Nehirim Student Programming

Nehirim offers a variety of student programming around the country, and students are an important part of the wider Nehirim community at our retreats and local programs.

At Our Retreats

Nehirim retreats are pluralistic, multi-generational, inclusive, and innovative, and students are an integral part of the Nehirim community. We have student programs at all retreats, student scholarships and travel subsidies are always available, and the application process is easy. Find out more at nehirim.org/aid

On-Campus Programming

Nehirim offers a variety of on-campus programming including religious services, advocacy events, workshops on a variety of subjects.  Our upcoming Campus events are:

On-Campus Groups

Nehirim maintains close ties with the following LGBT Jewish student organizations, providing resources, curricula, and consulting as they do their work across the country:

Ahava
University of Michigan’s student group for LGBT Jewish students. 

Aliz
Hampshire College’s student group for Queer Jews and Allies that holds weekly discussions.

Gayava
The Jewish gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and ally group at Columbia University/Barnard College.

Hamsa
University of Maryland’s group for LGBT Jewish students.

J-Bagel
University of Pennsylvania’s Jewish LGBTQIA social, cultural, and educational group. They also have a private online listserv.

Jewish Alliances for GLBTs and Straights (JAGS)
University of Southern California’s all-inclusive group for LGBT students and allies.

Jewish Queers
Stanford University’s LGBT Jewish student group. They are best known for their Coming Out of Egypt seder.

Kehilat Keshet
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s LGBT Jewish student group.

Keshet
Indiana University’s LGBT Jewish student group.

Keshet
NYU’s group for LGBT Jewish students.

Kulanu Toronto
A Toronto Canada area group that reaches LGBT Jews of all ages and religious backgrounds.

Mishpacha
UCLA’s group for LGBT Jewish students and their friends.

Out Young Jew (OyJ)
American University’s social and religious outreach group for people who feel strongly about both their LGBT and Jewish identity.

Queers and Allies of Faith
Oberlin’s campus group for LGBT people of all religious backgrounds.

Shalem
Brandeis University’s LGBT Jewish student group.

Student Testimonials

Over the past year I have struggled to find a way for my Judaism and homosexuality to coexist. . . At Nehirim, I was able to experience a new aspect of both the LGBT community and the Jewish community. Nehirim was, and continues to be, my home. – M.B. (male, 20)

Amazing! I felt like I was able to integrate my community and feel safe both as a queer jew and as an orthodox jew, which is a rare mix. – C.F. (female, 23)

Wonderful people inspired me to get closer to myself and God. I pushed my boundaries and had fun. – J.S. (FTM, 24)

Nehirim is one of the few spaces I have in which my spiritual work and my political work can join hands–also my spiritual and personal identities. That is very nourishing to me. – R.T. (Genderqueer/Queer Female, 21)

The Nehirim Shabbaton was an opportunity to be surrounded by lots of cool queer Jewish types . . . and have that lovely feeling where everything feels so comfortable that you forget that such a configuration is unusual. . . or hard to find. – E.S. (19, male)