Jerusalem’s LGBT community center Open House must be provided municipal funding, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled Sept. 14.

Open House had sought legal redress by going to administrative court, and had gotten funding for 2003, 2004, and 2005. But when the city denied Open House funds for subsequent years and the court sided with the city, Open House took the matter further. Finally, the Supreme Court weighed in with a judgment in favor of the LGBT community center and an order for the city to pay Open House $120,000.

Israel is a democracy politically, but socially the country is influenced by religion. Conservatives point to their faith as a justification for anti-gay prejudices. Gay pride marches in Jerusalem have been beset by protests and violence, mainly from adherents of the Ultra-Orthodox tradition.

Source: http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=110469