Tucson's Jewish lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community challenged area congregations to do more than talk about acceptance at a recent forum on LGBT inclusion held at the Historic Stone Avenue Temple. While listeners sought assurances from representatives of Congregations Ner Tamid, Or Chadash, Bet Shalom and Temple Emanu-El that they would feel comfortable and welcome at the congregations, presenters urged them to join and become involved as a means to that end.

In response to one questioner who suggested Jewish leaders needed to become more active in promoting a climate of acceptance, Rabbi Thomas Louchheim, representing Or Chadash, said, "It's not enough for congregations to passively say "we accept everyone.'"

Louchheim noted "we need some help" in meeting the needs of the Jewish LGBT community, and added how, following a conversation with a congregant, he changed the language he used in sermons about families in order to make them more LGBT-friendly.

Rabbi Samuel Cohon of Temple Emanu-El said the best way for Jewish LGBT individuals to voice issues and concerns was to be a member of a congregation and "get inside the circle."

Cohon drew some laughs when he responded to a question on the role congregation leaders were assuming as advocates to end discrimination. Members of Temple Emanu-El, he said, "are much less tolerant of people who use too much perfume than people of different sexual orientations."

At one point in the evening, an audience member rose and said, "I'm clearly the 'T' in LGBT," and questioned the panel about transgender membership in their congregations and how welcome transgender individuals would be. Steve Slaff, vice president of Ner Tamid, said he knew of one transgender member in his congregation, adding, "Anyone can be a friend and find common ground."

Addressing the transgender question, both Howard Paley, Or Chadash president, and Carol Richelson, Bet Shalom board member, said they couldn't speak for everyone, but Richelson assured the audience that all were welcome at Bet Shalom, and Paley told his listeners to "come, see, make friends."

Cohon said he was not aware of any transgender members of Temple Emanu-El, but knows "a number of gay and lesbian" members, and described the synagogue as "very accepting."

On the question of gay and lesbian marriage, both Rabbis Louchheim and Cohon voiced their support and said they had performed commitment ceremonies during their tenures at their respective congregations.

The forum, moderated by John Peck, vice president of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, was one of many events held in conjunction with the exhibit from the United States Memorial Museum: Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 1933-1945 that was on display at the Tucson Jewish Community Center through May 16.

The evening began with each panel member presenting information about his or her congregation. Slaff told the audience Ner Tamid's "strong sense of social justice leads us naturally to welcome members of the LGBT community."

Temple Emanu-El is focused on outreach to gays and lesbians "because we believe in outreach to everyone," Cohon said. The rabbi noted there are gay and lesbian members of the board, as well as on staff.

Following the event, Meredith Trauner described the evening as "an opening dialog between Jewish LGBT individuals and the rest of the community." The forum was a joint effort between the JFSA and the Gertrude Stein salon, a group that began as a result of Trauner's efforts.

From a small gathering of approximately a dozen people, the salon now has approximately 85 people on its mailing list, Trauner said. She started the group in order to provide a comfortable space for members of the Jewish LGBT community to discuss various issues, although, Trauner said, salon members do not have to be Jewish nor identify as LGBT. She describes the group as "a place where all LGBT members, and their allies, feel comfortable."

Trauner said she was appreciative of the outreach efforts of the Jewish community. The JFSA "has a real commitment toward inclusion and outreach. I'm really excited about what the future holds," she said.

Peck confirmed Trauner's feelings, noting that the Federation considered outreach to the LGBT community an important part of its efforts on behalf of the unaffiliated Jewish community.

For more information about the Gertrude Stein salon, contact mhtrauner@yahoo.com.