Sold-Out Eshel Retreat Signals Growing Presence of LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jews

International gathering in Baltimore reflects shift toward belonging — even as challenges persist

BALTIMORE, March 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A sold-out international retreat for LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jews is highlighting a significant shift within American Orthodox Jewish life: More LGBTQ+ Jews are choosing to remain observant and build lives within tradition — even as many continue to face discrimination, limited belonging in synagogue spaces, and rising antisemitism.

Organized by Eshel, the nonprofit dedicated to building inclusive Orthodox communities (www.eshelonline.org), the Eshel LGBTQ+ Retreat — the country's largest gathering of LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jews — will take place March 13–15, 2026, at the Pearlstone Retreat Center in Baltimore. The event draws domestic and international participants, including attendees from Canada, Guatemala, Israel and Spain, serving as a rare global space where Orthodox practice and LGBTQ+ identity coexist openly.

The retreat moved to a larger venue this year to meet growing demand and accessibility needs. Organizers say this reflects a generational shift: Where many LGBTQ+ Jews once left Orthodox life due to isolation or rejection, more are now seeking ways to remain deeply connected to observance and community.

In the post–October 7 environment, the retreat also mirrors findings from Eshel's Spring 2025 study showing that 43% of LGBTQ+ Jews have disengaged from traditional queer spaces in favor of in-person Jewish environments due to antisemitism and harassment.

"This retreat represents a turning point," said Miryam Kabakov, Eshel's co-founder and executive director. ""For years, LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jews were told they had to choose between faith and identity. Today, more people are insisting that they can live fully Orthodox lives.  Real barriers remain, but this gathering helps people stay rooted in Jewish life while communities learn how to support them."

This year's programming reflects that evolution. Workshops and discussions focus on practical aspects of Jewish continuity and belonging, including crafting wedding ceremonies grounded in tradition, building chosen family structures alongside traditional kinship models, creating families through fertility treatment and adoption, conversations with emerging queer Orthodox clergy, and planning for aging within community.

Organizers say this reflects a growing movement to integrate identity and observance, shaped by years of educational work helping LGBTQ+ Jews, families, synagogues and day schools foster inclusion and build visible support networks that did not exist a generation ago.

About Eshel
Co-founded in 2010 by Miryam Kabakov and Rabbi Steven Greenberg, Eshel builds inclusive Orthodox Jewish communities by supporting LGBTQ+ Jews and their families through education, advocacy, and community programming.

Eshel Contact: Raina Grossman, [email protected], 646-879-5859

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SOURCE Eshel