On Thursday, Oct. 23, The American Movement for Israel, a student group at the University of Michigan, will bring Israeli lawyer and LGBT activist Danny Savitch to speak on "LGBT Rights in the Holy Land."
The lecture is presented in conjunction with Ahava, the Spectrum Center, the LGBT Commission and the Jewish Gay Network of Michigan.
Savitch is one of the co-founders of the Jerusalem Open House, the largest LGBT organization in the Middle East. Danny Savitch is a lawyer by profession, volunteered as the legal adviser to the JOH for many years, and has successfully argued before the Israeli Supreme Court on issues such pride events in Jerusalem and obtaining equal funding. He has participated in various Human Rights forums and campaigns including the forum for free choice in marriage in Israel. He is also the Executive Director of Kol HaNeshama, Israel's largest Reform Jewish synagogue which is one of the only congregations in Israel with a visible and active LGBT presence.
Aside from his keynote lecture, "LGBT Rights in The Holy Land," Savitch will be meeting with student activists and speaking in University of Michigan classes during the afternoons of Oct. 22 and 23.
"We decided to bring Mr. Savitch to campus because we thought his story was an important one to be told, for the pro-Israel community as well as for the LGBT community," explained Robbie Dembo, a student activist with the American Movement for Israel. "The planning for this event promoted a strong alliance between different campus groups, and we are profoundly grateful that we were able to so closely work with different LGBT groups in the University, a partnership that AMI has never had before but hopes to maintain."
Savitch's visit brings together campus and local groups that focus on LGBT and Jewish issues. The lecture is presented in conjunction with U of M Jewish LGBT student group Ahava, the Spectrum Center, the LGBT Commission and the Jewish Gay Network of Michigan. "LGBT Rights is an important issue everywhere," said Dembo. "Unfortunately, I think political and violent conflict in the region eclipses the inspiring work of people like Mr. Savitch and effectively undermines the saliency of the LGBT struggle in Israel and abroad."
Savitch will speak at the Michigan Union on Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.
Israeli LGBT activist to speak at University of Michigan
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