June is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, and the St. Louis Jewish community is coming together for two Pride Shabbat celebrations.

Pride Shabbat Picnic

The Jewish Community Center of St. Louis is hosting a Pride Shabbat Picnic on Friday, June 14. Anyone who identifies as LGBTQIA+, their allies and families of all kinds are invited to the communitywide event at the J’s Day Camp Pavilion on the Staenberg Family Complex campus in Creve Coeur. The J is co-hosting this event with its community partners: The Helene Mirowitz Center of Jewish Community Life Fund, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School and PJ Library. The event is free, but all are asked to RSVP online.

Pride Shabbat

For nearly a decade, Congregation Shaare Emeth has celebrated Pride Month in various ways. This year, Congregation Shaare Emeth and its Keshet Committee is hosting a two-day Pride Shabbat to celebrate LGBTQ+ voices within the Jewish community.

“As a Reform congregation, Shaare Emeth recognizes and celebrates every person as a reflection of the Divine,” said Rabbi Rachel Bearman. “Our congregation is committed to honoring and standing with our LGBTQ+ members and to working to make the state and our world safer for them and their families.”

The weekend kicks off at on Friday, June 21, with a Pride Shabbat service (guests are invited to a nosh beginning at 5:15 p.m., followed by the service at 6 p.m.) featuring Pride-themed prayers and music. Congregation members and guests are invited to join the clergy and worship team for this special celebration.

Saturday’s program begins at 9 a.m. with refreshments, followed by a 9:30 Torah study session centered on Pride themes. The highlight of the morning will be a panel discussion at 10:45 a.m. where community members share their Pride stories, focusing on the intersection of their Jewish and LGBTQ+ identities. Guests can register in advance for a box lunch ($18) at 12:15 p.m.

“In light of the recent legislative challenges to the rights of LGBTQ+ folks, we believe that it is more important than ever to hear the uplifting voices and stories of LGBTQ+ Jews,” said Bearman.

All events, except for Saturday’s lunch, are free of charge. To ensure inclusivity, the congregation offers financial assistance for those who find the lunch cost prohibitive. Interested attendees can register online at Shaare Emeth’s registration page.

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