Thursday, October 1, 2026
Long Beach goes all out celebrating holidays and important events, and Temple Emanu-El is always right in the middle, hosting gatherings, performances, Shabbats, and more to show its support for whatever the occasion may be.
Temple Emanu-El hosted its ninth annual Pride Shabbat on June 27, celebrating inclusivity and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.
“It seems, given the atmosphere in our country and in the world, it seems really important this year. When we think about it, anti-black bigotry, anti-Semitism and anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination really all come from the same place,” Rabbi Jack Zanerhaft said. “It's really a fear of the other, and Temple Emanu-El really wants to send that message that many faith communities reject this demographic, and we believe everybody should have a place to worship, celebrate holidays, to come together, to celebrate happy times, to have a place to gather where others can console you during challenging times.”
Each year, the temple acknowledges Pride Month with a service and a guest speaker. Previous keynote guests have included the executive director of the LGBTQ Network of Long Island, a gay pastor who was once a Catholic priest, a Broadway choreographer, and a federal prosecutor in charge of discrimination cases.
This year’s keynote speaker was Kirk Sendlein, the chief of the hate crimes unit for the Nassau County District Attorney’s office.
“We have had many different speakers for this event. Usually it's people who are from that community who tell us about their coming out story or their life experiences or something inspirational,” Zanerhaft said. “But this year, because of where we are in this moment in time, we went in a little bit of a different angle. We have the unit chief of the hate crimes unit for the Nassau County District Attorney's office, who prosecutes crimes committed against the LGBTQ community that are hate crimes. I think it's significant to convey that message, that there are laws on the books, that this is still a protective community, that we still care about people's rights, and that it's important to protect every individual, regardless of their orientation.”
Temple Emanu-El frequently holds special Shabbats and services throughout the year for various reasons and causes. Along with the annual Pride Shabbat, they hold events for police and first responders, other cultures and backgrounds and, of course, the holiday season.
Temple Emanu-El is located at 455 Neptune Blvd. in Long Beach. For more information about the Pride Shabbat, other events, or the temple itself, visit TempleEmanuElLongBeach.org.
