~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 GAZA AND WITH ALL WORKING PEOPLE ~

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

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.

So let’s bring it back! For Yom Kippur 2024, Faggots Against Empire (named for and influenced by Larry Mitchell's 1977 gay manifesto/fable The Faggots & Their Friends Between Revolutions) are reconvening for our first annual Yom Kippur Ball to observe Kol Nidre in the streets.

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 11th, the F.A.E. team will lead a collectivist, contemplative, interdisciplinary Kol Nidre service in the street. In 5785 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 7:00, Ritual at 7:30

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

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Access Notes

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

There is a music festival happening in the area, and the area may be crowded.

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.

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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.

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Ground and Seating

The ground is flat paved cement, bricks, and asphalt.

The park has two picnic tables with attached benches, and a flat stone ledge to sit on.

We will bring 10 folding chairs.

Feel free to bring your own camping chairs.

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Parking

There is a metered parking lot one block west at 71 North Front Street.

There is another metered parking lot around the block at 85 Schwenk Dr with 33 steps from the parking lot directly to the park.

There is limited metered street parking right next to the park,

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.

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Restrooms

We anticipate there being porta potties on site as part of the music festival.

There are other businesses in the area that may be open as well.

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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.

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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.

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Virtual Access

Online access to the event will be on Zoom.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItde6qrT4oE9F1J_ta-Ji1lqibT05e4jCF

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