~THE FAGGOTS AND THEIR FRIENDS LIVE THE BEST WHILE EMPIRES ARE FALLING ~

~ WE RENOUNCE ALL STATES AND SWEAR ALLEGIANCE TO THE EARTH HERSELF ~

~ SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINE AND WITH ALL WORKING PEOPLE ~

~ MUSIC AND DANCING, DISAPORIC DIVINITY AND FREE FOOD DISTRO ~

~ TEFILAH (SACRED SCREAMS) TESHUVAH (REMEMBERING THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF ALL BEINGS) AND TZEDAKAH (MUTUAL AID) ~

In the 1800s, anarchist Jews threw countercultural festivals on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year. In reaction to obligations to fast, atone, and self-flagellate, they would feast, sing, dance, and organize. These Yom Kippur celebrations spurred decades of confrontation and eventually fell out of fashion because of all the riots.

Last year, for Kol Nidre 5784/2024, Faggots Against Empire (named for and influenced by Larry Mitchell's 1977 gay manifesto/fable The Faggots & Their Friends Between Revolutions) convened our first annual Yom Kippur Ball to observe Kol Nidre in the streets. More than a hundred of the Faggots and their Friends turned out to scream, pray, and dance the empire out of our bodies.

And this year we're doing it again! October 1st, 2025 at 6 PM, we'll gather in the street in Kingston, NY (and virtually on a livestream!) to observe the Kol Nidre.

Kol Nidre is the spell that begins Yom Kippur by renouncing all vows, oaths, and obligations that have bound us so that we may choose freely how we want to step forward. This year, we use this ancestral technology to renounce all deals with empire that have been made on our behalf, all vows to the state that we made without fully understanding, all reliance that lingers in our hearts on the protection of a border between us and our cousins.

We renounce all states and offer our loyalty only to the earth herself and to solidarity with the indwelling divinity in all living beings.

On October 1st, the F.A.E. team will lead a collectivist, contemplative, interdisciplinary Kol Nidre service in the street. In 5786 we commit that the walls around our hearts and the walls between us and each other and the walls between nations will come tumbling down and the rifts that we call borders and the wounds that we call states will heal and the true peace of shabbat shabbaton will rush in like an undammed river and olam haba’a will burst into being.

Gather at 6:00, Ritual at 6:30

Wear white, or dress up, or don't

Bring instruments and drums and be ready to dance all obedience to empire out of your body

RSVP if you want to get on the Faggots Against Empire Minyan email list, or just show up

************************

Access Notes

This event is outdoors, in a public park/ gathering square.

It will be cold when the sun goes down, bring warm layers.

We do not have a permit for this gathering.

This is a religious gathering, not an action, and we do not anticipate arrest risk for organizers or attendees.

We have designated comrades on site to de-escalate any disruptions, they will have neon green bandanas to identify themselves.

___________

COVID-19 Risk Mitigation

Please wear a mask to keep our community safe, outdoor events are not free from Covid risk

High quality masks will be provided if you don't have your own.

___________

Ground and Seating

The ground is flat with paved cement and grass

The park has benches and accessible parking.

We will bring 10 folding chairs.

Feel free to bring your own camping chairs.

___________

Parking

Organizers will attempt to reserve/hold nearest possible street parking spots for those who need them. Please get in touch with the organizers before the event to let us know this is an accessibility need you'll want to make use of if possible.

___________

Restrooms

We are connecting with local storefronts to let us use their restrooms and will update closer to the date.

___________

Communication and Content

The printed prayer book will have text in size 12 font or greater.

A digital version of the prayer book will be available as well.

Transliteration and translation are included for non-English sections.

We are unfortunately not able to provide ASL interpretation for this event.

___________

Sensory Information

We are anticipating using amplified sound (a PA system and/or megaphones).

There will be live drumming and brass music, group chanting and singing, shofar blowing, and moments of collective scream.

There is no planned use of scent or smoke, though this is not a scent free event.

We ask those who smoke or vape to do so away from others.

Strobing lights and fog will not be in use.

___________

Virtual Access

Online access to the event will be on Zoom.

Registration is required so we can maintain a safe & intentional container.

Anyone attending as disruption will be removed.

The zoom livestream will not be recorded.

Automated closed-captioning will be enabled.

If there is an access need not covered here, or if you have questions/thoughts/concerns, please reach out to us at doikaytbaybee@proton.me