LGBTQ Youth Invited to Café

Congregation Beth Hatikvah in Summit has announced the opening of Café Q, a non-denominational meeting place for LGBTQ teens, on Sunday, October 21st. LGBTQ teens from Summit and surrounding towns are invited to drop in to meet, listen to music, enjoy some snacks, and just hang out in a safe and comfortable environment.

The brainchild of Beth Hatikvah president Cindy Wetter, Café Q arose out of the experience of Wetter’s daughter. When a search for social opportunities outside of school for LGBTQ kids turned up nothing within a reasonable distance of their home in Chatham, Wetter suggested to her congregation that the synagogue offer something for local teens—a place, Wetter said, “Where kids can be who they are or who they want to be.”

Café Q is staffed and chaperoned by members of Beth Hatikvah who are themselves gay or are parents of LGBTQ children. Wetter notes that it’s important for kids to see adults who are out and moving successfully in the world, such as Janice Masvidal, the group’s chairperson, who lives with her wife, Carol Sullivan, in Maplewood. Masvidal notes that “More young people are coming to terms with their sexuality and gender identity earlier in life, and they can often feel alienated from their peer groups, reluctant to speak to straight and cis-gender people about what they’re experiencing. We think they should have a safe place where they can meet other kids who understand what they’re going through and where they can just relax and be themselves.”

Congregation Beth Hatikvah, located at 36 Chatham Road in Summit, plans to run the café every third Sunday of the month, from 3-5 pm. As the project evolves, the teens themselves will help to determine Café Q’s future activities.