Gay Jewish group celebrates Chanukah festival

Saturday night saw the celebration of the Jewish festival of Chanukah by London’s largest gay men’s Jewish group, Gay Jews in London.
The group held an ironic toga party accompanied by the more traditional lighting of candles by a gay Rabbi.
The festival celebrates the Jewish defeat of the Syrians in the 2nd century BC in order to recapture the temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of a candelabra there burning for eight nights despite there being only enough oil to last for one.
The Gay Jews in London group, now with more than 250 members, was founded as a simple Facebook page for Gay Jews in London by Ben Kaye because he wanted to meet other gay Jews. It now provides regular social and cultural events for primarily gay male Jews although it has a small but growing numbers of lesbian members.
Dave Shaw was elected as the next chairman of Gay Jews in London. He told PinkNews.co.uk: “We hope to engage those individuals who struggle to reconcile their sexuality and their Jewish identity and therefore feel detached from both communities. I want our group to become a welcoming place for young LGBT Jews to meet others like themselves and gain strength from one another.”

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