Seder brings together Las Vegas’ Jewish, LGBT communities

Men, women and children were offered their pick from a basket of rainbow-colored yarmulkes as they arrived at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada for a Passover celebration Monday night.

Everyone who is hungry is welcome at a Passover Seder, including gays, lesbians, bisexuals and people who are transgender. By tradition, everyone who is needy is welcome to celebrate.

The Center partnered with the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas two years ago to bridge the gap between the LGBT and Jewish communities, Marni Unger, 27, said.

Unger is the Jewish Federation’s director of leadership and community development. The Henderson woman said it’s important during Passover to draw attention to the fact that people around the world are victims of persecution.

In that way, it’s very much a freedom Seder, she said. “It’s a meal and an experience.”

“We’re accepting of all Jewish people, regardless of orientation or identity,” Unger added. Unlike some other religious groups, Unger said the Jewish and gay communities aren’t always in conflict.

Dozens of people of all shapes, sizes, orientations and genders gathered to pray, sing, tell stories and eat at the celebration, which was specially tailored to include elements of the struggles faced by Jews, the LGBT community and feminists. A microphone was passed around, and everyone was given a chance to read from the Haggadah, the Jewish text recited at the Seder.

David Mozes, 37, general manager of the Bronze Cafe at The Center, said he was involved with the Los Angeles-based JQ International, a global organization for LGBT Jews. He said Los Angeles has more than one synagogue serving the LGBT community, and they helped develop an inclusive Seder booklet in 2008.

Mozes was an eager contributor to the first Las Vegas LGBT Seder last year because while there are many congregations that still welcome people of every orientation and gender identity, Las Vegas does not have a synagogue specifically devoted to his community.

It gave him an opportunity to share his heritage with those in his new home. And it gave him and his business partner and “spousal equivalent,” Bronze Cafe Executive Chef Peter Bastien, 33, the chance to put their own spin on the traditional offerings — the restaurant specializes in vegan dishes and included plenty of meat-free options in the four-course feast.

“I think food assists in the retelling of stories,” Mozes said. “The way to a person’s heart is through their stomach, and that’s no more evident than at a Jewish holiday like Passover.”

After 400 years of Israeli slaves in Egypt, Moses confronted the pharaoh and led his people to freedom. The Passover Seder is a ritualized retelling of the story of Exodus. Even the items of food are symbolic of the struggles the Jewish people faced throughout the Exodus, Mozes said.

Parsley is dipped in saltwater and served to symbolize both tears and springtime. A lamb shank bone is traditionally used to stand for the lamb blood used to deter the angel of death during the final plague Moses unleashed on the Egyptians, said Rabbi Yocheved Mintz of the gay-friendly P’nai Tikvah congregation.

Sticks and stones have been added to show that both the LGBT and Jewish communities are unbreakable, Unger said.

Fruit salad was included to represent diversity and collaboration. Coconuts symbolized people who have been hardened by difficult lives but are still sweet inside.

“I’m humbled that you’re here in such great numbers tonight,” Michael Dimengo, CEO of The Center, said. “It’s when we remember our roots. It’s when we remember our convictions,” he said of the holiday.

“We can all leave this place committed to justice,” he said.

Next year, the nonprofits hope to sponsor a trip to Israel for Tel Aviv’s gay pride week, Elliot Karp, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation, said.

Mintz said she hopes one day it won’t be necessary to hold a special celebration to include the LGBT community because it will have widespread acceptance.

“We’ve started a beautiful tradition,” Karp said.