March 19, 2024 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

Congregation Kol Ami To Host World AIDS Day 2021 Event

Progressive, Reform Congregation Kol Ami will mark World AIDS Day with a special interfaith observance, combining awareness, remembrance, and speaking out against HIV stigma. 

Founded in 1992 and located in West Hollywood, Congregation Kol Ami is rooted in a rich Jewish tradition with a commitment to social justice. It has become an important leader in the Jewish, LGBTQ+ and West Hollywood communities.

The national theme for the 2021 observance is “Ending the HIV Epidemic: Equitable Access, Everyone’s Voice,” and Confirmed speakers for the West Hollywood event include Dr. Michael Gottlieb, the immunologist known for being the first to identify AIDS in 1981 and who has led HIV/AIDS activism and philanthropic efforts associated with HIV/AIDS treatment since then.

Other speakers include Hon. John D’Amico (West Hollywood City Council), Hon. Mitch O’Farrell (Los Angeles City Council 13th District), Rev Denyse Barnes Pastor (LaCrescenta Methodist Church LGBTQIA+ Advocacy Coordinator for the Methodist Church.), Vallerie Wagner Clinic Director, APLA Health Gleicher/Chen Health Center, Rev. Keith Cox (Center for Spiritual Living) and Kol Ami’s Rabbi Denise L. Eger.

As part of the event, Congregation Kol Ami has partnered with the National AIDS Memorial and will bring panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to West Hollywood as part of World AIDS Day observances. It will be displayed mid-November to mid-December. The Quilt is the largest community arts project in the world.  Its first panels were created nearly 35 years ago during the darkest days of the pandemic and today, consists of 50,000 individually-sewn panels with the names of more than 110,000 people who have died of AIDS.

This year marks 40 years since the first cases of AIDS were first reported in the United States.  Dr. Gottlieb, our keynote speaker was the first to write about the symptoms in 5 people in his practice for the CDC. During that four decade span, more than 700,000 lives have been lost in this country to HIV/AIDS, with still no cure. Today, HIV is on the rise, particularly among young people, communities of color and in southern states.

Alongside her historic work bringing LGBT acceptance to Reform Judaism, Rabbi Denise L. Eger is known for her work in the LGBT community caring for and supporting people with HIV in a commitment to “help healing the world.” Rabbi Eger would feed those too weak to do it themselves, often removing her mask and gloves, providing a rare dose of human touch. Then she’d move to another patient and another hospital, all while she was coming out publicly.

“The early years of the AIDS epidemic was a nightmare.  A diagnosis of AIDS seemed like a certain death sentence,” Rabbi Eger says. “Better treatments, care and education have enabled People with HIV to live long lives. Our support group has continued through the years to provide support, caring, connection and Jewish community.”

Congregation Kol Ami, serving LGBTQ and allied Jews and their families in West Hollywood, was founded by Rabbi Eger during the height of the AIDS crisis. Since then, the congregation has been a prominent source of care for people living with HIV, with its HIV+ support group, the longest running Jewish support group in the nation, continuing today. It accepts new members, regardless of religion, gender expression, and sexual orientation. This event is one of several the congregation has held throughout the year. In April, Rabbi Eger brought together community members and specialists from Israel and West Hollywood to hold a “City-to-City Dialogue” about cure and prevention of HIV.

Kol Ami has grown to be an award-winning congregation by daring to be innovative while remaining rooted in Jewish tradition and practice.

The event is co-sponsored by Center for Spiritual Living and ICAN: Israeli-American Civic Action Network.

Full list of speakers: Rabbi Denise L. Eger, Rev. Keith Cox (CSL), Dr. Michael Gottlieb, Hon. John D’Amico (West Hollywood City Council), Mr. Michael Sugar (long time survivor living with AIDS), Rev. Denyse Barnes (Pastor, LaCrescenta Methodist Church), Hon. Mitch O’Farrell (Los Angeles City Council 13th District), Vallerie Wagner (AIDS Educator and activists, APLA), Mr. Joseph Zipkin (Kol Ami).

Congregation Kol Ami is located at 1200 N La Brea, West Hollywood CA, 90038. 

To register for the event visit

https://www.kol-ami.org/event/world-aids-day-observance.html

Related Posts

Find Harmony at IntoMeSea: Unveiling Santa Monica’s Quantum Wellness Hub

March 5, 2024

March 5, 2024

A Look Into the Healing Studio and Interview with Owner Jen Williams  IntoMeSea, a healing wellness studio located at 1812...

Skin Laundry Laser Focuses On Rejuvenating Skin

July 12, 2023

July 12, 2023

Facials don’t have to be invasive. That’s why Skin Laundry has taken a revolutionary approach to skincare technology, making the...

California Trans Child Molester Gets 2 Years In Juvenile Facility

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

A Los Angeles County judge ordered Hannah Tubbs, a transgender California woman, to serve two years in a juvenile facility...

Homeless Initiative Meeting In West Hollywood

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood’s Homeless Initiative works to address homelessness with a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency, collaborative response. It’s estimated that...

WeHo Premieres the ‘Moving Image Media Art’ Exhibition Series

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood announces the premiere of the Moving Image Media Art (MIMA) program and the worldwide debut...

LA Street Will Potentially Be Named After Anti-LGBTQ Singer

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

A portion of Bailey Street may be renamed to the late Mexican Mariachi singer ” Vicente Fernandez Street’ – a...

WeHo Spreads Word About Free Covid Testing

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood is reminding residents that free COVID-19 testing is available for them.  Demand for COVID-19 testing...

Green Qween New Queer-Owned Cannabis Shop Will Open Downtown

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

Green Qween, a new queer-owned and queer-driven cannabis shop, will open in downtown on April 20th.  The shops owners, Andrés...

2022 ‘WeHo Reads’ Series Celebrates the ‘Road to Joy’

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood invites community members to celebrate literature and local authors with its 2022 WeHo Reads literary...

New Injectable HIV Prevention Drug Approved By FDA

January 18, 2022

January 18, 2022

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first long-acting injectable medication for use as pre-exposure prevention, or PrEP, against...

New CA Law Helps With Transgender Deadnames

January 18, 2022

January 18, 2022

A new California law requires public colleges to update diplomas and records for transgender students who have changed their names....

MJ Rodriguez, 1st Openly Transgender Actress to Win Golden Globe

January 18, 2022

January 18, 2022

Michaela Jae “MJ” Rodriguez has made history by becoming the first openly transgender person to win a Golden Globe.  The...

Animal Shelter Donations In Honor Of Betty White

January 18, 2022

January 18, 2022

Animal shelter donations have increased exponentially in honor of late actress gay icon and animal lover Betty White. Over the...

AIDS/LifeCycle 2022 Needs More Volunteers

January 18, 2022

January 18, 2022

AIDS LifeCycle is back with more than $4 million raised so far for the 2022 ride benefitting the HIV/AIDS-related services...

Long Beach Named One of the Best LGBTQ Cities

January 18, 2022

January 18, 2022

For the 10th year in a row Long Beach has been named one of the best cities in the nation...