5,000 MARCH IN ISRAEL’S CAPITAL FOR 10^TH ANNUAL JERUSALEM PRIDE

Keynote by American Jewish Philanthropist Lynn Schusterman

Jerusalem – August 2, 2012 – More than 5,000 people marched from Independence Park to Liberty Bell Park in support of equal rights on Thursday, August 2, 2012, as part of the 10^th Annual March for Pride and Tolerance.

Initiated a decade ago by Jerusalem Open House (JOH)—a leading organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people and allies in the heart of Jerusalem—the parade has since become the city’s largest human-rights demonstration.

“Jerusalem has come a long way in opening up to the LGBTQ community,” said Jerusalem Open House Director Elinor Sidi. “But we still have a long way to go. This year, in honor of a decade of Pride in Jerusalem, we returned to the original route to note the location where three people were attacked and to signify that we will not shy away from taking a stand against hatred and intolerance.”

Among the marchers was American Jewish philanthropist Lynn Schusterman. As Chair of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Philanthropic Network (CLSPN), Schusterman has been an outspoken advocate for inclusion and equality in the Jewish world, Israel and her hometown of Tulsa, OK. She spoke at the opening ceremony in Independence Park, bringing to the people of Jerusalem her call to embrace the rich diversity of what it means to be Jewish today.

“We must work together to strengthen Jerusalem as a modern, open capital and to foster welcoming, inclusive communities across the Jewish world,” said Schusterman. “It is vital to the health and vibrancy of the global Jewish future and to ensuring a strong Israel.”

CLSPN includes the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation (CLSFF), Schusterman Foundation-Israel (SFI), ROI Community (ROI) and REALITY. Among other areas of interest, it promotes diverse and inclusive communities within Israel by supporting Jerusalem cultural and social institutions, including the Jerusalem Season of Culture, as well as throughout the broader Jewish world by creating and supporting pluralistic experiences, programs and organizations that engage young Jews.

Within the LGBTQ community, CLSPN supports Jerusalem Open House and Israel Gay Youth in Israel, as well as Keshet in the U.S. It also sponsored the 2011 Oklahoma Conference for Change, and in the fall, together with several other funders, CLSPN anticipates releasing the Jewish Organization Equality Index, a project with the Human Rights Campaign to assess the inclusivity policies and practices of Jewish non-profits in the U.S.

Many ROI Community members are active in promoting and advancing equality and dialogue between all sectors of Israeli and Jewish society. Among them are prominent leaders in the LGBTQ community. In Jerusalem, they include Bat Kol’s Talya Lev, Mikveh Bar owner Eyal Levit, and activist Margot Madeson-Stern.

The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Philanthropic Network (CLSPN) is a global network of philanthropic initiatives focused on igniting the passion and unleashing the power in young people to create change.

Contacts:

Sara Averick, 052-867-4966, sara@leadstoryplus.com