Anna Talisman – exchange and collaboration with Quarteera e. V.
As part of our fellowship program, Anna Talisman spent several weeks with Quarteera e. V. in Berlin.
Anna works in Israel at the non-profit organization Project Kesher, which supports women leaders in Ukraine, Belarus, and Israel. These women advocate for Jewish communities, gender equality, and an active civil society. In light of the wars in Ukraine and Israel, Project Kesher has expanded its focus to include humanitarian aid, support for women-led small businesses, and mental health initiatives.
What experiences she had in Berlin and how she experienced Quarteera e. V., she shares here:
My recent trip to Germany was not only a series of meetings but a true immersion into the history and present reality of LGBTQ, lesbian, and feminist activism in Europe, especially in connection with refugees from the post-Soviet region.
I first met with Margarita Filgus and Isabella Goykhman, founders of the Russian-speaking LGBTQ project Quarteera e. V. in Germany nearly 20 years ago. Their long-standing experience showed how crucial it is to create and sustain safe spaces for those seeking security and belonging in Europe or Israel.
Together with Rabbi Olya Weinstein, Director of Project Kesher in Israel, I then joined meetings with German and French lesbian feminists working for refugee rights. Among the most powerful stories were those of two Algerian women who came to the project Lesbians Without Borders as refugees and later became activists themselves. We also met Karol from Berlin, who supports women from the Middle East and Africa, and heard how this transnational solidarity continues to save lives.
Equally important were meetings with initiatives working with the Russian-speaking LGBTQ diaspora today: Arel Yehuda’s project against antisemitism and homophobia among emigrants, the organization “Quarteera” supporting LGBTQ refugees from Russia, Ukraine, and the region, and Golos (Voice), a network of Russian-speaking parents of LGBTQ children.
These encounters highlighted both stories of solidarity and the ongoing struggle for life and freedom. As a continuation of this journey, we are now developing a new international project to support Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking LGBTQ emigrants — a German-American-Israeli collaboration. We are full of hope for its impact and future growth.
Quarteera e. V., the organization where Anna completed her fellowship, is a non-profit association of LGBTQI* individuals with refugee or migration backgrounds and their supporters. Since 2011, the organization has been advocating for the rights of LGBTQI* people from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. Through educational work and practical support, they provide vital activist work and assist LGBTQI* refugees and migrants as they arrive and navigate life in Germany.
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