The LGBT Alliance organized 800+ Jewish community members together in June 2009 to march in the 39th Annual San Francisco Pride Parade. This document recaps our lessons learned & provides highlights on how to plan for future years.

1. Jewish Community Federation (JCF & JFED), Jewish
Community Relations Council (JCRC) and Kol Tzedek
Jews March for Pride
Recap, Lessons Learned & Highlights
Written for internal use as a learning document
2009

2. Contents
Overview ......................................................................................................................... 3
Resources Used (Inputs Invested) ....................................................................................... 4
Community Assumptions.................................................................................................... 6
Pre-Parade Planning ............................................................................................................ 7
Parade Day-Of Recap ....................................................................................................... 10
Post-Pride Parade Survey & Suggestions ......................................................................... 13
Towards 2010: Suggestions .............................................................................................. 14
Appendix A: 2009 Jews March for Pride Poster .............................................................. 16
Appendix B: June 29, 2001 J. Article S.F. Pride: They’re here, they’re queer, they’re
Jewish................................................................................................................................ 17
Appendix C: June 18, 2004 J. Article, Pro-Israel message joins in S.F. Pride parade ..... 19
Appendix D: July 9, 1999 J. Article, More Jewish groups join the fun during Gay Pride
Celebration ........................................................................................................................ 21
Appendix E: July 11, 2003 J. Article, Anti-Israel float in Pride parade called ‘outrageous’
........................................................................................................................................... 23
Appendix F: July 11, 1997 J. Article, Gay, lesbian Jews strut their stuff at S.F. pride
parade ................................................................................................................................ 24
Appendix G: April 16, 2009 J. Short, JCRC wants Jews unified at S.F. pride parade ..... 26
Appendix H: October 2, 1998 J. Article, Parents of gays bond for support, advocacy at
Beth Am ............................................................................................................................ 27
Appendix I: June 22, 2001 J. Article, ‘Queerific’ S.F. in ‘Jewbilation’ over Israeli diva’s
visit.................................................................................................................................... 29
Appendix I: June 11, 2009 J. Short, ‘March for Pride with the Jewish community ......... 31
Appendix J: June 27, 2008 J. Short, Marchers welcome .................................................. 32
Appendix K: July 23, 2004 J. Short, Faces Praying with their feet .................................. 33
Appendix L: April 2009 Invitation to March Together ....................................................... 34
Appendix M: San Francisco Pride Month History & Overview....................................... 35
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3. Overview
Creation of Program
Together the LGBT Alliance1, JCRC2 and Kol Tzedek decided that they wanted to focus
their efforts on empowering synagogues and Jewish organizations to participate in the
San Francisco Pride.
General Output
We surpassed many of our attendance and programming goals, hosting 20+ rabbis and
700+ people, representing 60+ organizations. Our contingent was one the largest in the
parade; to the best of our knowledge, it was one of the largest gatherings by the
organized Jewish community for LGBT rights in the world.
General Outcome
Jews March for Pride was a success. The attendance of 700+ individuals far surpassed
our initial goal of 200 marchers and expected attendance of 300 people.
1 During the process of learning about Bay Area LGBT Jewish activism in their new role as LGBT Alliance
Co-Directors at the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma
Counties and of the Greater East Bay people spoke about the San Francisco Pride parade frequently. Two
common themes emerged when speaking about the parade – that it was a struggle for synagogues and Jewish
organizations to get enough volunteers to coordinate a successful Pride contingent, and that these small, single-
organization contingents often left their marchers feeling alone as a Jewish community.
2 At the same time JCRC created the capacity to organize a united Jewish community to march for Pride in
solidarity with the Marriage Equality Movement.
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4. Resources Used (Inputs Invested)
Role
The role of the partnership was to act as a community convener. Specifically, the
partnership developed the event’s marketing strategies, outreach tools, logistics,
community negotiations and partnerships.
Outreach
After an extensive outreach effort to over 100+ Jewish organizations throughout the Bay
Area, groups of individuals or delegations represented 60+ organizations. These
organizations were contacted primarily by phone and email; secondary forms of
outreach included email newsletters, print, and online advertising.
Volunteers
Volunteers were involved with all aspects of the event, from its planning stages to day-
of-parade support. Volunteers spent most of their time with organizational outreach
creating unique opportunities to attract people to attend. For two examples, the
stroller delegation attracted many families with young children and pride t-shirts with
specific organizational logos attracted multiple organizations. Volunteers were
responsible for various tasks at the Beale Street Bar and Grill the morning of the parade.
For example, volunteers staffed the multiple check-in desks, blew up balloons, sold t-
shirts, set up security details, and created spaces for sign decorating and decorated
kippot. As a requirement to participate in Pride JCRC took the lead in a massive
volunteer effort to ensure enough volunteers attended contingency monitor training
sessions. The LGBT Alliance found volunteers for details such as a volunteer
professional photographer, Dr. Rita Alfonzo3.
Financial Contribution
The combined budget estimates provided $12,000 to work with. The financial
agreement was that the SF JCF & JFED would put in $6,000 toward Pride and JCRC would
put $6,000 toward Pride. According to the numbers below our combined SFJCF/JFED
costs were $6,578.73. JCRC contributed significantly more staff time then assumed
when we began the process and spent approximately $3,163.75 in non-staff allocated
dollars. In addition to the work of the LGBT Alliance Director, SF JCF utilized all the time
of a full-time intern leading up to the event plus $2,572.76 in non-staff allocated dollars.
In addition to the work of the LGBT Alliance Director, JFED utilized a significant amount
of time of their marketing team designing the ads, logos and t-shirts plus $4,055.97 in
non-staff allocated dollars. The combined non-staff administration costs were
$10,341.98:
Kinko’s Day of Signs: $83.97, paid by JFED
Bay Area Reporter (BAR) Ad: $1,378.00, paid by JFED
3
www.tinyurl.com/MorePridePhotos
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5. Ad in the Guardian: $1,734.00, paid by JFED
San Francisco Bay Times Ad for $810.00, paid by JFED
Trolley Driver Tip, $50 paid by JFED
Making Signs Materials Cost: $200.00, paid by SF JCF
Impressions Custom Screen Printing $368.76, paid by SF JCF
Dinner for Two Community Meetings: $400, paid by SF JCF
Beale Street Bar & Grill Kosher Food: $1,000.00, paid by SF JCF
J Ad: $604.00, paid by SF JCF
Trolley, $930.50 paid by JCRC
200 Jews March for Pride T-Shirts, $1,718.00 ($1,918.00 - $220 in revenue), paid
by JCRC
Pride March Registration Fees, $550.00 paid by JCRC
Kippot (Yamaka), $3,89.77, paid by JCRC
Art materials, $125.48 paid by JCRC
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6. Community Assumptions
The Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay or of San Francisco, the
Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties has never participated in the Pride Parade as
an organized group.
Multiple Jewish organizations have created a presence at the San Francisco Pride
parade in the past. These organizations as documented in the J. since 1997 are: San
Francisco Voice for Israel, Congregation Sherith Israel, San Francisco-based Jewish
Community Relations Council (JCRC), Consul General of Israel, Pacific Northwest
region of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Jewish Family and Children's Services
(JFCS) LGBT Outreach, and Soupers, Congregation Sha'ar Zahav (CSZ), BluestarPR,
Temple Sinai in Oakland, San Francisco Conservative Congregation B'nai Emunah,
Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco, Kulanu at Beth Am and San Rafael's
Congregation Rodef Sholom.
The 2009 San Francisco Pride Theme was, "In Order to Form a More Perfect
Union...." and featured a Stonewall/Gay Liberation Front 40th Anniversary
contingent leading the parade off after Dykes on Bikes.
San Francisco Pride is a very important event for the LGBT Alliance; while not a
specifically Jewish event, it is nevertheless an event widely attended by the
Alliance’s constituency.
Portions of the community will take issue with Jews March for Pride’s goal of being
welcoming to all groups that identify as Jewish. Specifically groups that choose to
carry an Israeli flag or a Palestinian flag will be a major focus of conversation.
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7. Pre-Parade Planning
Our Goal
The primary goal for the LGBT Alliance in organizing an event for Pride was to achieve
inclusiveness in the Jewish community. With our intention set on cohesion, we focused
on two issues: marriage equality and LGBT rights. JCRC's primary goal was to
demonstrate support for marriage equality within the Jewish community.
Target Audience
LGBT Alliances target audience was the Bay Area Jewish community: All organizations,
groups and congregations in the Bay Area that identify as Jewish were invited to
participate. We choose to target such a wide audience for two reasons:
1. to demonstrate that the Bay Area Jewish community supports LGBT rights and
marriage equality;
2. in addition, because inclusiveness is value that is demanded by the constituents
of the Bay Area Jewish community.
JCRC’s target audience was different. Their target audience was:
1. LGBT community at large to demonstrate support for LGBT rights
2. Jewish community
Message
The message used to market Jews March for Pride was “b’tzelem Elohim/We are all
created in the image of the divine.” Additional messages used included “Equality is a
Jewish value,” “We are the Jewish community; we are diverse; we overwhelmingly
support marriage equality.”
Message Conflict
From the beginning organizers agreed that everyone should march under one message,
which proved difficult day-of. JCRC issued the following statement one week before the
parade: “Because we represent such a wide diversity of group and opinions, we have
established one simple rule regarding signs and other materials: Jewish support for
LGBT rights is the only message today.”
Community Planning Meetings
Two community-planning meetings were held during the planning stages of Jews March
for Pride. The meetings were open to the entire Jewish community, and through these
events, the organizing team hoped to brainstorm ideas for the event and gain the input
of community leaders.
The first meeting was held on April 27, consisting of a hosted dinner and discussion. The
individuals who showed up to this meeting became the “community sounding board,”
and were invited to a follow-up meeting on May 13.
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8. Registration
During the first week of May 2009 the online registration site went live. Upon entering
the site, registrants were provided with a paragraph summarizing the event and its goals
and were asked to provide their basic personal information. The site was connected to a
Google Docs spreadsheet, which was made viewable to all members of the organizing
committee. Ultimately, over 200 marchers successfully registered online. However,
while the online registration system worked well for individuals registering to march,
the set-up was not contusive to registering large groups. There was confusion as to
whether an individual was supposed to register for the entire group, or whether all the
members supposed to register individually.
Overall, the Google Docs system was extremely helpful, and we would highly
recommend using it for any future events. Since Google Docs allows multiple users to
view and edit a document in real time, it provided the flexibility demanded by our multi-
person, geographically spread organizing crew. The system also eliminated the need for
one person to “own” the RSVP list and be responsible for emailing updated lists to the
other organizers.
A final note: the text on the registration page contained some careless oversights. For
example, it was mid-June before we realize that we had neglected to ask registrants for
their email address. In the future, more time must be spent proofing and editing this
critical document.
Marketing
We utilized both print and online advertising overseen by Samuel Strauss at the Jewish
Community Federation of the Greater East Bay. As revealed by our survey results, the
print ads proved only mildly successful at recruiting individuals to march at the event.
However, while print ads were not necessarily the most effective in terms of increasing
attendance, it is important to consider their secondary value: seen by thousands of
readers, they sent out the message that the Jewish community supports LGBT rights.
Additionally emails were sent out by multiple groups but the most impact was seen by
the following primary groups:
JCRC
Jewish Mosaic: The National Center for Sexual & Gender Diversity
Progressive Jewish Alliance
JCF’s & JFED’s LGBT Alliance
JCF’s North Peninsula Office
JCF’s South Peninsula Office
JCF’s Israel Center
Congregation Sha'ar Zahav
Congregation Emanu-El
Facebook via the LGBT Alliance Facebook group
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9. Volunteer Outreach
We relied heavily on volunteers to help us organize the event. In the weeks leading up
Jews March for Pride, are largest volunteer efforts were:
Nancy Brunn, a member of Congregation Sha'ar Zahav and Carrie Rice,
membership director at Congregation Sherith Israel helped us call synagogues
and organizations to ask them to participate.
Nancy Brunn and Vanessa Eismann organized the stroller contingent
JCRC staff secured volunteers to fill several important day-of-march jobs like
helping set up, securing safety monitors, checking-in marchers, selling t-shirts,
overseeing the crafts, act as contingency monitors4.
4
In order to march in the parade, all contingents are required to have 2 monitors per 25 marchers. To become certified as a monitor,
individuals had to attend an hour-long training session held before Pride
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10. Parade Day-Of Recap
Venue Overview: In our inaugural year, we used The Beale Street Bar and Grill, located
at 133 Beale St (at Mission) as our meet-up/breakfast spot before the parade. In many
ways, it was a remarkable find. The restaurant is owned and operated by a Jewish
family, the Eckstein's; it was only one block away from our lineup spot; and the
Eckstein's generously allowed us to use the top floor of the restaurant for free.
Venue Feedback: Unfortunately, despite our positive experiences, the venue is simply
too small to use again. The upstairs space has a capacity of approximately 100 people;
thus, during the morning of the parade, the majority of the participants were forced
congregate outside of the restaurant. This made it difficult to communicate group
announcements, since the participants were scattered outside. The restaurants two,
single-stall restrooms - while gender neutral – also proved insufficient for the 700+
crowd.
Registration Overview: Two registration tables were set up at the venue.
