Jerusalem Open House
The Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance ( JOH , Hebrew הבית הפתוח בירושלים לגאווה ולסובלנות HaBayit HaPatuach ) is an Israeli LGBT organization for lesbians , gays , bisexuals and transgender people in Jerusalem . It tries to overcome political, religious and ethnic boundaries. She is also committed to the acceptance of LGBT people and the recognition of LGBT rights in Israeli society. The JOH is financed through donations from foundations, as well as private donations and membership fees. It does not receive any financial support from public bodies or commercial sponsors.
history
When the JOH was founded in 1997, there were few people who knew of the existence of an LGBT community in Jerusalem, and even fewer who believed that the JOH would last long. Nevertheless, the JOH has achieved a lot since then: The Jerusalem Pride , which has been held annually since 2002, has become the largest demonstration for human rights in the city and makes the demands of the community visible to a broad public. In 2006 the JOH even organized the World Pride in Jerusalem. It set up the so-called Open Clinic and made numerous events possible in its own premises. Today the JOH is one of the leading and largest LGBT organizations in Israel, with hundreds of supporters worldwide and many volunteers. In 2011, the Pride will take place on July 28th and demand the right to family (marriage and parenthood), the rights to protection, identity and health, as well as equal state financial grants.
Jerusalem Pride Parade 2005
The Jerusalem Prid e organized by JOH was overshadowed by protest and violence in 2005. Not only was there an attempt in advance to force a cancellation and opponents of the parade protested on the edge, there was also a physical attack on three participants with a kitchen knife. The assailant, Yishai Schlissel , an ultra-Orthodox Jew, described his motives after his arrest as follows: “I came to kill in God's name. We cannot tolerate such abominations in our country. ”He was later sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempted murder.
Offers & programs
The JOH offers space in Jerusalem's city center to house a center for the city's LGBT community. It is open every day except on the Sabbath and provides a space for diverse development opportunities for various groups and programs:
Teenagers
The JOH is the only place in Jerusalem where LGBT young people can safely and with other “affected people” exchange their feelings, needs and sexuality . There are also weekly meetings and support. The “JOH's Speakers Bureau” also tries to dispel prejudices by being present in schools and other educational institutions. There is also the possibility for young people to talk to parents of LGBTs at the Hore BeCafe if this is not possible with their own.
Community engagement
The Jerusalem LGBTQ Leadership Initiative aims to help make Jerusalem a more modern, diverse and social city. In addition, the JOH offers programs and courses for young LGBT people, in which knowledge about the history of the movement, the skills to become active and general commitment are promoted.
Arts and Culture
The JOH is one of the few places in Jerusalem where art and culture from the scene are exhibited, and it also promotes and hosts a range of cultural activities. Visitors to the JOH continue to have free access to a wide range of LGBT literature.
LGBT rights and social change
The association deals with a number of issues and problems that concern LGBTs in Jerusalem, Israel and worldwide. The recognition of LGBT victims of the Holocaust and their inclusion in national commemorations is one of the central demands of JOH on Israeli politics. Furthermore there are u. a. Campaigns against conversion therapy and its consequences. The JOH works together with other LGBT and human rights organizations and strives for a close exchange with other groups that are committed to strengthening LGBT rights.
Palestinian groups
The queer Palestinian group Al-Qaws (German translation: “The Rainbow”), which operates among the Arabs in Israel and in the autonomous regions, has its office here.
Open Clinic
The great efforts of JOH to educate people about HIV / AIDS and to create awareness of the need for protection and contraception reached their peak in 2007 with the establishment of the Open Clinic, the first LGBT clinic in Israel. It's the only place in the country where HIV testing is free, anonymous, and quick. This reaches a large number of people who are not only from the LGBT community. Particularly vulnerable groups such as ultra-Orthodox men, new immigrants and Palestinians also take advantage of this unique opportunity.
See also
Web links
- JOH website (English)
- JOH English Speakers Group (English)
- Catalog of the JOH library
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jerusalem's gay pride marchers attacked . SF Gate July 1, 2005; accessed on June 9, 2011.
- ^ Gay Teen Finds a Safe Space at the Jerusalem Open House . ( Memento of the original from August 27, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Jewish Community Federation, May 27, 2010; accessed on June 13, 2011 (English)
- ↑ "Al Qaws ( Memento of the original from October 7, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ The Open Clinic website . ( Memento of the original from September 27, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Accessed June 12, 2011
