Roberto Cavalli's Spring/Summer 2012 collection

While most of us spent last week getting our pies and plane tickets ready for Thanksgiving, in Israel, the grand feast was taking place on the runway with Tel Aviv Fashion Week 2011. With two dozen shows over a 3-day span, the epic return of Fashion Week to Israel after a 30 year hiatus was kicked off with famed Italian designer Roberto Cavalli, who showed off his remixed Spring 2012 collection.

Beyond branding Tel Aviv as a new hub of international fashion, the big draw of TLVFW 2011 was to showcase Israel’s hottest young designers. Explaining Israel’s return to hosting an international fashion event, Ofir Lev, General Manager of the Israel Textile and Fashion Association, who also served as President of Tel Aviv Fashion Week, said in an interview with Bloomberg News, “We need to go back to the front stage. We are very creative in Israel, we’re an innovation country.” Already, Lev is looking to the next show, which he hopes will be in April 2012 and might book the all star cast of Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and even Miuccia Prada.

The 3-day extravaganza ended on a high note, with a fashion show and fundraiser for the Israeli Gay Youth organization IGY, an LGBT organization which provides a wide array of positive support for teenagers and their families. Many designers donated some of their clothing to help raise funds. IGY has activities in 22 Israeli cities, and they partnered with several celebrities including Dana International, who gave an awesome performance to close out Tel Aviv’s return to fashion.

Check out the gallery

Video of Alon Livne’s Fashion Show

Alon Livne, Israel’s foremost young fashion designer, started his meteoric rise when he was just 17.

Just a few years later,  he was working for the Italian mega-designer Roberto Cavalli in Florence. Before that, he trained at Alexander McQueen’s House in London.

Related posts:

1. For Fashion Week, a Shalom and a Salaam This is inSHALLOm, a project by fashion designers threeASFOUR meant...
2. Gottex at NY Fashion Week The Israeli swimwear company Gottex took to the runway at...
3. NY Fashion Week Gives us a Sneak Peak at Gottex’s 2010 Collection While New Yorkers experienced the last few rays of summer,...

This Sunday, Tel Aviv’s Labor Court named Dori Spivak as a judge, making the Harvard grad Israel’s first judge to serve openly. Dori has an impressive background and is a well-respected individual in Israel’s LGBT community, having served as chairman of Israel’s Association for Civil Rights (ACRI).

In an interview with Ynet, a lawyer for ACRI, Dan Yakir said the appointment would “contribute to developing human rights” noting that “Dori is an expert on equality at work and health rights.”

Said Dori’s longtime partner, law professor Dr Yishai Blank, “It’s a happy occasion for us personally and also for the state.”

To read more from Ynet, click here.

Related posts:

1. Schindler’s List Maker Moves to Israel at 92 Today’s Ynet brings us a pretty incredible story. Moving is...
2. Gay Rights in Israel Israel today is one of the world’s most progressive countries...
3. Twin Paintings: Century Old Mystery Unraveled in Israel Museum A story of espionage and the thrilling world of art...

The Middle East is home to very few, if any open societies outside of Israel. Israelis march every year to show their continued support for gay rights and to send a message that every Jew, Muslim, and Christian in Israel should feel comfortable with their sexual identity. This year was biggest, with 100,000 people showing up to wave rainbow and Israeli flags.

Tel Aviv’s Gay Pride Parade kicked off today at Meir Park with speeches by a number of top Israeli politicians who are very proud to support Israel’s open community and its diversity. Said Tzipi Livni, “Defending the gay community must be a mission for free society and its leadership, which needs to speak up and not give in.” MK Shelly Yacimovich spoke and encouraged Israeli politicians to come out of the closet and “not to be ashamed.”

Unlike many countries, Israel has long been a safe place for the LGBT community and was the first in Asia to have anti-discrimination laws. That is a fact everyone should be proud of.

To read more from Ynet, click here.

Photo provided by Meir Jacob on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

Related posts:

1. Tel Aviv Love Embassy: European Gay Pride Parade Features Tel Aviv Municipality as a Central Guest Love Shack? Nope, it's the Tel Aviv Love Embassy. ...
2. Israelis Saluting the Gay Pride Parade in New York Yesterday, for the first time ever, the NYC Gay Pride...
3. Israelis Join New York Pride Parade Dozens of Israelis marched together down New York's Fifth Avenue...

