Jason’s pride Shabbat speech 2024

🌈✨ My Pride Shabbat Testimonial: A 25-Year Journey in Religious Music ✨🌈
Last Friday, I had the honor of sharing my story during Pride Shabbat, marking the end of Pride Month. For 25 years, I've been working in religious and spiritual music, starting in Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches. Throughout this journey, I was always cautioned to hide my truth-to not be open about being gay for my job security and my personal safety. I even received a cowardly death threat on a sticky note.
But everything changed when I met Rabbi Malcolm Cohen and cantorial soloist Heather Klein. In our reformed Jewish synagogue, I found an environment where I and no one else had to hide who they were. It's been truly liberating to be part of a religious organization where being gay is not an issue. The fact that we have a Pride Shabbat service attended by mainly straight-identifying members still amazes me.
To anyone hiding themselves in any organization or community, my advice is simple: find a way out. There are so many safe spaces where you don't need to stay where you are not valued or seen as human. This is why I wrote my version of 'Ahavat Olam'-because love is a universal truth we can all share. Love yourself and even love those who don’t love you. Forgive them. You are beautiful just as you are!
Happy Pride! 🏳️‍🌈❤️
If you want to watch the full video then visit my UA-cam channel. I hope to release a recording of this song in time for #LVPride in October. Thanks for watching. Namaste 🙏🏽
#PrideShabbat #LGBTQ #Gaysian #GayMusician #LoveIsLove #SpiritualJourney #ReformedJudaism #PrideMonth #LGBTQCommunity #universallove #AhavatOlam #SafeSpaces #BeYourself #Liberation #LoveWins

[@AnaSantos-mt5uj]

It is against God

[@nadianelson5731]

God will not be mocked. This is wrong