Registration Feedback: Check-in at the Beale Street Bar and Grill was chaotic and not
enough to keep up with the flow of 700+ people, creating lines and back-ups that
stretched into the restaurant and further crowded the already-small venue. We were
also unprepared for the large number of marchers who showed up without having
registered online prior to the event. It was difficult for the check-in volunteers to single
out the contingent monitors and give them their appropriate “Monitor” buttons. In the
future, we must separate the check-in area from the eating/schmoozing area. We
should also create a separate check-in area for the contingent monitors, where we can
give them their buttons, inform them of their duties, and designate the appropriate
wheel monitors.
Activities Overview: In order to entertain the marchers while waiting for the parade to
begin, we organized two activities: kippot decorating and sign decorating. The kippot
decorating table was set up in a booth inside the Beale Street Bar and Grill. We ordered
300 blank, white kippot, and provided participants with markers and other art supplies
with which to decorate their own “pride” kippah. The sign decorating station was set-
up in the parking lot adjacent to the Beale Street Bar and Grille. Marchers were
provided with markers and paints with which to decorate pre-printed signs. Throughout
the event, we encouraged marchers to take photos5, and then send them to Lisa
Finkelstein.
Activities Feedback: The stations proved to be unpopular; only a few dozen participants
decorated a kippah, and even fewer individuals choose to wear their kippah in the
5 Event photos are posted online at www.tinyurl.com/PridePhotos and www.tinyurl.com/MorePridePhotos
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11. parade. Based on these factors, we do not recommend this activity for future Pride
events. While the sign-making activity was more popular than the kippot decorating, it
too attracted relatively little participants. The activity also required supervision by one
of the inclusion monitors, perhaps not the best use of our limited staff resources.
Photos were posted online and many people viewed our website and blog to see the
photos.
Food Overview: We ordered a kosher breakfast for 300 people that included coffee,
bagels, uncut fruit, cream cheese, water and juice.
Food Feedback: We needed more food! We ran out of bagels fairly rapidly, upsetting
participants who arrived early specifically for the promised breakfast. The food shortage
was a result of our larger-than-expected turnout. That said, our food selection (bagels,
spreads, fruit, juice, and coffee) was generally well received by the participants. The
best decision we made regarding the food was to outsource the food delivery and
preparation to Joey Eckstein and the Beale Street Bar and Grill. While perhaps not the
most cost-effective decision, it allowed the organizing crew to focus on our “day-of”
efforts on the parade itself, rather than the food. Whatever venue we use in the future,
we should attempt to have the venue’s staff/kitchen handle the food delivery and
preparation.
Conflicting Activism Overview: Multiple small but vocal groups attended with t-shirts,
flags, banners, signs and materials objecting to the inclusion of Israeli Flags, the
inclusion of anti-Israel groups, the concept of inclusion monitors and/or arguing the
concept that the organized Jewish community does not welcome Jews that do not
identify, relate or participate in activism supporting the state of Israel. The presence of
these multiple groups proved highly contentious.
Conflicting Activism Feedback: Many participants were angered by signs and displays,
viewing these groups as diluting the message of unity for LGBT rights and marriage
equality. Others dismissed these groups all together. While others insisted that these
groups reflect the LGBT Bay Area Jewish Community and would rather them be included
then isolated from the Jewish community. The presence of two groups that did not
register in advance, the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network6 (IJAN), and the
Diaspora Dialogue Queer Jews Will Not be Silenced group proved particularly
controversial, and many marchers were angry that the organizing committee did not
attempt to force these groups out of the contingent. It was suggested by one volunteer
that, “In the future, in order to reduce conflict, you must make it absolutely clear from
the outset that you expect organizations to be “LGBT first, political second.” You must
also consider the assumptions and beliefs that underlie the target audience, and work
proactively to address them in the planning and execution of the event.”
6 IJAN did not register to march, and joined the contingent midway through the parade
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12. Line-Up & March Overview: The organizing committee neglected to designate an
individual to “hold down” our spot at the staging area; we choose collectively not to
bring a megaphone and while we printed out signs with the name of each organization,
they were misplaced in the hustle and bustle of the event. Furthermore, due to the
aforementioned issues with registration, we neglected to designate wheel monitors for
the trolley7 and truck8.
Line-Up & March Feedback: The parade line-up processes in the staging area needs to
be improved considerably. This year’s lineup process was beset by several glitches. In
the future, we need to have each group/delegation select one person to act as the
“leader” for their group. Upon checking in at the registration table, this individual will be
given a sign with his or her group’s name. This system will greatly simplify the line-up
process for both the marchers and organizers. By creating an easily identifiable leader
for each delegation, marchers will be able to quickly find their delegation, and the
organizers will be able to delegate the task of placing all the groups into the proper
order. Despite the aforementioned glitches and oversights, the actual march down
Market Street was a definitely success. The Jews March for Pride contingent garnered a
great reaction from the crowd. The vast majority of participants had a great time
marching with their friends and family, and many of marchers were moved by the
enthusiasm and spirit of the delegation of teens from Camp Newman.
7 Decorated by the balloons provided by San Francisco’s Congregation Emanuel.
8 Driven by and provided by Marin’s Congregation Rodef Shalom playing Israeli dance music
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13. Post-Pride Parade Survey & Suggestions
Survey
Approximately one week after Jews March for Pride, a survey was sent to all registered
participants via email. The survey was designed by Margee Churchon (JCRC) using
Surveymonkey.com. Approximately 100 people took the 12-question survey, covering
the following topics:
How the participant heard about Jews March for Pride
Feelings on the Beale Street Bar and Grill
Feelings on the march itself
Overall impressions of the event
Survey Key Findings
The majority (approx 60%) of surveyed marchers heard about Jews March for
Pride through their synagogue. The next most popular categories were through
their workplace/organization and through a family member or friend.
Approximately half of surveyed participants had marched in San Francisco Pride
before; approximately 25% had previously watched the parade but not
participated.
The most popular reasons for participating in Jews March for Pride: to show
support for same-sex marriage and LGBT Rights as a result of Prop 8; to establish
a queer Jewish presence at the parade (from marchers who identify as LGBT);
and to support an LGBT friend or family member.
Positive feedback: When asked their favorite part of Jews March for Pride
(Question 6), the vast majority of respondents listed the contingent’s size,
diversity and – most of all – sense of community. Other commonly listed
“favorite parts” included the rainbow Israeli flags (which were distributed by the
Consulate) and the enthusiasm of the teens from Camp Newman.
Negative feedback: not surprisingly, we received a lot of negative feedback on
Israel-related messaging. Our most common complaint was the presence of the
anti-Israel and anti-Zionist groups (and the presence of groups with non-Pride
related agendas in general). There were also several complaints regarding the
presence of the Israeli consulate; however, the majority of parade participants
seemed OK with the consulate’s presence and many people listed the rainbow
Israeli flags as being one of their favorite parts of Jews March for Pride.
Other commonly listed complaints: 1. lack of space at the Beale Street Bar and
Grill; 2. lack of bathrooms at the Beale Street Bar and Grill; and 3. disorganization
of the line-up process.
Overall impression: Approximately two-thirds (67.8%) of respondents indicated
that they were “very likely” to march again; 21.1% of respondents indicated
that they were “somewhat likely” to march again.
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14. Towards 2010: Suggestions
Looking ahead, in order for the LGBT Alliance to invest or input resources9 the
measurable and mutual outcomes need to be recreated to better meet the specific
needs of the LGBT Bay Area Jewish community and the friends, family and allies of LGBT
Bay Area Jewish community second. JCRC has already stated that they will not continue
to be involved in the planning of Pride. In order for the LGBT Alliance to be involved in
this work in following years the following notes need to be recognized. Specifically the
following lessons were learned:
Partnerships: Throughout the Jews March for Pride planning process, we were
hindered by the contrasting goals and values of our respective organizations,
especially concerning the march’s inclusiveness and Israel-related messaging.
Pre-March Venue: At a post-Pride recap meeting on July 9, all in attendance agreed
that any future events should be held in front the San Francisco JCF building. The
site’s advantages are numerous: it is easily accessible by public transportation,
within walking distance of any possible parade line-up spot, provides enough space
to hold several hundred people, and would allow the organizing crew to utilize the
building’s supplies and bathrooms. It was also suggested that we should ask the
police to close the street to traffic and then bill the event as a “block party.”
Furthermore, regardless of what venue we use in the future, we need to create a
flow document and make sure that it is widely known prior to the event so set-up is
simplified and the flow makes sense to all. Decorations and a P.A. system should be
included in this venue set-up conversation and plan.
Volunteer Coordination and Contingent Monitors: Due to our small staff, we need
to delegate more tasks and responsibilities to volunteers for any future Pride events.
While 60+ organizations attended Jews March for Pride, only a small number of
them contributed volunteers. In particular, a rule10 that all organizations send a
member of their delegation to a contingency monitor training session is suggested
to be strictly enforced.
Community Outreach: in our post-Pride survey, many respondents noted that their
favorite part of the event was the enthusiasm of the Jewish teens from Camp
Newman. As one respondent wrote, her favorite part of the event was “All those
enthusiastic teens and young adults! The future looks bright.” This is an example of
positive community outreach! We should strive to include teens and children in any
future Pride events.
9
Outreach tools, marketing support, financial resources, Jewish programming, and staff time and community partnerships
10
While we requested that organizations to provide their own contingency monitors, we did not enforce this request or follow up with the
organizations to make sure that they actually sent an individual. In our outreach to synagogues and Jewish organizations, we requested that
all participating groups have one member of their delegation attend a contingency monitor training session.
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15. Community Meetings: Rather than using these meetings solely to generate ideas for
our parade contingent, we also need to utilize the attendees’ input to proactively
tackle issues. By asking, “How do you think the community would react to x?” we
can gain leverage on potential divisive messages.
On-site Registration: There needs to be a separate registration table for the
contingent monitors. Here, we can give them their buttons, inform them of their
duties, and designate the appropriate wheel monitors.
Contingent Line-up: In the future, we need to have each group/delegation select
one person to act as the “leader” for their group. Upon checking in at the
registration table, this individual will be given a sign with his or her group’s name.
This system will greatly simplify the line-up process for both the marchers and
organizers. By creating an easily identifiable leader for each delegation, marchers
will be able to quickly find their delegation, and the organizers will be able to
delegate the task of placing all the groups into the proper order.
Banners: while our banners this year were both attractive and effective at conveying
our message, we need larger banners! Their small size was dictated by budget
restraints; in the future, we must set aside a larger portion of the advertising
budgets for banners.
Message Management: in the future, we must be careful not to propose any rules
that we cannot enforce.
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16. Appendix A: 2009 Jews March for Pride Poster
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17. Appendix B: June 29, 2001 J. Article S.F. Pride: They’re here, they’re
queer, they’re Jewish
"Yeah Jews!" a passerby called out as he walked past the Jewish Family and Children's
Services and Congregation Sha'ar Zahav booth at the 31st annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
and Transgender Pride Celebration on Sunday.
"People seem very happy to see a Jewish presence here," said Sarah Verke, who was
working the booth. A contingent from JFCS was one of several Jewish groups and
synagogues that marched to show their pride or solidarity with the LGBT community.
Participating for the first time this year was the Pacific Northwest region of the Anti-
Defamation League. "This is a perfect fit for us," said Jessica Ravitz, ADL associate
director. "If we're going to be a true agency looking for fair treatment for all citizens,
then looking out for the gay community and showing our solidarity falls within our
mission." About 25 people marched behind the ADL banner, including board members,
involved students, friends, and family members.
Taking part in the rainbow-saturated parade in San Francisco was something the
watchdog agency had thought about in the past, she said, but this was the first time
someone in the office took the initiative and made it happen. "It was a tremendous
experience," Ravitz said.
About 30 people marched with the JFCS contingent, including its board president,
Norman Olson. They gave away buttons along the parade route, and quickly ran out.
"We all felt it was a really great success," said LGBT Outreach Project Coordinator
Margaret Rothman, who represented JFCS in the booth after the parade and had
marched earlier in the day with her mother.
If there were truly one million people there as reported, she said, "this was great
exposure and what we're going for. We want people to know that the Jewish
community and that JFCS in particular is really welcoming." Beth Sousa, who worked the
shared booth for San Francisco Congregation Sha'ar Zahav, said that many people
signed up to receive information packets from the progressive, queer-friendly
synagogue. "One guy had just moved here, and asked, 'Are you the gay synagogue I've
heard about,'" she said. One curious passerby was David Steinberg of Oakland, clad in a
hot pink tie-dyed T-shirt.
Steinberg moved to the Bay Area four years ago from Boston, where LGBT Jews rented
out a church once a month for Shabbat. Having a LGBT synagogue is "really neat," he
said. A few booths away was a group made up mostly of Jewish women wearing
"Queers for a Free Palestine" buttons, and one of them wore a kaffiyeh. The women
marched as "Lesbian and Gay Insurrection" together with activists of all ethnicities and
Page 17 of 35

