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Eshel
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 460539206 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE X99 · Religion-Related · Small ($100K-$1M) · eshelonline.org
revenue
$949K
expenses
$938K
net assets
$180K
employees
0
program ratio
88%
mission · from form 990

Eshels mission is to create a future for Orthodox lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, and their families. Through its innovative and culturally sensitive programming, Eshel supports LGBTQ Jews, opening hearts, minds and doors in traditional Jewish communities.

profile · synthesized from sources

Eshel supports LGBTQ+ individuals within Orthodox Jewish communities and their families through culturally sensitive programming, education, and advocacy. The organization works to foster inclusion by engaging synagogues and schools in dialogue around LGBTQ+ acceptance, providing resources, and promoting halakhically grounded principles of dignity and respect. Eshel operates nationally in the United States and Canada, with some outreach to Israel.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Annual Eshel Parent Retreat
Annual retreat for parents of LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jews to connect, learn, and receive support, helping them navigate their children's journeys within Orthodox communities.
Monthly Parent Phone Support Group
Regular phone-based support group for parents of LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jews to share experiences and receive peer support.
Parent-to-Parent Mentor Program
Peer mentoring initiative connecting experienced Eshel parents with those newly navigating their child’s LGBTQ+ identity within Orthodox Judaism.
Welcoming Shuls Project
Interviews and engages Orthodox synagogues across North America and Israel to identify those that are welcoming to LGBTQ+ individuals and families, providing resources and facilitating inclusion dialogues within halakhic frameworks.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • LGBTQ+ Community Support and Resource Centers 2 activities
    • Community-Building and Enrichment Programs
      Organizes events and programs that foster community and enable Jewish practice for LGBTQ+ members of the Orthodox community, including an annual parent retreat, monthly discussion groups, Jewish calligraphy workshops, and in-person gatherings in the New York and New Jersey area.
    • LGBTQ+ Support Services for Orthodox Jewish Individuals and Families
      Provides direct support to LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jewish individuals and their families through a 24/7 warmline, confidential support groups (including for Orthodox gay men and frum queer women), peer mentoring, community networks, and online platforms such as email lists, blogs, and listservs. Also offers resources like curated books, films, and guides to halachic same-sex weddings.
  • LGBTQ+ Legal and Policy Advocacy 1 activity
    • Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Orthodox High Schools
      Leads advocacy campaigns urging Orthodox high schools to adopt LGBTQ+-inclusive policies, including a formal pledge to prevent expulsion or discipline based on gender identity or sexual orientation, enforce anti-bullying policies, prohibit conversion therapy, ensure full religious participation, and implement open admissions. Mobilizes stakeholders through the #EshelPledge campaign, including video appeals and petition drives.
  • LGBTQ+ Cultural Competency & Community Education 1 activity
    • Leadership Training and Educational Capacity Building
      Conducts trainings and consultations for Orthodox religious leaders, educators, and school staff to increase awareness and sensitivity around LGBTQ+ issues, including gender and sexual identity and mental health. Facilitates dialogue processes for synagogues and schools seeking to become more inclusive.
  • School-Based Mental Health and Family Support 1 activity
    • School-Based Support and Crisis Intervention
      Provides direct consultation and resources to Jewish day schools to support LGBTQ+ student well-being, including crisis management, development of inclusive policies and well-being statements, creation of safe spaces, and facilitation of dialogues among faculty, parents, students, and school boards.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Research on LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Orthodox Institutions
      Conducts multi-year research projects assessing LGBTQ+ inclusion in North American and Israeli synagogues and schools, including interviews with congregations, rabbis, and school administrators to collect data on welcoming practices.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$949K
Contributions & grants$890K94%
Program service revenue$53K6%
Investment income$6K1%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$938K
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead12%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$595K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$186K
Cash$155K
Investments$30K
Liabilities$6K
Net assets$180K
Liquid reserves2.4 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +15.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
MIRYAM KABAKOV Executive Dir. 40 $114K
STEVEN GREENBERG Director 40 $96K
relationships · 25

