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A Wider Bridge

Former hostage Emily Damari, left, and StandWithUs CEO Roz Rothstein speak during a panel at the inaugural Pride for Israel conference in West Los Angeles, California, November 9, 2025. (StandWithUs)
November 18, 2025, 4:51 am
In LA, pro-Israel groups hold inaugural Pride conference to counter ‘Queers for Palestine’
Ex-hostage Emily Damari, who hid her lesbian identity from Hamas captors, tells attendees at LA event: ‘You guys may be for Palestine, but I can tell you, Palestine is not for you’
By Noam Lehmann
Rabbi Denise L. Eger, the new interim director of US pro-Israel LGBTQ group A Wider Bridge, attends the 2011 Human Rights Campaign gala, where she was honored, in Los Angeles, California, March 12, 2011. (Brian To/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
March 12, 2025, 11:14 am
US pro-Israel LGBTQ group names new leadership after sexual misconduct scandal
A Wider Bridge appoints LA-based Rabbi Denise Eger interim director following charges against predecessor Ethan Felson; former Arizona Rep. Daniel Hernandez to serve as board chair
By Ben Sales
Ethan Felson, then-executive director of A Wider Bridge, delivers a speech in 2022. (Screenshot via JTA)
January 30, 2025, 12:20 pm
Director of pro-Israel American LGBTQ group faces sexual misconduct charge
A Wider Bridge’s Ethan Felson denies groping an employee at Vermont museum, takes medical leave
By Ben Sales
Comedian Judy Gold hosted A Wider Bridge's annual gala on March 13, 2023, which celebrated Israel at 75 and addressed growing anti-LGBTQ sentiment with the new government coalition elected in January. (Jackie Hajdenberg/ JTA)
March 16, 2023, 2:19 am
With Israel’s right-wing government, US Zionist LGBTQ group faces urgent crisis
After advocating for Israel in the American gay community for years, A Wider Bridge faces an impasse as the Jewish state’s new coalition includes proudly homophobic politicians
By Jackie Hajdenberg
Screen capture from video of Ethan Felson, at the time vice president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. (YouTube)
July 14, 2020, 9:59 am
LGBTQ rights group names longtime Israel advocate as director
A Wider Bridge says Ethan Felson, formerly executive director of the Israel Action Network, will lead movement that champions Jewish state in the international LGBTQ community
By Ron Kampeas
Pro-Palestinian protesters at Creating Change, an LGBTQ conference in Detroit, on January 24, 2019. (Screenshot from YouTube)
January 29, 2019, 7:37 pm
Fresh anti-Israel protest roils LGBTQ conference
Holding Palestinian flags, activists spend 13 uninterrupted minutes on stage denouncing Zionism
By Ben Sales
Participants in Jerusalem's Gay Pride Parade, August 2, 2018. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)
August 7, 2018, 4:35 pm
600 US, Canadian rabbis urge retraction of Israeli rabbis’ letter panning gays
Lobby group warns hate speech could lead to violence against homosexual community
By ToI Staff
Lydia Macy, 17, left, and Mira Gottlieb, 16, both of Berkeley, Calif., rally outside of the Supreme Court which is hearing the 'Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission' today, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
June 5, 2018, 3:40 am
Jewish groups decry Supreme Court ruling in gay wedding cake case
Reform Movement and NCJW say court could have bolstered rights, but ADL takes solace in fact that decision won’t affect other cases
By Eric Cortellessa
Thousands protest in support of the right of LGBT couples to adopt children at a demonstration in Tel Aviv on July 20, 2017. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
July 26, 2017, 4:43 am
US Jews urge Israel to provide equal adoption rights for same-sex couples
200 community leaders and institutions call on government to end discrimination against gay partners who want to adopt children
By JTA
A marcher waves a Jewish Pride flag at Jerusalem's 2012 Gay Pride Parade. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90)
June 28, 2017, 4:15 am
LGBT Jews say it’s increasingly difficult to be pro-Israel and queer
The complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is lost on many in the gay communityת leading to outright rejection of the Jewish state
By Ben Sales
A participant at the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade, July 21, 2016. (Sarah Tuttle-Singer)
June 26, 2017, 11:50 pm
Jewish groups blast ‘hypocritical’ ban on Jewish Pride flags at gay march
LGBTQs who ‘defended the State of Israel’ were kicked out by Chicago organizers, who said Sunday’s march was ‘anti-Zionist’ and ‘pro-Palestinian’
By JTA
Arthur Slepian
January 26, 2016, 1:54 pm
Arthur Slepian
A larger LGBTQ tent
Insisting that ‘good queers’ must hate Israel stymies efforts to build a broad coalition to advance gay rights
Illustrative photo. Gay rights supporter waving a rainbow flag outside the US Supreme Court building in Washington following its ruling expanding gay rights, June 26, 2013. (Win McNamee/Getty Images via JTA)
January 24, 2016, 6:52 am
Protesters obstruct Jewish reception at gay rights convention
At Chicago conference, hundreds of anti-Israel activists overtake stage and block Israelis from speaking
By Eric Cortellessa
Illustrative: Local Jewish communities in the Bay Area show their support for the LGBTQ community at the San Francisco pride parade. (Daniel Dreifuss/Flash 90/File)
January 19, 2016, 10:45 pm
American LGBTQ group cancels event with Israelis, later backtracks
A Wider Bridge says group calls off encounter under pressure from anti-Israel activists; decision later reversed
By JTA and ToI Staff
After a recent controversy over a Holocaust joke, Joan Rivers is lending her support to a gay Israeli couple. (Toni Tripoli, Courtesy of awiderbridge.org)
March 11, 2013, 7:42 pm
Rivers speaks out for Israeli couple
Comedian joins campaign to help gay Tel Aviv duo raise money to become surrogate dads
By Renee Ghert-Zand
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