Today as I prepare for Shabbat, I take pride in Israel and especially in the support within and for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community in Israel. Today was the Tel Aviv Pride Parade as reported in Ha’aretz. Supporting this segment of our Jewish world is important, for they face much discrimination – sometimes even within the Jewish community itself. Such discrimination, closed-mindnedness and hatred is a shanda. We are ALL created b’tzelem elokim, in the image of G-d, and we all deserve respect and honor of the divine image within regardless of whom we love.

May your Shabbat be filled with pride in self and in the Jewish soul.

UPDATE: Read Shai’s blog post about the parade – including many pictures.