EDITOR’S NOTE: It has come to our attention that Spain has withdrawn its invitation to the Tel Aviv LGBT delegation. Said Foreign Ministry Official Yossi Levy, “As far as we know, the Spanish organizers of the parade canceled Israel’s participation for so-called security concerns. In any case, this is an ugly scandal that turns the pride parade into a shame parade.” To read more on this breaking story, click here.

Madrid Orgullo (Madrid Pride) is the biggest gay pride parade in Spain and one of the largest in Europe.  Thousands of international visitors will descend on the Spanish capital on July 3, 2010 for the carnival style parade which ends in a huge party.

Among the international visitors this year will be the Tel Aviv Municipality and the Israeli gay community as a whole.  They have been invited by Madrid as official and central guests in the gay events of the day.

The Israeli Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Association is hoping their participation in the Madrid Orgullo festival will help market Tel Aviv as a hot destination for gay tourists.

The slogan of Tel Aviv’s bus which will take part in the parade will be “TLV Love Embassy” and will feature four representatives from the Israeli gay community who will soon be chosen by audition.

The cooperation of Tel Aviv and Madrid has led to events such as a large Tel Aviv style party featuring Israeli DJs and artists in Madrid’s main entertainment complex and meetings between community leaders.

For more information on the Madrid Orgullo festival, see this article in Ynet.

Photo courtesy of The Advocacy Project on flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

Related posts:

1. Biggest Gay Pride Parade Ever Lights Up Tel Aviv! Over 100,000 supporters showed up for the celebration....
2. Israelis Saluting the Gay Pride Parade in New York Yesterday, for the first time ever, the NYC Gay Pride...
3. Israelis Join New York Pride Parade Dozens of Israelis marched together down New York's Fifth Avenue...

Photo: Getty images

If anyone needed proof of Israel’s advancements on gay and lesbian legislation, the Attorney General of Israel, Menachem Mazuz, decided this week to allow lesbian couples to donate eggs removed during fertility treatments to their partners.

Up until now, eggs were only allowed for anonymous donation between donors and recipients.  Attorney Mazuz’s decision lifts this ban and allows lesbian couples who undergo fertility treatment to artificially inseminate and implant their partners’ eggs.

While this decision doesn’t entail that all lesbian women can now donate eggs, only those who went through fertilization treatments may do so. Attorney Mazuz has stated that he urges the Israeli parliament to compose a new egg donation bill that will close the loopholes that are still currently open.

Haaretz Newspaper has more on this issue.

Related posts:

1. Same-Sex Couples Get More Adoption Rights A decision yesterday (10 February 2008) by Attorney General Menahem...
2. Cats in Israel Rejoice as Knesset Approves Landmark Animal Rights Bill The inhumane act of "declawing" one's pet will now be...
3. Gay Rights in Israel Israel today is one of the world’s most progressive countries...

Israeli actor and TV host, Asi Azar, has been voted one of the world’s most influential gay people by OUT magazine. For the past 15 years, Out has been tracking the most influential gay and lesbian women, alongside influential straight men and women who have changed the discourse on sexual preferences.

The editors explained that Azar was voted, among other reasons, for his contribution as an openly gay man presenting a popular hit program ‘Big Brother’ on a prime time Israeli TV channel.

In previous years, other Israelis were also listed as Out magazine’s 100 Most Influential, including film director Eytan Fox and pop singer Ivri Lider.

This week, Azar arrived in New York for a special photo shoot of the honerees.

Ynet news has the full story.

Related posts:

1. Jerusalem Named the Middle East’s Best City for Travel Travel and Leisure's readers choose J'lem as this year's hot...
2. Israeli Rock in NY For those of you who appreciate good rock music and...
3. James Van Der Beek’s New Baby Named After Tree in Israel Yep, a tree. ...

Today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the gay youth center in Tel Aviv that was the target of a fatal hate crime just a few days ago. In an act of solidarity with the LGBT community in Israel, PM Netanyahu expressed his condolences and commitment to protecting gay rights:  “Any murder is horrific, but this is twice so. The idea that someone just walked into a youth center and embarked on a killing spree – it’s like a terror attack,” the Prime Minister said. He added, “We all have basic rights and our first and foremost right is to be respected by others and to respect others.”

Meanwhile, communities across the U.S. have gathered for vigils to pay respect to the victims, as well as give support to the teenagers injured in the attack.

Read the full story on Ynet.

Photo Credit: Moshe Milner, courtesy of the Government Press Office

Related posts:

1. Israeli Leaders Unite in Condemning Tel Aviv LGBT Shooting Following a shooting that killed two people and injured 11...
2. Israel celebrates 62- special address by P.M Benjamin Netanyahu Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the miracle of Israel's independence...
3. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Honors America’s Independence Day Greetings by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Fourth of July...