18. religions. Their banner called for divestment from Israel and the right of return for
Palestinians. When asked why they felt the need to call attention to the Palestinian
cause at the pride parade, Kate Raphael of Berkeley said, "every issue is a gay issue. We
cannot have queer liberation without all liberation. Gay rights equals human rights."
But in terms of a Middle Eastern presence, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was
overshadowed by Dana International's afternoon performance on the main stage. After
Donny Inbar, the cultural attaché at the Consul General of Israel introduced the
transgender pop star as the "sexiest, prettiest ambassador," the singer jumped around
and gyrated in a tight, white, backless jumpsuit with a plunging neckline. Wearing blue
and silver-beaded necklaces with circular medallions reading "Peace and Shalom" on
one side and "Dana International" on the other, Bruce Henry of San Francisco said he
had been following the Israeli diva's career for three years.
"She's a symbol that Israel is a very accepting society. I'm proud to have a transsexual
representing them to the rest of the world," he said. And Eran Amit, an Israeli who lives
in San Francisco, said he was surprised that the Israeli foreign ministry was behind the
singer's visit. "She definitely brings another side of Israel; not what you usually see in
the news," Amit said. "But I'm not sure she represents most of the people in Israel."
Indeed, after performing her hit song "Diva" that won the 1998 Eurovision song contest,
Dana International finished her set by asking the audience to visit Israel -- with a pitch
that the Israeli Ministry of Tourism should consider using on those reluctant to travel
during the current conflict. "Israeli boys and girls are gorgeous, they're friendly," said
the self-styled ambassador, before taking it a step further by describing her compatriots
with a particularly flirtatious attribute -- a word chosen especially for this crowd. The
audience cheered raucously. And with a devilish grin, Dana declared: "You're all
invited!"
by ALEXANDRA J. WALL, Bulletin Staff http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/15938/s-f-
pride-they-re-here-they-re-queer-they-re-jewish/
Page 18 of 35

