HRC San Antonio Announces 2012 Equality Award Recipient Rabbi Barry Block
July 17, 2012
HRC San Antonio is proud to announce that this year’s recipient of the 2012 Equality Award is Rabbi Barry Block. Rabbi Block has been an outspoken proponent of LGBT rights in the San Antonio community for well over 20 years.
Highlights of his leadership include the following:
From the time that he was a young Assistant Rabbi, Rabbi Block has advocated for inclusion of gays and lesbians at Temple Beth-El, not only as individuals, but also as couples and family. Later, he was the first San Antonio Rabbi to officiate at a same-sex marriage ceremony. Most recently, he fulfilled the vision of Past Temple President Bill Goodman by establishing the first Pride Shabbat service that takes place during Pride month. He has traveled with Temple couples as far away as Canada to officiate same sex weddings. He has supported numerous interfaith encounters on LGBT issues and has reached out to the media throughout the city/state/country to speak out on equality and support for gay rights, and he organized local clergy in support of Mayor Julian Castro’s initiative to provide benefits to domestic partners of city employees.
Rabbi Block may be justly proud of the tradition of inclusion he helped establish here in San Antonio. In services, in his sermons, and in speaking engagements, he has consistently been an ardent supporter of LGBT rights. Rabbi Block will accept the Equality Award at the 10th annual San Antonio HRC Gala and Silent Auction on October 27th.
