MONTREAL — Ga’ava is a new student-run organization serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) Jewish community in Montreal.
Ga’ava (Hebrew for “pride”) aims to create and sustain a social network for people of various sexual orientations across the city. Since its formal launch party at l’Original in March, the group has hosted several events, from movie nights to a special “pride-oriented” Birthright trip.
Ga’ava was launched in December by its president Joey Waknin, a current McGill student and former Concordian. “Feygelah [the previous Jewish GLBT umbrella group in Montreal] was inactive, so there was no longer a place for GLBTs to gather together,” he said.
Waknin and students from other campuses wanted to help GLBTs feel that they are part of a group within the Jewish community. With the support of Hillel Montreal and a handful of other organizations, they founded Ga’ava.
Aside from social events, Ga’ava also provides support services to assist those struggling with their sexual orientation. Its projects are designed to meet various health and social needs of GLBT Jews.
“We will gladly offer an ear to anyone who needs one,” Waknin said. “We direct people towards moral support and self-acceptance. As the name implies, you have to have pride in your identity and be proud of who you are.”
Ga’ava also aims to create a safe space for GLBTs within the broader community. “We’re trying to develop awareness through education,” Waknin said. “We try to create an inclusive group that will unite all members of the Jewish community, gay or straight.”
It’s no coincidence that Ga’ava boasts an extremely wide assortment of members. “We’re open to everyone,” Waknin said. “We strive to create a place where anyone can feel welcomed, regardless of their sexual orientation.”
The organization includes Jews of every sexual orientation, be they heterosexual, homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, transgendered, or pansexual (a sexual orientation characterized by the potential for esthetic attraction, romantic love and/or sexual desire for people, regardless of their gender identity or biological sex).
At the same time, Ga’ava also aims to help people adhere to their Jewish heritage while accepting their orientation. The organization is open to Jews from all streams. “We’re here to promote diversity,” Waknin said.
Next year, Ga’ava hopes to expand its member base. Currently, those building the organization are students from Dawson College, McGill University, University of Montreal, l’Université du Québec à Montréal , Concordia University and even the University of Toronto.
“We’ve been working pretty intensely on reaching out to new members from different places,” Waknin said. In future, he hopes to expand the core group. “We are hoping a more varied set of individuals will be willing to offer an extra hand.”
Waknin said that there are many projects in store for Ga’ava in the years to come. “I don’t want to spoil the surprises… but we will be present everywhere there’s a Jewish concentration,” he said.
For more information, e-mail [email protected], visit www.gaava.org or check out the Facebook group Ga’ava.