19. Appendix C: June 18, 2004 J. Article, Pro-Israel message joins in S.F.
Pride parade
There’s surely never been an Israeli tourism campaign like this one: an invitation to visit
the Jewish state is extended with a promise that you’ll meet a cute guy or girl — or
something in between.
That’s part of the message on a newly produced DVD about Israel’s lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender community, “Out of the Closet and into the Streets of Tel Aviv:
A Peek at Freedom and Acceptance in the Middle East.” Some 10,000 of the DVDs will
be handed out at the Pride parade in San Francisco on Sunday, June 27, courtesy of
BluestarPR, the same company responsible for the pro-Israel billboards posted around
San Francisco and Berkeley.
Jonathan Carey, BluestarPR’s director, said the goal of the DVD is threefold. “We wanted
to show that there’s a thriving LGBT community in Israel. Second, that there are people
in Israel working to help the Palestinian gays, because their lives are difficult, at best.
And three, it’s a quasi-travel video, we’re hoping to entice people to go to World Pride,”
the International Gay Pride Festival that will take place in Jerusalem in 2005, he said.
“It’s all working to improve Israel’s image,” said Carey. “We want people to be surprised
and welcomed.” Several BluestarPR staffers, particularly longtime gay Jewish activist
and deputy director Peter “Pini” Altman, noticed that some queer Jewish groups use the
Pride event as a venue to spread their anti-Israel message. Together, the staffers
decided to produce a DVD.
First they got in touch with Donna Rosenthal, a Bay Area-based journalist and author of
the recent book “The Israelis: Ordinary People Living in an Extraordinary Land.” Not only
had Rosenthal shot footage of the Pride parade in Tel Aviv last year, but she had all the
right contacts. BluestarPR then found a husband-wife team in Israel, provided them with
questions, and told them whom to interview.
Obvious candidates were Etai Pinkas, an openly gay city council member in Tel Aviv, who
is a former chair of the Agudah, the national LGBT organization in Israel, and Hagai El-
Ad, executive director of Jerusalem’s Open House, an LGBT center. Sounding a bit
sheepish, Carey said the organization really got lucky in finding someone to produce it.
“It was really a needle-in-a-haystack kind of thing,” he said with a laugh. By searching
online, they came up with the name of a producer who does, as Carey chose to put it,
“non-mainstream” gay DVDs. “He cut us a deal to do this all at cost. He wanted to
support us because he’s Jewish and gay, and it made the whole project very
economical.”
Page 19 of 35