Who they work with

  • AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps Partner — Former employer of Miryam Kabakov; connection point for leadership in Jewish service and LGBTQ+ inclusion.
  • Brandies University Partner — Educational institution attended by multiple Eshel staff and board members, including Sara Singer and Mendel Weintraub.
  • Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis Partner — Co-produced a guide on the wellbeing of LGBT+ pupils in Orthodox Jewish schools with Eshel and KeshetUK.
  • Darkhei Noam Partner — Community organization where the workshop instructor is an active member and which shares overlapping community engagement with Eshel.
  • E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation Funder — Provided generous support for the Welcoming Shuls Project
  • Eshel Out Loud Partner — Eshel's blog providing updates on organizational projects and community member reflections.
  • Eshel in the News Partner — Platform for media coverage of Eshel's work on LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Orthodox community.
  • Footsteps Partner — Organization where Miryam Kabakov served as the first social worker.
  • FrumGays Partner — Hosts a listserv for LGBTQ+ Jews with Orthodox backgrounds, linked through Eshel's resource network
  • Hartman Institute of North America Partner — Institution where Rabbi Steven Greenberg is a faculty member.
  • JCC Manhattan Partner — Former employer where Miryam Kabakov directed LGBTQ+ programming.
  • Jerusalem Open House Partner — Organization co-founded by Rabbi Steven Greenberg as Jerusalem’s first gay and lesbian community center.
  • KeshetUK Partner — Collaborated with Eshel and the Chief Rabbi to produce a guide on supporting LGBT+ pupils in Orthodox Jewish schools.
  • Kol Sasson Partner — Provides a guide to halachic same-sex weddings in collaboration with Eshel's resource network
  • Rabbi Ari Segal Partner — Co-drafted the Eshel Pledge with student Micha Thau at Shalhevet High School.
  • Sara Kabakov Partner — Coordinator of the On Alliance initiative and sister of Eshel’s Executive Director.
  • Shalhevet High School Partner — Collaborated with Eshel to develop the original Eshel Pledge for LGBTQ student inclusion.
  • Temicha Partner — Collaborates with Eshel to offer an online support group for Orthodox Jewish parents of LGBTQ+ individuals
  • Tirtzah Partner — Partner community offering support, study, and gatherings for frum queer women in the New York and New Jersey area
  • University of Maryland Partner — Institution where Jamie Lebovics facilitated LGBTQ+ support groups and served on the board of Hamsa, the LGBTQ Jewish student group.
  • University of Michigan Partner — Educational institution attended by Leib Kaminsky and where Elaine Chapnik earned her degrees.
  • University of Pennsylvania Partner — Educational institution attended by Leib Kaminsky and where he serves in alumni leadership.
  • Visionaries Circle Partner — Group of individual donors supporting Eshel's work through sustained giving
  • Yeshiva University Partner — Institution where Ely Winkler helped coordinate a panel on being gay in Orthodox communities.
  • similar organizations in North America and Israel Network — Part of a network connecting LGBTQ and Jewish organizations across North America and Israel.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Specific Spiritual and Psychosocial Integration
    methodology: community-driven_inclusion
    By offering culturally and religiously grounded programming—including peer support, mentoring, and spiritual engagement—Eshel strengthens resilience and identity integration among LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jews and their families because belonging is achieved through simultaneous affirmation of both queer and frum identities.
  • Culturally Adapted Community Inclusion
    methodology: culturally_adapted_inclusion
    By working within the unique religious and cultural context of each Orthodox community, Eshel co-develops inclusion strategies that are locally resonant and sustainable, because top-down mandates fail where context-specific, community-led solutions succeed.
  • Halakha-Compliant Inclusion Model
    methodology: halakha_compliant_inclusion
    By promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion within Orthodox Jewish communities through a framework that aligns with Jewish law (halakha), Eshel enables religiously observant individuals and communities to embrace LGBTQ+ members without compromising religious integrity, thereby increasing belonging and reducing isolation.
  • Institutional Capacity Building Through Education and Consultation
    methodology: institutional_education
    By educating religious leaders, faculty, and communal institutions on LGBTQ+ identities and mental health, Eshel increases the capacity of Orthodox Jewish institutions to support LGBTQ+ individuals because systemic inclusion begins with informed and empathetic leadership.
  • Peer and Intergenerational Advocacy for Institutional Change
    methodology: peer_and_intergenerational_advocacy
    By mobilizing peer and intergenerational networks—including students, alumni, and families—to share personal narratives and advocate collectively, Eshel creates compelling, community-anchored pressure for schools and institutions to adopt LGBTQ+ inclusion policies because lived experience drives empathy and legitimacy within religious communities.