behind the film
Featuring Jeremy Borison By: Brooke Botwinick
Growing up in Los Angeles, CA, going to a
Institutions have not changed. There are still so
high school where the norm was to ‘stand
many synagogues, schools, and communities with
out’, and where the senior rabbi at my
little to no acceptance of difference. When
synagogue identifies as lesbian, I never had
Jeremy moved to Los Angeles he sought out a
to think twice if it felt safe to express my
new synagogue and community. At Modern
identity. I am straight, consider myself to be
Orthodox synagogue B’nai David Judea, he found
a feminist, an ally for the LGBTQ+
a ‘home’, community, and space of acceptance
community, and have many friends and some
and inclusion. In fact, Rabbi Kanefsky asked
family members who are out. It’s truly a gift
Jeremy to help create an LGBTQ+ inclusion
and a blessing to be accepted; one that so
policy!
many take for granted. Borison shared that one of the ways he Jeremy Borison grew up in Cleveland, Ohio
advocates for the queer community in Orthodox
in an Orthodox Jewish home. His friends and
Jewish spaces is by making his presence known.
family were always loving, caring, and
When he and his husband walk to shul, they
supportive. However, up until going to
consciously hold hands, otherwise there’s no
college at University of Michigan, he
representation or way for others to know they are
remained closeted because there was no
together unless they make it clear. He expressed
way for him to speak about his sexual
feeling a sense of discomfort even in LA because
identity. “What I was going through, and
people stare. “Even if one kid sees us and feels
what I was curious and scared about, I had
there's a possibility of staying in the community
to go through alone. There wasn’t a way to
and being their true self, then that would be
see a future for myself or know where to go.
really amazing.” He has also spoken out, sharing
It was terrifying.” He was able to come out
his story with organizations such as JQ
as gay because he was away from his
International and Eshel, expressing that what
community. He built a life of his own and
others are experiencing with gender and/or
had a support system that he could rely on
sexual identity doesn't have to be scary, but what
which eventually included his friends and
they are creating might feel uncomfortable to
family.
others.
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