About us
Welcome to JPride, a Jewish LGBTQIA+ Meetup Group for members of the Jewish community who identify as LGBTQIA+ or are allies. We gather to foster a sense of community, support, and understanding within the intersection of Jewish and LGBTQIA+ identities. Whether you're interested in social events, discussions, learning opportunities, or simply making new friends, this group is the perfect space for you. Join us as we explore our shared heritage and celebrate the diversity of our community. All are welcome to join us in embracing our Jewish and LGBTQIA+ identities with pride.
Upcoming events
4
Book Club! The Last Watchman of Old Cairo (Ch 1-4)
Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore, 5700 Park Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD, USJoin us for The Last Watchman of Old Cairo! Please read about the book and sign up to attend here on our website!
### Chapters 1–4
> Theme: Beginnings, Identity, and Place
>Main question:
> How do the early chapters establish the theme of “watching, guarding, and preserving,” both personally and culturally?
>- Follow-up prompts
- How does Joseph’s dual heritage (Jewish mother, Muslim father) shape his identity and conflict?
- What expectations are set by the al-Raqb family legacy?
- In what ways do the settings (Ibn Ezra Synagogue, Old Cairo, Berkeley) function almost as characters?
- Which single moment or line struck you most — and why?
1 attendeeBook Club! The Last Watchman of Old Cairo (Ch 5-8)
Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore, 5700 Park Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD, USJoin us for The Last Watchman of Old Cairo! Please read about the book and sign up to attend here on our website!
Chapters 5–8
Theme: Discovery, Scholarship, and Ambition
Main question:
How do the parallel timelines complicate the idea of who has the right to preserve and interpret sacred texts?
Follow-up prompts
What ethical dilemmas around guardianship, scholarship, or ownership arise in this section?
How does ambition play out differently between the scholars and Joseph?
Where do we see tension between personal legacy and collective history?
Which relationship (father–son, siblings, etc.) reveals the most about duty and faith?
1 attendeeBook Club! The Last Watchman of Old Cairo (Ch 9-12)
Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore, 5700 Park Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD, USJoin us for The Last Watchman of Old Cairo! Please read about the book and sign up to attend here on our website!
Chapters 9–12
Theme: Conflict, Revelation, and Inheritance
Main question:
What does “calling” mean for the characters at this stage—are they fulfilling destiny or breaking free from it?
Follow-up prompts
How do the stakes rise for each timeline, and what threatens the preservation of memory or identity?
In what ways does Lukas explore “otherness” — between East & West, past & present, or faith & reason?
How does the recurring image of fragments, scrolls, or archives reinforce the novel’s deeper messages?
- Which character’s choices surprised you most, and why?
1 attendeeBook Club! The Last Watchman of Old Cairo (Ch 13-15)
Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore, 5700 Park Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD, USJoin us for The Last Watchman of Old Cairo! Please read about the book and sign up to attend here on our website!
Chapters 13–15
Theme: Resolution, Legacy, and Memory
Main question:
Who—or what—is the “Last Watchman,” and how does the ending redefine that title?
Follow-up prompts
Which storylines found closure, and which remained deliberately open?
How does Lukas treat memory: as burden, blessing, or responsibility?
Which character grew the most across timelines?
Did the novel shift how you think about heritage, identity, or sacred history?
Optional final reflection: What might our next JPride Reads selection build on from this one?
1 attendee
Past events
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