1st forum event

On 17th March 2016 the first community forum on LGBTQ inclusion was organized in the Mozaik Jewish Community Hub. Initiated by the Balint JCC and the Mozaik Hub, the forum’s main goal was to start a dialog with organizational and community leaders about LGBTQ inclusion in the Jewish community of Hungary. With the first forum event our intention was also to start a community platform that provides a framework to formulate long term goals and at the same time that can also act as a task force organizing specific events on the issue (seminars, trainings, conferences).

11 community leaders and activists participated in the forum, professionals coming from various spheres of the community: education, religious communities (reform, modern-orthodox), NGOs and the Federation Youth Council. CEO of Hatter Society, Hungary’s leading LGBTQ NGO joined the forum as a lecturer and professional consultant. During the first part of the forum the participants were describing and analyzing the current situation within the Hungarian Jewish community regarding attitudes and institutional policies towards LGBTQ people, groups and communities. They agreed that the situation today can be characterized rather by the silence and the lack of public discussion. Participants also mentioned the lack of formal and clear policies, double speech and the lack of representation on the institutional level.

There was a common agreement that the first step should be the organization of an invitation based seminar with the participation of communal and institutional leaders, rabbis and lay leaders. This event could widen the circle of our platform and involve more stakeholders. The seminar would be followed by a public conference, reaching out to the international ground. 

The participants of the forum formulated the following strategic goals

► Attitude change in the Jewish community towards LGBTQ people
► Inclusive community based on Jewish values
► Integration and advocacy
► Providing a model for other communities and the Hungarian society

Participants of the forum

Gábor Balázs, Lauder School, modern orthodox community
Tamás Büchler, MiNYanim Program
Mircea Cernov, Mozaik Hub
Tamás Dombos,  Háttér Society
Zsuzsa Fritz, Bálint JCC
Gergő Horváth, Beit Orim Reform Jewish Community
András Ligeti, Tom Lantos Institute, Mazsihisz Youth Council
Dóra Rozgonyi, Sim Shalom Progressive Jewish Congregation
Ádám  Schönberger, Marom Association
Bence Tordai, Mozaik Hub
György Vári, moderator