20. The DVD also features “man on the street” interviews, one with a lesbian couple who
say they were married by a Conservative rabbi, and are raising their son with no
problems, and one with a gay soldier in the Israel Defense Forces who says his coming
out has had absolutely no bearing on how he is treated in the army. Another woman
ends by telling people to come, because Israel has some beautiful women.
Carey said his sense is that most LGBT people who aren’t Jewish will be “shocked” by
what they hear. And straight Jews, too, may be surprised. “Even if you’re Jewish but not
gay, this is a learning experience for you,” said Carey. “This is something you don’t think
about if you’re not either gay or Jewish.” Carey said that with a bit of re-editing it could
be entered into LGBT and Jewish film festivals. He hopes to do that in the future. He’s
also looking for volunteers to hand out the DVD at the San Francisco Pride festivities. To
help, visit www.bluestarpr.org.
by alexandra j. wall http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/22933/pro-israel-message-
joins-in-s-f-pride-parade/
Page 20 of 35

21. Appendix D: July 9, 1999 J. Article, More Jewish groups join the fun
during Gay Pride Celebration
They were accompanied by four fellow members of San Francisco's Reform
Congregation Sha'ar Zahav who were holding up the poles of a chuppah, the traditional
Jewish wedding canopy. The canopy itself was a rainbow flag, and each pole was
decorated with purple ribbons. "The combination of the chuppah, which stands out as a
really Jewish image, and the gay image of two people in drag was beautiful," said Sha'ar
Zahav program director Dahlia Gross, who organized the congregation's group. "It was
festive and that's what pride is."
In an interview this week, Gross recalled that during the parade, she could hear Jews in
the crowd of an estimated half-million people singing along with the Israeli folk songs as
the wedding scene made its way down Market Street. The contingent from Sha'ar Zahav
generated excitement by dancing the hora around the bride and groom. Along with
Sha'ar Zahav -- a mainstay in the parade -- four other groups were in the Jewish
contingent at the celebration. Two of those, Reform Temple Sinai in Oakland and San
Francisco Conservative Congregation B'nai Emunah, were participating for the first time
this year. Also represented were Jewish Family and Children's Services and Conservative
Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco.
Each group had a banner with inclusive phrases such as "Jewish Family and Children's
Services: serving all members of your family since 1850." Sha'ar Zahav brought a variety
of posters, some of them reading "Oy vey iz mir, my bubbe knows I'm queer."
Members of the Temple Sinai group wore synagogue banners around their necks and
sang and danced with Sha'ar Zahav. For Temple Sinai Rabbi Andrea Fisher, the parade
was a new experience; she moved to the Bay Area from Cincinnati last summer. "I was
not sure what the response would be to us because we were a Jewish group marching
so soon after what happened in Sacramento," Fisher said, referring to the recent
synagogue burnings. "But everyone was cheering, and I felt proud of our synagogue and
of the Conservative synagogues that were there."
The Conservative Jews from B'nai Emunah included seniors, a family with children and
single adults, according to Frank Kurtz, who organized the congregation's participation.
The B'nai Emunah group carried the synagogue's banner with the tag line "traditional
Judaism without the barriers." "We had a nice cross-section of folks at the parade," said
Kurtz, who marched with his wife. "For a long time there have been gays in the
congregation and in leadership positions. Sexual orientation is not an issue as far as
participation in the congregation is concerned, and we were there to support gays and
lesbians in the Jewish community." Kurtz, who served on the regional board of United
Synagogue of Conservative Judaism last year, noted that gay Jews in the Bay Area have
full support from the local Conservative movement.
Page 21 of 35

22. As for his involvement in the parade, Kurtz said that he was spurred to organize B'nai
Emunah's group by Kenny Altman, coordinator of the Gay and Lesbian
Chavurah/Outreach program at Beth Sholom. Altman, an openly gay Conservative Jew
and a vice president of his congregation's board, e-mailed about 10 Conservative
synagogues in Northern California, inviting them to attend the parade. Of the 10, only
B'nai Emunah wound up joining the celebration. "I would like to see more Conservative
synagogues network with each other as far as outreach is concerned," Altman said in an
interview this week. "Most Conservative synagogues are gay-friendly but they have to
come out and make a statement because it is not always a given that gays are
accepted." Altman said he plans to step up his efforts next year, sending formal written
invitations and following them up with phone calls.
Temple Sinai's Fisher also has some ideas to expand her congregation's involvement in
next year's pride celebrations. "I would like to do a text study in the morning to explore
the issues of where it's been difficult for gays in the past and what Reform Jews can do
today," she said. "I would also like to bring a shofar and a radio so we don't have to lose
our voices and still be loud and festive."
by ZEVI GUTFREUND, Bulletin Intern http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/11133/more-
jewish-groups-join-the-fun-during-gay-pride-celebration/
Page 22 of 35

