1972
Gay Jews in Los Angeles Created the First Gay Synagogue
Beth Chayim Chadashim was founded as the world’s first LGBTQ+-affirming synagogue, providing a space for Jewish individuals to worship openly as both gay and religious. The synagogue became a model for other faith-based LGBTQ+ organizations worldwide. Its establishment demonstrated that faith and queerness could coexist, challenging the exclusionary practices of many religious institutions.
