Austin’s Jewish Community Has Pride    

Members of the 2024 Austin Pride Jewish community delegation. Credit: Rob Rossignol 

By Emily Bourgeois  

In a year marked by so much heartbreak for the Jewish community, Pride seemed like it would be a welcome reprieve. The celebration, held in Austin during August instead of June, typically allows LGBT+ people and allies from across the city to gather in support for the rights and full inclusion of queer members of the community. In fact, Austin Pride’s week-long affair is the largest in Central Texas, drawing crowds of upwards of 400,000 people.   

In the past, Congregation Beth Israel and Temple Beth Shalom have both participated in the parade–which begins in the evening on a Saturday to beat the August heat–marching in separate groups. This year, the congregations took a bold step and marched in a unified group under the umbrella of the Austin Jewish community. What resulted was a coalition of Shalom Austin, CBI, TBS, and the Israeli-American Council marching together as one for the first time.  

The lead-up to the parade was a whirlwind. Because of disruptions at other parades across the country, the coalition took a proactive approach and met with board members to discuss safety concerns. The organized Jewish community raised safety concerns with Austin Pride leaders and provided examples of specific antisemitic language on signs and banners that would make many Jewish participants feel unsafe. Sadly, community concerns were distorted by critics on social media and in the press.   

Over the course of the week, social media discourse escalated, and the community was left asking if it was safe to march in pride. Tensions boiled over when, on the day of the parade, Austin Pride posted a social media statement that played into that false narrative and signaled support for the “Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions” movement.   

But this group did not let it stop them from marching. Accompanied by private security, the delegation was determined to participate. Once they arrived at the parade, it was still the same electric energy as any other year. People were hot and sweaty, but they were also joyful and full of life.   

The Pride festivities were just as opulent as normal and the group spent the first half of the parade watching delegations pass, getting souvenirs from some favorite organizations and local businesses. When it was the group’s turn to march, there were some nerves. The build-up to this moment was so intense, but once the group got going, they were met with cheers from people on the sidelines. After a year of feeling marginalized, with those LGBT members of the Jewish community feeling doubly so, being met with love and roaring cheers was a much-needed salve for the soul.   

For every one moment of negativity, there were four moments of joy, like a person on the sidelines yelling to the group, “Shalom, my people!” Or the small interactions with people on the sidelines handing out stickers (from partners at Keshet) when folks would say, “I’m a nice Jewish queer!” or “I’m looking for a Temple that is LGBT friendly!” The Jewish joy was contagious.    

It is important to take breaks from the work of making the world a more just place to revel in happiness and community. Being in the parade sent the message that the Jewish people are here in Austin, united and not going to be pushed out of public life because of hatred. One of the big mantras of Pride is that love wins, and that rings true for the 2024 Austin Jewish community delegation. ■