23. Appendix E: July 11, 2003 J. Article, Anti-Israel float in Pride
parade called ‘outrageous’
Cinnamon Stillwell was watching television coverage of the June 29 Gay Pride parade,
and what she saw made her furious. So the contributor at Chronwatch, a media
watchdog Web site, devoted her June 30 column to it. International ANSWER (Act Now
to Stop War and End Raciscm), the national group that organized the anti-war rallies
before the United States went to war with Iraq, is aligned with the Socialist Workers
World Party. Its float in the parade had a sign that read, "From Stonewall to Palestine."
Stonewall was the name of a gay bar in New York City, where in 1969, its clientele rioted
against the police in what's come to be known as the beginning of the gay liberation
movement. Saul Kanowitz, an ANSWER volunteer who coordinated its participation in
the parade, said this wasn't the first time the anti-war group drew that parallel. "The
Palestinian people are struggling for self- determination as are lesbian and gay people
around the world to live and love as we please," said Kanowitz, who is both Jewish and
gay.
Stillwell, who is also Jewish, wrote in her column: "The truth is, the only Palestinians
who marched in Gay Pride parades this year did so in Israel, but the irony of this fact
seems to have escaped [ANSWER]." While Kanowitz did not deny that gays and lesbians
have more rights in Israel than under the Palestinian Authority, he said, "The Palestinian
people suffer under Israeli occupation, and the source of worldwide bigotry and
reaction and racism really doesn't emanate from the Palestinian Authority, it emanates
from the United States and the colonial occupation of the Middle East."
Rabbi Camille Angel, spiritual leader of San Francisco Congregation Sha'ar Zahav, a
synagogue with strong gay outreach, said its delegation marched at the front of the
parade, in honor of its 25th anniversary celebration, and no members reported seeing
the ANSWER float. She did not want to comment on the float's message, other than to
call it "outrageous."
by ALEXANDRA J. WALL, Bulletin Staff http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/20185/anti-
israel-float-in-pride-parade-called-outrageous/
Page 23 of 35

24. Appendix F: July 11, 1997 J. Article, Gay, lesbian Jews strut their
stuff at S.F. pride parade
More than 50 members of congregations Sha'ar Zahav, Beth Sholom, Sherith Israel and
the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Relations Council hammed it up for the
cheering crowd of an estimated 700,000. "Oy vey! I'm gay. What's my mother going to
say?" they chanted. The congregants sang and hoofed a few Jewish folk dances to the
klezmer beat of Gay Iz Mir, whose gay members played atop the float. While many of
the Jewish marchers were gay, heterosexual individuals and family members also
attended to support gays in their battle for civil rights. The 27-year-old parade has
become a San Francisco tradition, begun to commemorate the 1969 riot that followed a
police raid on a New York gay bar called Stonewall. The parade crowns a week-long
celebration of the vitality of gay life in San Francisco and gays' struggle for social and
political equality.
Rabbi Jane Litman, the newly hired spiritual leader of Congregation Sha'ar Zahav, which
has a predominantly gay membership, marched with her husband and two children.
Litman comes from another gay-oriented synagogue in Los Angeles, where her kids, now
aged 6 and 10, participated in many a gay pride parade.
"Gay is good," proclaimed Litman's 6-year-old, Asher, his hair tangled in a plastic tiara
full of Stars of David. He scampered from marcher to marcher doling out the colorful
stars, which clung like benevolent burs to hats, clothing and ears. Kenny Altman's
reasons for marching weren't so simple. "As an openly gay Conservative Jew, I want
people to know that you don't have to be Reform to go to a synagogue. Gay
Conservative Jews are just as welcome at [the Conservative] Beth Sholom, even if that's
not universal to the Conservative movement."
Altman is chair of Beth Sholom's ritual committee, although, as a gay man, he cannot
participate in one of the synagogue's most important rituals -- marriage."I have faith
that by being active in my faith, that's the only way to affect change," he said. The
parade was a first for Josef and Lisa Grosch, also of Beth Sholom. The couple recently
moved here from Chicago, where groups like S.F.'s Dyke Shabbos "would not go over so
well," she said of the Midwestern city's conservativism. "You couldn't even advertise it,"
she said of such a gay Jewish event. But, she added, a few "liberal-minded"
congregations welcome Chicago's gay and lesbian Jews.
No one was excluded from San Francisco's biggest and brashest party of the year.
Marchers waved signs -- "The clitoris. Know it. Use it." -- and wiggled bare butts, breasts
and penises in the afternoon wind. Filipino men cross-dressed in native Filipina costume
and honored Imelda Marcos, their country's Evita Peron, with a Philippine version of the
hula. Lesbian line dancers indulged in a swingin' country two-step. And every gay-
minded political and social group from the mayor's brigade to socialists and seniors
Page 24 of 35

25. maintained a float, streetcar or banner. A beer brewer resurrected memories of the
Budweiser Clydesdales with a live elephant that marched to promote the brewer's new
ale, named after the lumbering pachyderm.
In the Jewish contingent, women donned yarmulkes and men wore boxers depicting the
Israeli flag. Others sported T-shirts with the slogan "One in every minyan," and jewelry
featuring the pink triangle, which symbolizes the gay rights movement. They waved,
clapped and performed for the crowd.Altman struck a hopeful note, speculating that
one day gays and lesbians would not need to march for equality. After all, it was only
about 30 years ago that women were barred from synagogue leadership, he said. In the
meantime, he added, the "numbers [of gay participants and supporters] aren't as
important as the fact that people see who we are."
by LORI EPPSTEIN, Bulletin Staff http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/6103/gay-lesbian-
jews-strut-their-stuff-at-s-f-pride-parade/
Page 25 of 35

26. Appendix G: April 16, 2009 J. Short, JCRC wants Jews unified at S.F.
pride parade
The Jewish Community Relations Council is calling for a united Jewish community to
march in the 39th annual San Francisco Pride Parade this summer. To gather people and
ideas for the June 28 parade, the JCRC will hold a meeting next week for all Jewish gays,
lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people — and their Jewish communal allies — who
are interested in marching in the Pride Parade and showing support for marriage
equality. The intention, said Margee Churchon of JCRC, is to march together as a
“unified contingent of LGBT Jews and a Jewish community.” The initiative marks a
departure from past parades, when Jewish individuals and groups often marched as
separate delegations. The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. April 27 at the San
Francisco office of the Jewish Community Federation, 121 Steuart Street, S.F. For more
information, contact Churchon at mchurchon@jcrc.org.
http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/37841/shorts-bay-area13/
Page 26 of 35

