As we mourn Herschel Siegel, we cannot forget the difficulty he faced as a gay Orthodox Jew. Courtesy of Mordechai Levovitz

Re: “A young gay Orthodox man died by suicide. We must confront how Jewish teachings harmed him” by Mordechai Levovitz

To the editor:

I am a member of the Atlanta Orthodox community and a good friend of the Siegel family. I want you to know that I wholeheartedly agree with the message of Mordechai Levovitz’s op-ed, “A young gay Orthodox man died by suicide. We must confront how Jewish teachings harmed him.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The Orthodox community must find a way to welcome and embrace LGBTQ+ people, as it is clearly a matter of pikuach nefesh (preserving life).

I also want you to know how deeply and sincerely Herschel was embraced and accepted by many in our community, and specifically by his family. His parents and siblings showed him absolute love and acceptance. I completely understand the need to highlight important issues, but I can’t imagine the pain and suffering his family is going through, and it is completely wrong for this op-ed to even imply that his family did not accept him 100%. I won’t even go into the fact that mental illness is far more complex than what you’ve reduced it to for your article.

Those who know the Siegel family know the tremendous love and support they always showed their son. To ignores this dishonors to the memory of the precious and beloved Herschel Siegel.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Marks

Editor’s note:  This letter refers to a suicide. If  you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support, call  or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount