By Beth Greenapple
FARMINGTON HILLS – The July 15 annual meeting and board installation at the Detroit Holocaust Memorial Center's Zekelman Family Campus marked a watershed in the life of the Jewish Gay Network of Michigan. It was the first such event in its short history.
Well-attended, festive and yet serious and purposeful, the meeting brought JGN supporters together around a shared dream: a community without closets. As veteran JGN members reaffirmed their commitments, they welcomed in fresh energy and ideas in the form of inductees to a brand new Advisory Council and an existing Board of Directors.
The evening began with a passionate personal testimony by longtime supporter and board member Gail Katz, in which she explained that she "understands what it's like to be the 'other'" from her experiences growing up as the only Jew in a gentile community and school in Maryland.
Excitement grew as outgoing JGN President Michael Daitch reported on the last year of the organization's accomplishments. They include book and film sponsorships at the Jewish Community Center's Book Fair and Film Festivals, a memorial service when young people were gunned down in a Tel Aviv center for GLBT youth and collaboration with a local conservative synagogue in creating a groundbreaking conversation about GLBT Jewish experience. "Our amazing executive director, Judy Lewis, is the force behind the surge of growth in programming by the JGN and its increasing visibility in the Detroit Jewish Community," Daitch commented.
Also mentioned was a grant received from the Jewish Women's Foundation for an upcoming program on advocacy for lesbian elders.
Next came the nominating committee's report. Linda Lee, founder and current board member, and the chair of the committee, lent the perfect flavor of formality to thanking outgoing board members and welcoming new and continuing board members for the next term. Each was presented with a binder of "Board Essentials" including bylaws, director responsibilities, resources and contact information. In addition, each received a packet of JGN business cards for use as an ambassador of JGN to the community, and a lapel pin bearing JGN's tree logo.
When the ceremony was completed, a board member offered a blessing for all assembled, along with all who work "to engender a community that supports and embraces, welcomes and celebrates all Jews."
Holocaust Memorial Center Executive Director Stephen Goldman served as the night's keynote speaker. He described the Nazi laws against homosexuality and somehow wove his way through history to leave the group with an inspiring message of hope for the future. Afterward, JGN Executive Director Lewis thanked everyone for their support, saying, "It was a terrific success, and a very satisfying evening."