Following a shooting that killed two people and injured 11 at a Tel Aviv gay youth club on Saturday, the Consulate General of Israel in New York issued this official statement:

“This atrocious crime is worthy of every condemnation. The attack on the LGBT activity center has hit one of Israel’s symbols of tolerance and pluralism. This is a crime not only against the gay community, but against the basic values of the Jewish-Israeli culture that sanctifies life and appalls acts such as this. The State of Israel will not tolerate an act of a single person who decides to tear fabric of its democracy, which we pride ourselves in. Israel as a whole, and Tel Aviv in particular, are an island of tolerance to the people of different religions, ethnicities and sexual preference. These values served Israel through the years and manifested into laws and regulations. The Israeli authorities will do everything necessary to capture the murderer and bring him to justice. In their tragic deaths, Liz Troubishi and Nir Katz will shine as a beacon for tolerance and pluralism.”

There was bi-partisan condemnation for this heinous crime among all political parties in Israel. Here you can read the different reactions from the top Israeli leaders:

“This heinous murder of youth and teenagers is an act that a civilized nation can not tolerate. Murder and hate are two of the most appalling crimes against society. I call the police to do its utmost to catch this vile murderer. I call all the citizens of Israel to denounce this crime.”  – Shimon Peres, President

“I would like to strongly condemn the shocking murders that were perpetrated in Tel Aviv. I fully back the police in their search to find the murderer. We will bring him to justice and treat him with the utmost severity of the law. I would also like to send my condolences to the families of the victims and my wishes for a quick recovery to the injured. I would like to take this opportunity to remind all Israelis that ours is a democratic state. We are a nation of law. Ours is a country built on tolerance and we must respect all people as they are.” — Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister

“Even though not all the facts are known, it is obvious that the hatred needed to perform such a crime exists and must be eradicated. We must use this horrible crime as a catalyst to shake off bias and prejudice towards the gay community. This attack should serve as a wake up call for the Israeli society including our political establishment and educational system. Today we must all call for tolerance and act against hate and incitement. — Tzipi Livni, Head of Kadima party (opposition leader)

For more information regarding gay legislation in Israel, click here.

Photo by [niv] on Flickr used under Creative Commons License.

Related posts:

1. Israel and the Oscars Unite for Evening in Harlem Earlier this year, the film "Strangers No More," which focuses...
2. Israel and Palestinian Authority Unite for Eco-Park Going green and protecting the environment transcends politics ...
3. Tel Aviv Love Embassy: European Gay Pride Parade Features Tel Aviv Municipality as a Central Guest Love Shack? Nope, it's the Tel Aviv Love Embassy. ...

Dozens of Israelis marched together down New York’s Fifth Avenue yesterday as part of the 2009 Gay Pride Parade. They marched under the auspices of the Tel Aviv municipality to celebrate the city’s 100th anniversary and were joined by Tel Aviv Councilman Yaniv Waizman and singer Keren Peles.

Like

Unlike

Related posts:

1. Israelis Saluting the Gay Pride Parade in New York Yesterday, for the first time ever, the NYC Gay Pride...
2. Biggest Gay Pride Parade Ever Lights Up Tel Aviv! Over 100,000 supporters showed up for the celebration....
3. Gay Pride Parade in Israel ***Video of performance at Pride 2005: made by Lovenikka*** Like...

On her recent trip to explore Israel (and particularly Tel Aviv), Sharon Udasin was able to do quite a bit of reporting on some of the city’s most fascinating features. In this article, published in this week’s New York Jewish Week, she takes in some of the latest developments in Tel Aviv’s LGBT scene. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a specific neighborhood that’s the nexus of the LGBT crowd–instead she finds that the gay scene exists comfortably everywhere in the city. Plus, the article is a great introduction to some of the institutions and people that make up Tel Aviv’s gay culture. Enjoy the read; we’ll bring you more such dispatches over the next few days.

Related posts:

1. Tel Aviv Love Embassy: European Gay Pride Parade Features Tel Aviv Municipality as a Central Guest Love Shack? Nope, it's the Tel Aviv Love Embassy. ...
2. Biggest Gay Pride Parade Ever Lights Up Tel Aviv! Over 100,000 supporters showed up for the celebration....
3. Taking Pride in Israel Photo: Getty Images Experiencing a vibrant gay and lesbian culture...