27. Appendix H: October 2, 1998 J. Article, Parents of gays bond for
support, advocacy at Beth Am
When Bernis Kretchmar first learned her son Michael was gay, she worried about his
health. Because he is her only son, she worried about the continuity of the family name.
She worried about what neighbors and friends would think. Weddings of friends'
children were, for a long time, painful symbols of her own dashed expectations. "I
hardly knew anyone who was gay," she says. "I had no experience. I was utterly sick and
sad." The 62-year-old Los Altos resident has come a long way since then. She has
marched proudly in San Francisco's annual gay pride parade alongside the group Parents
and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
And on Friday, Oct. 16, during Shabbat services, she will stand with her head held high
to share with her congregation, Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, the challenges and joys, of
having a gay child. She will do so as a founding member of Kulanu, Beth Am's year-old
support and advocacy group for gays and lesbians, their families and friends. The group,
whose name is Hebrew for "all of us," has until now held small monthly meetings at the
Reform synagogue. The October program, aimed at acquainting the community with the
group's work and goals, is in a sense the group's own coming out. Jerry Diamond, a Palo
Alto resident and active member of Kulanu since its founding, is the father of a lesbian.
He will be among those speaking at the service.
"I'd be really delighted if people walked away saying, `Hey those people are no different
from us. They're accepted and welcomed, not as gays and lesbians, but simply as
people,'" he says. Diamond's daughter Lisa, in fact, will fly in from Orlando, Fla., to
attend the program. Her coming out of the closet did not surprise her parents. Nor was
it particularly traumatic for them. "It was quite easy to convince her she had our 100
percent support and love and her sexual orientation was her business, not ours," says
Diamond, who is 64 and retired from the electronics industry.
One reason he and wife Linda joined Kulanu, he says, was to offer support to other
parents of gays and lesbians, to "help them cope with what for some is a difficult
situation." Kretchmar experienced many difficult feelings after learning of her son's
homosexuality. Then, last year, at the urging of her daughter, she marched in the gay
pride parade. It turned out to be a watershed. "I set out down the street and I can
honestly say my feet didn't feel like they were on the ground," she says.
Rounding a corner, she spotted a familiar face in the crowd -- Fran Rappaport, a fellow
Beth Am congregant whose son is gay. Rappaport asked what Kretchmar was doing at
the parade. "I said to her, `I'm doing the same thing you're doing,'" Kretchmar recalls.
"She said to me, `I never knew.' There were tears big time. "I said `Fran, where is
everyone else, all the people we know? Where are the people from Los Altos? She said,
`Bernis, we're alone.'" A few days later, the pair met and talked about starting a support
Page 27 of 35

28. group in a Jewish context. Together with another woman whose child had recently
come out of the closet, they contacted Rabbi Richard Block. "We wanted to come out
and we wanted the rabbi and Beth Am to be a part of it," Kretchmar says. "We wanted
the silence to be silence no longer.
"We made an appointment with the rabbi," she adds. "He had no idea why we were
coming. When we presented the idea to him, he was very touched." They advertised in
the bulletin of the synagogue and got the ball rolling with a small meeting there. "We
met at the chapel," Kretchmar says. "It had a lot of meaning for me to be in front of a
Torah." Over the past year, parents, siblings and friends of gays and lesbians have
attended meetings, along with parents who have come out to their children.
Participants describe the gatherings as open and often humor-filled.
Michael Kretchmar has attended one meeting. "It was a really great experience because
it was clear the people in the room wanted to be really supportive," says the 34-year-old
San Francisco resident, who will speak at the Oct. 16 service. A product manager at a
personal finance software company, Michael Kretchmar imagines a day when people's
sexual orientation will be no more relevant than their eye color or hairstyle. "I think
we're all playing a role in getting to that better place," he says. This year, the group and
its supporters marched together in the gay pride parade wearing special T-shirts with
the Hebrew word "kulanu" printed on the back. But while the group has so far leaned
toward support and advocacy, participants eventually hope to make it a social outlet for
Jewish gays and lesbians, as well. To that end, they hope to organize events with gay
groups from places such as Stanford University and Congregation Shir Hadash in Los
Gatos. "Our concern that our children have Jewish partners," Bernis Kretchmar says, "is
the same as for any children."
by LESLIE KATZ, Bulletin Staff http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/9186/parents-of-
gays-bond-for-support-advocacy-at-beth-am/
Page 28 of 35

29. Appendix I: June 22, 2001 J. Article, ‘Queerific’ S.F. in ‘Jewbilation’
over Israeli diva’s visit
An Israeli international singing-sensation will make her United States debut along with a
plethora of local Jewish groups during San Francisco's 2001 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Pride Celebration -- or simply "Queerific" -- festivities this weekend.
Dana International, one of a few openly transgender artists to achieve mainstream
world fame, will perform as one of the signature artists during the official pride Reunion
Party tomorrow and the Pride Parade on Sunday. She is being hosted by the Pacific
Northwest Region of the Consulate General of Israel in San Francisco.
Aside from her musical performances, the male-to-female transsexual star, whose
breakthrough single "Diva" earned her first prize in the 1998 Eurovision song contest,
will lead a discussion on gender politics, music and religion at San Francisco
Congregation Sha'ar Zahav, 290 Dolores St., at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
"This will be the first time since her bar mitzvah that she'll be setting foot in a
synagogue," said Marc Wernick, co-chair of publicity for the progressive, Reform
synagogue open to Jews of all sexual identities. Dana International -- or Sharon Cohen,
formerly Yaron Cohen -- will also be the guest of honor at Monday's S.F. Board of
Supervisors meeting, by invitation of Supervisor Mark Leno. Her introduction to the
supervisors takes place "just a month after we passed our landmark transgender
healthcare benefit," noted Leno.
"She is a rare individual who had success as a transgender person," he said. "I think it
will be a wonderful opportunity for my colleagues and the city of San Francisco to meet
her." As in the past, several S.F.-based Jewish organizations and synagogues plan to
march in Sunday's Pride Parade. Some of the many include Jewish Family and Children
Services, Congregation Emanu-El and the Conservative Congregation Beth Sholom, as
well as Oakland's Temple Sinai.
This will be the third year of participation by the Reform Temple Sinai. "We always strive
to be open and tell the world that Temple Sinai is a safe place to go," said Susan Krauss,
chair of the synagogues' membership committee as well as its LGBT group, Out and
About. She expects between 25 to 30 congregants to march in the parade. Krauss said
the enthusiastic participation of Temple Sinai is particularly important because most
temple members "are straight" and it is "wonderful for those of us who aren't straight
to be surrounded by others who think the pride march is worthwhile."
JFCS has also marched in the parade in the past, but usually as an ad hoc effort. This
year, the organization started an outreach program to better serve the needs of the
queer community, and made the pride participation a bit more official. As a result, this
Page 29 of 35

30. year's JFCS turnout should be stronger than last. Margaret Rothman, coordinator of the
LGBT outreach program, expects a contingent of about 30 JFCS staff members, clients,
volunteers, loved ones and board members. "We have people participating from almost
every program area," she said. "It's exciting because it's a way of bringing people from
all JFCS departments together to do something nice for the LGBT community and let
them know that we're here for them." JFCS will share an informational booth with
Sha'ar Zahav at the Civic Center during the two-day festival. "It's the beginning of a
strong partnership," said Rothman, "to best meet the needs of LGBT Jews."
Along with this participation and the Dana International discussion, Sha'ar Zahav will
host a series of queer pride events that it is calling "Jewbilation," although the shul is
not marching as a contingent as in years past. Jewbilation includes a wine and cheese
reception tonight at 7 p.m., followed by a pride Shabbat service led by Rabbi Camille
Angel. Tomorrow evening, Sha'ar Zahav will support the Dyke March by gathering at
16th and Dolores to view the march, which kicks off at 7:30. The participation of Reform
synagogues, like Sha'ar Zahav and Temple Sinai, was encouraged this year by the
Religious Action Center in Washington, D.C., which sent out large packets of information
on getting involved in gay pride events.
But, as in the past, many Conservative Jews will also come out and make their presence
known. For the sixth year, Congregation Beth Sholom will boast a contingent of between
25 and 30 members of various synagogue groups, including the young adults group the
Chicken Soupers and the LGBT outreach program, Keshet Chavurah. "It's important for
anyone in the LGBT Jewish community who feels they want to be a part of the more
traditional observance of a Conservative movement to know they're welcome at Beth
Sholom," said Joel Springer, chair of Keshet Chavurah. "We are an egalitarian synagogue
-- that expands to the gay community."
by ALEZA GOLDSMITH, Bulletin Staff
http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/15889/-queerific-s-f-in-jewbilation-over-israeli-
diva-s-visit/
Page 30 of 35

