Vigils Scheduled to Mourn Tel Aviv LGBT Victims
August 5, 2009
As we previously reported, New York City’s City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn has called on fellow New Yorkers to join her this Wednesday, August 5th in remembering victims of the shooting at the Tel Aviv Gay and Lesbian Association.
Vigils are now also scheduled for Boston and Los Angeles. Please join in a vigil close to you—or pause to reflect today - August 5th – as we mourn for the victims, pray for the injured, and express our outrage at the attacks at the Tel Aviv LGBT youth center.
Here is information on vigils and services across the country:
- Boston, MA: Vigil at Temple Israel (477 Longwood Avenue—on the steps of the Riverway), 6:30 p.m.
- Los Angeles, CA: Vigil at Congregation Beth Chayim Chadishim, 6:30 p.m. (6000 W Pico Blvd, one block east of Crescent Heights)
- New York, NY: Vigil at Congregation Beth Simchat Torah (57 Bethune St.), 7 p.m.
Vigils are also are also being scheduled in London, San Francisco, Manchester, and many other cities across the globe to honor the victims of the attack. Twitter users are spreading the word about the vigils.
To find out more about the violent shooting in Tel Aviv, click over to our blog post on the media coverage surrounding the attack.
Related Posts:Sean Kennedy’s Killer Denied Early Parole
February 11, 2009
Coverage of Tuesday's vigil, including Elke Kennedy (right).
As we reported at glaadBLOG last month, the man who killed 20-year-old Sean Kennedy because he was gay was up for early parole after serving only 8 months.
After getting word of this, Sean’s mother Elke Kennedy called on the community for help through the foundation she started in her son’s name, Sean’s Last Wish.
Tuesday night, Sean’s Last Wish held a vigil in Sean’s memory at the South Carolina State House. The vigil was a call to local authorities to keep Sean’s killer behind bars, and to recognize hate crimes. Elke told WIS-TV news that the state needs a hate crimes law: “[Sean] always said, ‘when I get older, I’m gonna change this, make sure people are treated equally.”
Local South Carolina media reports today that Sean’s Killer, Stephen Moller, was denied early parole. South Carolina is one of only five states that does not have hate crime legislation on the books.
Click here to see local news coverage of Tuesday’s vigil.
