Building Belonging: A Transformative Moment for San Diego’s Jewish Community

Dear Friends,

A Rabbi, a mayor, and a drag queen walk into…the JCC.  It sounds like the beginning of a joke, doesn’t it? But in fact, it happened, and it was just one moment out of countless moments of joy during an incredible J*Pride weekend of Jewish unity and belonging. The weekend brought dozens of Jewish organizations and thousands of members of our community, along with non-Jewish friends and allies, together in celebration. 

When San Diego Pride refused to remove Kehlani, an artist who has promoted violent antizionist and antisemitic rhetoric, as a headliner for this year’s Pride festival, Jewish organizations unanimously pulled out of this year’s Pride parade. This was a strong statement, and one that generated national and international attention (making headlines in Billboard Magazine and TMZ was not on my 2025 bingo card). But it was also a moment of loss, pain, and isolation for Jews who identify as both gay and Jewish and for their loved ones. Recognizing that pain, more than 30 community partners stepped up to create and support J*Pride, a weekend celebrating San Diego’s Jewish LGBTQ+ community—and the community responded.

Nearly 800 people in person, and hundreds more online, participated in a moving and powerful community Friday night Pride Shabbat hosted by Congregation Beth Israel, followed the next morning by a warm and welcoming community Shabbat morning service at the Lawrence Family JCC.  

On Saturday afternoon, over 1000 people, including hundreds of children, enjoyed everything from face painting to kosher food trucks to Israeli dancing and playing gaga in the “Lady Gaga pit” at the J*Pride Festival, also hosted at the JCC. And Sunday morning, we closed out the weekend with a sold-out and fabulous “Big Gay Community Brunch” hosted at Temple Emanu-El.  

So many people reached out to share their gratitude for this weekend, and for the community coming together to make sure people can show up in Jewish spaces as their full selves. This is such critically important work for us all to do, and J*Pride was a wonderful start.   Now, collectively, we have the opportunity and the obligation to extend this powerful sense of belonging to thousands more from every corner of our Jewish community.   Since October 7th, we have witnessed a remarkable rise in engagement in Jewish life across the country, a phenomenon now known as “the surge.” Across age, race, gender, marital status, financial status, and denominational identification, more Jews are showing up more often in their local Jewish communities. We know that many Jewish organizations in San Diego report serving more people today than they were 2 years ago; with increased membership and participation in programs, fundraising and volunteerism. Notably, Jews in a national survey who have increased their engagement since October 7th are more than twice as likely to report that they see themselves as part of the Jewish community in their local area today than they were two years ago—they feel they belong.   Yet, even in this moment of rising engagement, many in our community still feel disconnected and unsure of their place in Jewish life. This is without a doubt a moment of opportunity to extend the feeling of belonging to the more than 100,000 Jews that call San Diego home.  This means finding pathways to belonging for Jews and their families that are financially vulnerable, LGBTQ+, Jews of Color, and those with disabilities; for people old and young and in-between, living in central locations and at the far edges of the county. It is a tall order, and a sacred task. It will take all our collective creativity, investment, and leadership to sustain the surge, but it will pay dividends for generations to come. This is what it looks like to be all in.   

Wishing you a peaceful Shabbat, surrounded by the people that make you feel you belong.    

Shabbat Shalom,

Heidi Gantwerk,

President & CEO Jewish Federation of San Diego