Sponsored by the Inclusion Committee

Join us as we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community within Temple Israel and beyond. With guest speaker, Miryam Kabakov, founder and Executive Director of Eshel.

More about Miryam
Miryam Kabakov is a pioneering leader in LGBTQ+ inclusion within the Orthodox Jewish community. As founder and Executive Director of Eshel, a vibrant national organization supporting LGBTQ+ Orthodox individuals and their families, she has dedicated her career to building bridges and creating inclusive spaces within traditional Jewish frameworks. Throughout her career, Kabakov has consistently worked at the intersection of Jewish tradition and LGBTQ+ inclusion, creating spaces for dialogue, support, and community building. Her work spans direct service, programming, community organizing, and thought leadership, making her a respected voice in both Orthodox Jewish and LGBTQ+ communities. She is the editor of Keep Your Wives Away From Them: Orthodox Women, Unorthodox Desires (North Atlantic Books, May 2010), winner of the Golden Crown Literary Award. Leading with positivity, joy, and creativity, and hope for a better future, Miryam inspires others to envision and create a more embracing Orthodox Jewish world. She lives in Western MA with her wife, Mara, their two children, and dog Brutus. When she is not working or with family, she is playing, coaching, or watching tennis.