Bat Kol is a Jewish religious lesbian

Lesbian

Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...

 organization in Israel

Israel

The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

. The organization was founded to provide a home for religious women struggling to reconcile their traditional religious ways of life and their sexual orientation. In July 2008, Bat Kol held its first elections and entered a new phase in its development by becoming an official organization. Bat Kol is a growing community building new pathways for fulfilling and celebrating both religious and lesbian identities, making it possible for women to live in loving relationships and raise children within the context of traditional Judaism and the larger religious community. Working in collaboration with a diverse group of Orthodox Rabbis, Professors, community members and friends, Bat Kol aspires to promote and sponsor education for tolerance and the acceptance of difference within the religious community and society at large.

Vision

Bat Kol envisions a world where religious lesbians can live lives of truth and love, equality and companionship, acceptance, self fulfillment and celebration. Bat Kol sees its goals as essential not only for religious lesbians but for all religious communities around the world, to foster a better society of justice, kindness, and equality; this is its Tikkun Olam.

History

Bat Kol was founded by ten women in the winter of 2004 and as of January 2010 includes about 300 women whose ages range from 19 to sixty plus. Members of Bat Kol come from various religious backgrounds and include graduates of prominent religious schools in Israel. Some have established gay families and are raising children, others are still in the closet.

Activities

Bat Kol is an active organization hosting a range of various programming, activities and meetings throughout the year. Bat is represented in both the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem Gay Pride Parades.

Advocacy

Bat Kol is involved in many efforts to promote dialogue about homosexuality between the many factions of the Orthodox community and encourage heart-felt and serious Rabbinic engagement with the issue at the Halachic level. Bat Kol also engages in outreach and supports dialogue with the non-orthodox Jewish communities in both Israel and the Diaspora in the hopes of helping to effect a slow transformation of hostile religious attitudes toward homosexuality as well as hostile secular attitudes towards religion.

Joint projects

• Parents group - Bat Kol established a support group for parents of religious homosexuals and lesbians in cooperation with Tehila
  Tehila
  Tehila is a mutual support group in Israel for parents of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. The organizations activities include operating support groups, telephone help lines, and a website, as well as publishing and distributing supportive information.The organization is based...
  
  . These meetings bring parents together to share their experiences and gain strength from the understanding that they are not alone in the struggle.
• Advocacy project - Bat Kol has joined forces with Havruta
  Havruta (organization)
  Havruta ) - Jewish Religious gays in Israel was founded by graduates of Hesder Yeshivas and Religious Pre-Military Preparatory Programs...
  
  , the orthodox gay association, to create Shoval
  Shoval (organization)
  Shoval - All is created for your glory is an association of Jewish orthodox lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Israel that actively promotes tolerance and understanding of LGBT people within religious communities in Israel through meeting with educators.-Mission statement:Shoval...
  
   which educates administrators, teachers and counsellors in Israeli elementary, middle-school and high-schools about homosexuality.
• LGBT youth - Women from Bat Kol have created a group for religious lesbian adolescents in cooperation with Israeli Gay Youth (IGY)
  Israeli Gay Youth (IGY)
  Israel Gay Youth was founded in 2002 in Israel as a non-profit NGO, branching off from the Israeli Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Association.-Overview:Israel Gay Youth is a voluntary Israeli NGO for lesbian, gay, bisexual and...
  
   organization. A parallel group for religious gay male adolescents is supported by Havruta
  Havruta (organization)
  Havruta ) - Jewish Religious gays in Israel was founded by graduates of Hesder Yeshivas and Religious Pre-Military Preparatory Programs...
  
  

External links

• Bat Kol (official website)