31. Appendix I: June 11, 2009 J. Short, ‘March for Pride with the Jewish
community
Jews from across the Bay Area will gather 9 a.m. June 28 at Beale Street Bar and Grille in
preparation for the annual Pride Parade. The Jewish contingent will include individuals,
families with children young and grown, and Jewish organizations and synagogues. At
Beale Street, dozens will gather to make rainbow kippot and eat breakfast before the
parade. Confirmed groups to date include: Jewish Vocational Service, Camp Newman,
Progressive Jewish Alliance, Kol Tzedek, Parents Place of Jewish Children and Family
Services, the Jewish Community Federation and congregations Rodef Sholom, Beth Am
and Sherith Israel. It is the first time that the Jewish community will march together in
San Francisco’s Pride Parade, which begins 10:30 a.m. at Market and Beale streets.
To register in advance, check http://www.tinyurl.com/Jews4Pride or contact Margee
Churchon at mchurchon@jcrc.org. http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/38318/shorts-
bay-area20/
Page 31 of 35

32. Appendix J: June 27, 2008 J. Short, Marchers welcome
San Francisco Voice for Israel, one of several Jewish groups marching in this year's S.F. Gay
Pride Parade on Sunday, June 29, will assemble on Beale Street between Mission and
Folsom at 11:30 a.m. Organizers suggest participants look for the Israeli flags. Signs and
placards specially made for the parade by pro-Israel marketing and advertising firm
BlueStarPR will be available for marchers.
http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/35254/musician-gets-new-start-at-ner-tamid
Page 32 of 35

33. Appendix K: July 23, 2004 J. Short, Faces Praying with their feet
A busload of San Rafael's Congregation Rodef Sholom members "prayed with their feet"
at the San Francisco Pride Parade in late June. Led by Vivien Braly, Sarah Ritthaler and
Pam Welner, the group marched en masse carrying signs saying "We'll marry you" and a
boom box with klezmer music playing. They were such a hit that they made the TV news
that night. The concept of "praying with their feet" was based on Rabbi Abraham Joshua
Heschel's march for civil rights with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Alabama.
by suzan berns http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/23252/faces/
Page 33 of 35

34. Appendix L: April 2009 Invitation to March Together
Dear Friend,
"When I marched in Selma, my feet were praying," said Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
of the Selma Civil Rights March with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Let us march again. We
extend a warm invitation to join the "Jews March for Pride" contingent of the San
Francisco's LGBT Pride Parade, Sunday, June 28, 2009. Every year, Jews celebrate Pride
with their own separate contingents. Why is this year different than all other years?
Because this year we want to bring together our broad Jewish community to
demonstrate our support for equality. We encourage your participation.
Together the contingent will feature the overarching message: we are the Jewish
community; we are diverse; we overwhelmingly support marriage equality. As you may
know, more than 80% of Jews voted against Proposition 8, demonstrating our
commitment to equality for all, but we cannot stop there.
As part of the "Jews March for Pride" contingent the most important thing you can do is
to bring representatives from your organization or synagogue to march in the parade.
We hope that your organization will bring a community identifier (group banner, shirt,
etc.) to represent the huge diversity of our Jewish community and support.
We would be delighted if you and your members could join us for this exciting
celebration. To confirm your participation, or if you have any questions, please contact
Margee Churchon, Program Associate for the JCRC, at (415) 977-7419.
Sincerely,
Rabbi James Brandt. Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay
Rachel Biale, Progressive Jewish Alliance
Karen Erlichman, Jewish Mosaic: The National Center for Sexual & Gender Diversity
Lisa Finkelstein, LGBT Alliance of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the
Peninsula, Marin & Sonoma Counties
Rabbi Doug Kahn, Jewish Community Relations Council
David Katznelson, Get Fed! Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the
Peninsula, Marin & Sonoma Counties
Daniel Sokatch, Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin &
Sonoma Counties
Samuel Strauss, LGBT Alliance of the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East
Bay
Page 34 of 35

35. Appendix M: San Francisco Pride Month History & Overview
History of Pride. In the 1960s the police would often raid Gay and Lesbian bars and
arrest the patrons. At this time there were laws on the books that said it was illegal to
wear more than two pieces of clothing of the opposite sex. Police would arrest men for
wearing dresses and women for wearing pants. On the night of June 27, 1969 when
police raided the patrons of the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York the butch
lesbians and drag queens fought back. The bar patrons threw bottles and rocks at the
police. They chanted, “Gay Power!” For several nights crowds grew outside the
Stonewall Inn. Word quickly spread around the country about the gay people who
fought back against the police. The event became known as the Stonewall Rebellion or
Stonewall Riots. Although there was a small gay rights movement around the country
prior to Stonewall, after 1969 the movement changed. This was the first gay pride
parade and today, pride events have become an annual ritual and have grown to include
thousands of LGBT and LGBT-friendly participants, not to mention hundreds of
thousands of spectators. Many LGBT people dress in bright colors, head-to-toe leather
or sometimes next to nothing. However, regardless of the attire, all of the participants
join the festivities to remind the world that LGBT people deserve the same rights as
others and people should be free to live their life void of judgment.
LGBT Pride month in San Francisco begins with the hanging of 500 rainbow flags on
Market Street. SF Pride encompasses so much in the way of activities and
entertainment, planning for each year's event begins before the previous year's
celebration has taken place. Throughout the month of June, Pride-related events host
films, discussions and other performances. In addition to the Pride Parade and
Celebration at Civic Center here are the biggest annual San Francisco Pride events:
12th Annual Queer Arts Festival
33rd Annual Frameline San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival
29th Annual Pride Concert: Let’s Get Loud! June 25 & 26 Lesbian/Gay Chorus of
San Francisco; The San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band; Gay Men’s Chorus
at the First Unitarian Universalist Church
6th Annual Transmarch, June 26 at Dolores Park 3:20pm, performances 7pm,
March and return to Dolores Park Over 40 different performance artists onstage
in Dolores Park both before and after the March!
17th Annual Dyke March June 27 at Dolores Park Performances: 3pm / March:
7pm Join thousands of dykes in celebrating our culture at the Rally and then
marching in all our power to the call: Dyke Rights = Human Rights
www.thedykemarch.org.
Pink Saturday is San Francisco's largest underground street party held on the
Saturday night before San Francisco Pride in San Francisco's Castro district
attracting more than half a million people and coinciding with the annual Dyke
March.
8th Annual Fresh Meat Transgender and Queer Performance Festival
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