State Senator Stanley Rosenberg Met with LGBT Leaders in Israel

[King_David]

Massachusetts' State Senate President Stanley Rosenberg in Israel (left) with Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav (middle) and Jewish Community Relations Council Director Jeremy Burton (Photo: Courtesy)


Stan Rosenberg, Massachusetts' first openly-gay Senate President, was among ten state Senators who traveled to Israel in early December as part of an ongoing relationship between Massachusetts and Israel, with strong economic and cultural ties.

“This was my third trip to Israel over the last thirty years and every time I visit, I come away with a greater appreciation for the complexity of the culture, society, conflict, and people,” the Senator says. “On this trip in particular, a large portion of the curriculum was focused on the strong business and economic connections that exist between Israel and our Commonwealth, so it was encouraging to see the continued prosperous development of the Israeli hi-tech and start up industries.”

The delegation spent time at start-up incubators and accelerators, hearing from entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and government officials about how these economies are cultivated and supported. In addition to that, the Senator didn’t skip the opportunity to meet with Israeli LGBT leaders and learn more about the LGBT struggle in the country.

“We had the opportunity to meet with two different LGBT activist groups, both with their own distinct compositions and sets of challenges,” he says. “In Jerusalem, we had a group discussion with representatives from the Yerushalmim movement, a civic organization aiming to build Jerusalem as a vibrant, pluralistic, and inclusive city. One of the speakers was Sarah Weil, the founder of the LGBTQ women’s group, Women’s Gathering. She discussed the stabbing that occurred at the 2014 LGBT Pride Parade in Jerusalem and the profound impact it had on the divisions between the LGBT and Jewish Orthodox communities.”

http://www.jpost.com/Blogs/The-Gay-Wire/Senator-Stanley-Rosenberg-Met-with-LGBT-Leaders-in-Israel-440867

[Little Tich]

1. While I'm not too thrilled by the pro-Israel angle of the OP,

the normalizing of LGBT groups and people who used to be marginalized is always a good thing.

[King_David]

2. He's a Democratic Party state senator,

Of course he's pro Israel.