HISTORY AND ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACH OF JONAH 
 

JONAH was launched in 1998 by two New Jersey Jewish couples whose adult children had become involved in homosexuality.  Recognizing the almost total absence of resources and services available for Jewish families to address this issue, the founders adhered to the traditional Jewish teaching that homosexual behavior should be discouraged, but they were also determined to maintain a loving bond with their children. Because JONAH was the only Jewish-based organization specifically dealing with the healing of homosexuality,

they quickly discovered a huge vacuum existing within the Jewish world. Innumerable strugglers with unwanted same-sex attractions, spouses, other parents, and citizens concerned about the direction of society's permissiveness, contacted them either for assistance or to ask what they could do to help individuals in crisis who suffered from unwanted same-sex attractions (SSA).
 
Incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation in 2000, JONAH not only helps parents and families find support in dealing with their loved ones' homosexuality, but also provides support and resources to individual men and women struggling with unwanted same-sex attraction.  JONAH's mission is not political and therefore we will not take political stands.
 
Since 2000, JONAH has provided resources, referrals, mentoring and coaching services, group support, Shabbatons, seminars and outreach to thousands of impacted individuals both from our Jersey City offices (which services close-by New York City) and throughout the world. Its outreach extends to 5 continents and more than a dozen countries. The agency's services are open to male and female adults 18 years of age and older. For those under 18 who seek assistance, parental permission is required.
 
JONAH believes that homosexuality is a learned behavior and that anyone can choose to disengage from their same-sex sexual fantasies, arousals, behavior and identity - if motivated and supported in that process. We also believe that with appropriate assistance, same-sex attractions can be reduced or eliminated followed by the subsequent development of one's innate opposite-sex attractions. 

JONAH believes those who feel same-sex attraction should be able to make an informed decision about whether they wish to act on their same-sex attraction and identify as gay or whether they wish to journey out of homosexuality.  JONAH provides the information needed to make a reasoned choice and then provides resources to those who choose to grow out of same-sex attraction.

JONAH teaches that strugglers can journey away from homosexuality with psychological and spiritual help, peer support, and personal empowerment. Its objective is to reunify families, to heal the wounds surrounding homosexuality, and to provide hope that persons with unwanted same-sex attraction can become the person that G-d intended them to be.
 
JONAH's strength-based approach helps the struggler integrate various parts of his or her identity and move forward in a positive manner, thereby permitting the struggler to work through issues of shame, self-denial, and/or repression.  Our approach is positive and affirming, providing hope to those in the process.   
 
JONAH is a pioneering organization in tackling this issue from a Jewish perspective. However, consistent with traditional Jewish teachings, its services are available to those of any faith or no faith.  It differs from any other existing faith-based ministry focusing on this subject, in that, consistent with the tradition of Judaism, it will provide assistance without proselytizing those of other faiths.
 
(November 2007)