Openly gay Israeli diplomat Elad Strohmayer concludes his term in Philadelphia this week — an experience he said helped build bridges between American and Israeli communities, and raise visibility for LGBT communities in both countries.
Strohmayer’s three-year term as Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Israel to the Mid-Atlantic Region, based in Philadelphia, officially wraps up Aug. 24. He and husband Oren Ben-Yosef will return to Israel, where he will resume work in Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Strohmayer, 34, a native of Bat-Yam, Israel, outside of Tel Aviv, came to Philadelphia in 2012 from Angola, where he served as deputy chief of mission at the Israeli Embassy since 2010. Locally, he oversaw the consulate’s work throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, Southern New Jersey, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, focusing on advocacy, community outreach and business development.
Throughout all of that work, he said, he sought to enhance LGBT awareness.
“We sponsored events, marched in Pride, I did many speaking engagements for the general community about LGBT rights in Israel,” Strohmayer said. “And I think sharing my story of coming out as a gay man and all the fears I had at the beginning but how I’ve evolved to where I am today, professionally and personally, has been important. Every time I’ve told that story, it helps people learn about our community.”
Among his most prized memories, Strohmayer said, was winning a gold medal at last year’s Gay Games. But nothing compares to his January wedding, held at City Hall and officiated by Mayor Nutter.
“That was really the personal highlight of my time here in Philadelphia. ” he said. “We chose to give our wedding visibility and invite press because it was six months after the ruling here in Pennsylvania, and it ended up being six months before the Supreme Court ruling. We wanted people to understand gay marriage is as legitimate as any other marriage of people who are in love. Love is love is love is love.”
Just as Strohmayer said he didn’t expect to find love in Philadelphia, he also didn’t anticipate he’d fall in love with the city as much as he did.
“Philadelphia exceeded my expectations. When I came here, I expected to be a part of the community and to enjoy what the city had to offer, but I really think Philadelphia is a hidden gem,” he said. “During my tenure here, I got to know the real Philadelphia, every secret corner and every beautiful aspect of the city — from the restaurants to the arts to the amazing people here. I anticipated this was going to be an amazing journey but after being here I learned how much this city has to offer.”
That’s a message he plans to take back with him to Israel.
“Part of what I’ve tried to do is showcase Philadelphia to the Israeli people and showcase Israel to Philadelphians,” he said. “I love the way the Philadelphia community in general, and especially the gay community, embrace diversity. I think it’s beautiful. And this is what Israel is all about, too. We’re a society that embraces diversity and I want to take my experiences here in Philadelphia and combine them with my experiences in Israel; it’s a two-way street. I’ve been here as a representative of Israel to show all the good things Israel has to offer, and now I want to take all the positives of Philadelphia and bring them back to Israel.”
The local post will be taken up by Moran Birman.
Strohmayer noted that Birman is eager to further the agency’s LGBT work.
“I laid the groundwork for interactions and relationships with the LGBT community, and my successor now needs to continue and enhance that work,” he said. “He’s not gay but he’s a strong ally; he marches in Tel Aviv Pride every year. I think everyone expected me, as an openly gay diplomat, to be outspoken on gay rights but if my successor can do that as an ally, I think that will be very powerful.”