Shalom Amigos Workshop is the Highlight of the General Assembly of Latin American Jewish Communities in Rio de Janeiro
One hundred and forty people packed the small conference room in the Rio de Janeiro Sheraton at the end of October, 2001, to listen to the first workshop dealing openly and seriously with the topic of homosexuality in the 8th Encuentro of the leaders of Jewish Communities and Institutions of Latin America, sponsored by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.
Titled "What We Hide: Being Gay in our Communities," it was organized by David Cohen, coordinator of Shalom Amigos of Mexico, and officer at large of the World Congress. The presentation began with a general explanation of homosexuality by Rinna Riesenfeld, renowned Mexican sexologist and author of the book "Papá, Mamá, Soy Gay," a guide for parents. David then talked of the various organizations that exist in Israel, the US, Mexico and Brazil, and what the World Congress does. David Goldfein, member of Shalom Amigos, gave a stirring testimony of his life, and Rabbi Sergio Margulies, a Reform Brazilian rabbi argued for a change in the attitudes of the communities in Latin America. Natan Sonis, an Argentinian psychologist, discussed the pros and cons for gay Jews having their own space. Bernardo Zabusky, President of Maccabi Argentina, presided over the workshop. He began by saying he did not understand why he was assigned the workshop, but concluded that it was an eye- and mind-opening experience. A message from the coordinator of the group of Parents of Lesbians and Gays in Mexico (who is Jewish) was also read in the end, urging the Communities to open a dialog on the subject.
Due to time restrictions, only a small audience was able to stay for the film "Trembling Before G-d." The audience was very supportive, impressed that the subject has finally been dealt with directly and humanly. It was the most attended workshop in the entire conference. Thus the Latin American Jewish Communities have agreed that it is time to include homosexuality as a subject to consider in their already bulky agendas. Asked why he had traveled all the way from Mexico to Brazil for the workshop, David declared: "This is my community; I have decided that I will not hide anymore."