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Jewish School Hosts A Drag Queen Shabbat Ceremony

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A Jewish school in Massachusetts is hosting a Drag Queen Shabbat service Saturday.

The Lander Grinspoon Academy (LGA), a K-6 private Jewish day school in Northhampton, is hosting an event called “Sparkle Havdalah: A Drag Queen Story Hour!” the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported Thursday. The Havdalah, a Jewish religious ceremony that marks the end of Sabbath and Jewish holidays, will feature drag queen Jenayah De Rosio, who will read the children’s book “Sparkle Boy” at the event.

The book, written by a Jewish author, is about a young boy who likes to wear sparkly clothing. The “Drag Queen Story Hour” is set to help children explore gender fluidity, according to the event’s description on Facebook.

“In spaces like this, kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions and imagine a world where people can present as they wish, and where dress up is real,” the description states.

The school overall tries to be inclusive and LGBTQ friendly, LGA’s Executive Director Ellen Frank told The Daily Caller News Foundation. LGA also has workshops that allow students to explore gender and sexuality.

“At LGA we welcome all people to our community and have a strong focus on supporting children’s creativity and their natural love for dressing up and exploration of identity,” LGA Principal Deborah Bromberg- Seltzer said in a statement. “What better way to include everyone into our community than with an opportunity to embrace the sparkly inside of each of us!”

Children are also encouraged to wear sparkly clothing to the family friendly event on Saturday.

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The school has received some nasty comments online regarding the event, Frank said. However, the school’s community is supportive and receptive to the idea. (RELATED: I’m A Jew. I Had No Idea I’d Be Spending Christmas Among Neo-Nazis)

The event is co-sponsored by the Gan Keshet Jewish Community Preschool of the Pioneer Valley, that also holds workshops on gender and sexuality for children.

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