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Thrive: The National Jewish Coalition to Defend Trans and LGBQ+ Rights

Transgender people must have the freedom to be their full selves, pursue their dreams, and live with dignity — no exceptions.

Jewish tradition teaches us to treat every single person with respect and dignity

Increasingly, laws are being proposed that hurt trans and LGBQ+ young people and our families. Keshet and SOJOURN are bringing together Jewish organizations to send a clear message: we must love, protect, and fight for trans and LGBQ+ youth and all LGBTQ+ people.

Taking action for LGBTQ+ rights is a mitzvah!

Together, our Jewish Coalition to Defend Trans and LGBQ+ Rights sends the message:

  • We affirm that every single person, of every gender and identity, is created b’Tzelem Elohim, in the Divine image.
  • We are committed to pikuach nefesh, saving lives.
  • We are proud that our young people are expressing their full selves.
  • We refuse to push kids — or anyone — into narrow definitions of who they are and who they can be.
  • We support parents and families who fight for their kids’ safety and dignity.

The Thrive Coalition is a partnership between Keshet and SOJOURN.

The Coalition is open to new member groups on an ongoing basis. Coalition partners are invited to attend monthly coalition meetings and agree to galvanize their communities to advance and protect LGBTQ+ rights. You’ll get support and resources from Keshet, SOJOURN, and other Coalition partners to share with your members.

Thrive Coalition meetings occur monthly with advocacy opportunities shared on an ongoing basis. Coalition members will receive meeting details and reminders. The next Thrive Coalition meeting is:

  • August 5, 2026 at 3 PM ET/2 PM CT
Join Thrive!

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Thrive?
  • Thrive is a coalition for Jewish community institutions that want to protect and advance LGBTQ+ civil rights on both state and federal levels. Coalition members receive vital, accessible information and resources to educate and activate their communities to affirm the dignity and humanity of LGBTQ+ youth.
  • Thrive is a project of Keshet, an organization advancing LGBTQ equality in Jewish life across North America and SOJOURN, which empowers communities to advance and celebrate gender and sexual diversity across the Southern United States.
  • Thrive provides opportunities for organizations and their communities to learn about and push back against anti-trans and anti-LGBQ+ legislation, especially bills that impact trans youth.
  • Members can choose to:
    • Learn how anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is connected to other systems of oppression, such as antisemitism and racism.
    • Develop the tools needed to speak about and take action on trans and LGBQ+ issues.
    • Collaborate for bold action to defeat harmful bills and advance pro-equality legislation on the state and federal levels.
  • Thrive welcomes any Jewish organization that believes trans and LGBQ+ youth deserve to live with dignity, safety, and respect.
  • If you are an individual looking to support this work, please encourage your synagogue, JCC, and other local or regional Jewish organizations to join Thrive.

Thrive asks that Coalition members commit to the dignity and humanity of LGBTQ+ youth, but we do not have specific requirements for engagement. We encourage members to attend our monthly meetings or watch meeting recordings, stay up to date on coalition resources, and take action on state and federal levels as appropriate and desired.

  • As Jews, we have an ethical imperative to treat each person as holy and deserving of respect and dignity. When we speak out for LGBTQ+ equality as Jews, we change the narrative that “religious” means anti-LGBTQ+. It’s a mitzvah, a religious obligation, to fight for the freedom and dignity of all people.
  • We know that harmful and pervasive anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric is connected to all forms of hate, including antisemitism and racism. We must fight back together against these attacks on our communities. The greatest mitzvah in Judaism is to save a life. Devastatingly, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation are disproportionately prevalent among LGBTQ+ youth. When we defend trans and LGBQ+ young people, whether by fighting for LGBTQ+ equality, preventing passage of anti-LGBTQ+ policy, or by creating communities of safety, connection, and belonging, we protect and affirm the lives of LGBTQ+ youth.
  • A small group of elected leaders across dozens of states are proposing and enacting policies that deny trans and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer youth the basic dignities of life.
  • These policy attacks are gutting. They don’t stop young people from being trans or LGBQ+, but anti-LGBTQ+ policies do make it much harder for kids to grow up feeling loved and safe. Jewish youth and Jewish families in states with anti-trans and anti-LGBQ+ policies are losing access to life- saving healthcare and live in fear for their safety.
  • The specific types of laws targeting trans and LGBQ+ youth include:
    • BANS ON HEALTH CARE FOR MINORS
      • Prevent youth from being able to access puberty blockers, hormones, or other best practice medical care that alleviates gender dysphoria and allows them to present as the gender they know themselves to be. Sometimes these laws establish criminal penalties for health care providers or families.
    • BATHROOM BANS
      • Prevent trans and nonbinary students at public schools from using the bathrooms that best align with their gender identity. Some bills also ban trans adults from using public restrooms.
    • DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS
      • Often tacked on to other anti-trans legislation, they require public school officials to notify parents if a student speaks to an adult at school about questioning their gender or sexuality. For students who do not feel safe sharing this information with their parents, these requirements make it unsafe to talk to other trusted adults.
    • “DON’T SAY GAY” BILLS
      • Ban discussion of, or allow parents to sue teachers and schools for discussing, diverse genders or sexualities in public school classrooms under certain age limits. They are often vague in ways that make teachers fearful of discussing even the basic existence of LGBTQ+ people.
    • SPORTS BANS
      • Prevent trans student athletes at public schools and universities from playing on the sports teams that align with their gender identity, and almost always exclusively focus on barring trans girls and women from teams.
  • As Jews, we know the perils of standing by and remaining silent. For the sake of people’s lives and basic dignity, we must take action.

Yes! Keshet and SOJOURN are both 501(c)3 organizations and Thrive is a nonpartisan coalition that welcomes 501(c)3 organizations. All Thrive activities abide by IRS guidelines for 501(c)3 non-profit organizations.

Of course! Please contact Lanie Cohen, Keshet Community Mobilization Manager, at [email protected] or Rose Kantorczyk, SOJOURN Communications and Legislative Affairs Coordinator, at [email protected].

Join the Coalition