Join us for a powerful and timely evening marking the 20th anniversary of Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School, the groundbreaking documentary that helped change the landscape of LGBTQ+ inclusion in Jewish education. Whether you saw the film when it first released or are encountering it for the first time, this is an opportunity to reflect, reconnect, and be part of a conversation that remains as urgent as ever.
First released in 2005, Hineini, directed by Irena Fayngold and produced by Idit Klein, follows one student's effort to come out and establish a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at a Jewish high school in Greater Boston. The film went on to put Keshet—and the Jewish fight for LGBTQ+ equality—on the map, playing a pivotal role in normalizing GSAs in Jewish schools across the country.
The evening will include a screening of the film, a post-film conversation reflecting on what has changed—and what has not—since its release, and a celebratory anniversary reception. Come for the screening and stay for a lively and timely conversation with:
- Jaimie Krass, Moderator, Keshet President & CEO
- Idit Klein, Hineini Producer, featured in the film
- Dr. Susie Tanchel, Vice President of Hebrew College, featured in the film
- Liana Galper, current Gann Academy student and GSA Co-Leader
Film runtime: 1 hour
Doors Open and Appetizers: 6:00 PM
Film begins: 6:30 PM
Conversation: 7:40 PM
Dessert Reception: 8:15 PM
Jaimie Krass
Jaimie Krass serves as Keshet’s President & CEO. Prior to joining Keshet, Jaimie served as a Hillel campus professional for seven years (two at Muhlenberg College Hillel in PA, and five at Columbia/Barnard Hillel in NYC). She received her B.A. in political science and Jewish studies from the University of Florida and her M.A. in Jewish education and nonprofit professional leadership from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Outside of work, Jaimie enjoys starting every day with a double espresso, collecting queer graphic t-shirts, and seeing as much theatre as she can. She proudly volunteered as a crisis counselor for LGBTQ+ youth with The Trevor Project from 2015-2025.
Idit Klein
Idit Klein is a national leader for social change with more than 30 years of experience in the non-profit justice sector. Currently the Vice President for Public Engagement Engagement at the New Israel Fund, from 2001 to 2025, she served as the founding CEO of Keshet. Idit built Keshet from a small, local Boston organization into a national force with offices in six states. Under her leadership, Keshet supported tens of thousands of rabbis, educators, and other Jewish leaders to make LGBTQ+ equality a communal value and priority for action. Idit also spearheaded leadership development programs for queer Jewish teens and mobilized Jewish communities nationwide to fight for LGBTQ+ rights. Additionally, she served as the executive producer of the documentary film, Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School. Prior to leading Keshet, Idit worked in the Israeli-Palestinian peace movement and social justice sector in Israel. Idit publishes frequently in the Jewish and LGBTQ+ press and has been honored by multiple organizations including the Jewish Women’s Archive, Brandeis University’s Hornstein Program in Jewish Professional Leadership, the Safety Respect Equity Network/JFNA, and The Forward as one of its ‘Forward 50,’ a list of American Jews who have made enduring contributions to public life. She lives in Boston with her family.
Dr Susie Tanchel
Dr. Susie Tanchel is Vice-President of Hebrew College in Newton, MA.. Prior to this, she served as the head of school at JCDS, Boston’s Jewish Community Day School for nine years and before that she served as the Associate Head of School at Gann Academy – The New Jewish High School of Greater Boston for 7 years and had taught Tanakh there for 14 years. Currently, Susie teaches adult education classes at Hebrew College and in the Wexner Foundation’s Heritage Program. She also coaches educators in the Mandel Foundation’s Educational Leadership Fellowship and Jewish Day School professional and lay leaders across North America. Over the course of Susie’s career, her teaching, scholarship, and leadership have been recognized by a variety of fellowships and awards, including receiving the Hachmat Lev Award from Keshet and the Covenant Award for Jewish Educators.
Liana Galper
Liana Galper is a current Senior at Gann Academy, where they are involved in theater and visual art. Liana is a Bronfman Fellow, Keshet Youth Speaker, and 2024-2025 Jewish Women’s Archive Rising Voices Fellow. They are passionate about exploring the intersectionality of Judaism and queerness and how to represent that experience through art.
About the Director
Irena Fayngold wrote, directed, and co-produced Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School in partnership with Keshet. Variety praised the film as “an engaging portrait of a pioneering teen activist.” Since its premiere at the Boston Jewish Film Festival in 2005, the film has played a significant role in advancing Keshet’s mission of achieving full LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion in Jewish life. It has reached hundreds of Jewish communities across the U.S. and internationally on four continents. Fayngold has worked in documentary production for over 15 years. Her experimental and personal video work has been showcased at venues throughout the Boston area, including the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Harvard Film Archive, and the Coolidge Corner Theatre. Her current film project expands on her exploration of Jewish identity by tracing her family’s experience as Jewish refugees from the Soviet Union and their journey in America. Born in Kiev, Fayngold immigrated to the U.S. with her family in 1979 at the age of seven.
In partnership with:
