary, and intersex siblings. We hope you’ll join Anshe Emet, Keshet, and local Jewish organizations as we march in the Chicago Pride Parade 2025!
When?
Sunday, June 29, approx. 11am-3pm. Consult this FAQ doc for updates as we receive them from parade organizers.
Where?
The Chicago Pride Parade steps off from Sheridan and Broadway, continues south along Broadway, then Halsted, east along Belmont to Broadway, then south to Diversey. The route is approximately 2.5 miles total. Our gathering spot is shared with us by parade organizers in the week of the parade. Consult the FAQ doc for updates.
Registration:
Complete this registration form to join our walking coalition and to be kept in the loop about details. Bringing folks with you? Please submit this form once for each participant. Because of the City of Chicago’s rules for the parade this year, we have limited space; early registration is encouraged! Registration closes on Friday, June 27.
Anything else?
Yes! In the week of the parade, we will host a Pride Prologue: A Pre-Parade Debrief. Attendance is strongly encouraged. The events will be an opportunity for community-building, de-escalation training, and joyful queer creativity.
More information about these gatherings will be shared upon registration.
Questions?
Consult the FAQ doc for further details.
