From Discovery to Family: My Journey as a Religious Lesbian By Or, 28 Married to Hadas, mother to Tzuri Growing Up Different When I think back to my childhood and adolescence, I never had an “in-the-closet” experience. I always felt a little different, but I never realized it had to do with my sexual orientation… or perhaps I did, but I buried it deep. Pull Quote: "During my military service, it finally clicked when I started avoiding a student with a well-known 'gay radar.'"

From Confusion to Love: A Religious Woman’s Journey to Herself By Achinoam, 34 "Religious, secular, and building a beautiful family together." Let me take you through my story—full of love, struggle, and discovery. Growing Up in a Religious Neighborhood I grew up in a religious neighborhood, where everyone knows everything about everyone. With the support and mutual help came gossip and curiosity. I was a “good girl”—obedient, giving, always trying to please. Pull Quote: "I d

A Journey of Faith, Love, and Identity: Hila’s Story By Hila, 34, in a loving relationship with Liron for 6.5 years "Religious, happy, and living in a beautiful relationship." Let me take you on a trip through my personal time tunnel. Early Awareness I grew up in a secular home and attended a secular high school, “Mikve Ariel.” In 10th grade, I realized I wasn’t just a fan of Ron Ponti, Israel’s national volleyball player—I was developing feelings. "I processed these feelings

Coming Out, Building a Family, and Pride: A Personal Journey By: Nadya Eisner-Horesh Walking in Jerusalem Pride At the 2022 Jerusalem Pride Parade, my wife and our five-year-old daughter walked alongside me, as did my older children. They marched either with us or with their friends, doing so with complete naturalness. My children from my first marriage all attend or have attended religious schools in Jerusalem and maintain relationships with their religious father. “They mar

This Closet Chokes Too Much: Growing Up as a Religious Lesbian in Israel By Rachel Immigrating at Age 11 At age 11, I immigrated to Israel. Everything was foreign and strange. I didn’t understand the language, I didn’t understand the culture, and I felt different, out of place in the local landscape. “This experience imprinted itself deeply within me, creating a strong desire to belong—even if that belonging came at the cost of parts of my identity.” Middle School Crushes and