Summary of articles translated by me this month for the online magazine of the LGBTQ organization A Wider Bridge:

On Pride Week, The Knesset Rejects Marriage Equality Bill (June 7, 2018)
[Original Article] On Pride Week, the Israeli Knesset rejected the bill for marriage equality (or in its formal name, Brit Hazugiut, Companionship Alliance, Civil Marriage) proposed by MK Stav Shafir. 41 voted against it, 38 voted in favor. Leaders in the LGBTQ community are outraged. Continue reading

My $55K Wedding: Gay Couple Hop on the Expensive Weddings Trend (June 13, 2018)
In a series of articles about the new phenomenon of expensive weddings in Israel, Channel 10 News interviewed a gay couple, one of which comes from a religious household, on the plans for their big wedding to take place in two weeks. Continue reading

Givatayim: Pride Flags Were Set On Fire at a Cafe (June 15, 2018)
Alma cafe in Givatayim was decorated with rainbow flags last week to mark Gay Pride Week. The flags remained hanging as decoration for a discussion about the LGBT community to be held there, but when the staff arrived Wednesday morning they found the flags burnt on the floor. The management immediately alerted the local police. The teens who burned the flags were documented on security cameras. Watch. Continue reading

Only Last Week People Shouted ‘You Fag’ at Me (June 20, 2018)
Roee Neuman claims that the pride parade that took place Friday, June 8, belongs only to Tel Aviv and not to all of Israel, and accuses the Israeli Prime Minister of using the gay community in his world propaganda: “You can’t vote against us again and again and then go out to the world and brag about being that only country in the Middle East who doesn’t persecute gay people. In compare to most of the Western countries, Israel oppresses the LGBTQ community and prevents full equality.” Continue reading

Rallying Against Homophoba in Holon, Israel (June 22, 2018)
Hundreds of people took part yesterday in a protest and pride rally in front of the Holon Municipality building following comments made by Deputy Mayor Yoel Yeshurun. Earlier this week Yeshurun wrote on Facebook a harsh post against the LGBTQ community, calling its members “monsters,” “bipedal animals, “savage growth,” “deeply wounded,” “abomination lustful males” and “animal females.” On that same note Yeshurun attacked Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, claiming he “eats dogs on the grill.” Continue Reading

Israel’s Wrestling Champion Comes Out: “Don’t Afraid To Be Who You Are” (June 22, 2018)
[Story gets picked up by American LGBT media] Nir Rotenberg, the current champion of the Israeli wrestling league came out of the closet as gay. With a happy relationship with his partner and two children, he wants to become a role model: “If I had a gay role model as a young wrestler, the fears I’ve had in the past would have been avoided.” Continue reading

Advocacy Boost for LGBTQ Israel: Oded Frid Appointed as Knesset Lobbyist (June 26, 2018)
The coalition of Israel’s LGBTQ organizations, which includes 14 organizations and associations working to promote LGBTQ equality in Israel, hired Oded Frid to be its full-time permanent lobbyist to work in the Knesset advocating for the community and addressing its various needs. Frid’s past resume includes being a parliamentary advisor and CEO of the Aguda. continue reading