The technological age has definitely helped to make a real difference. Leah and many other Jewish women and men to who grew up before the age of social media I’ve spoken and the internet have similar stories of growing up in isolation and without acceptance. In contrast, the teenagers who to are growing up with something quite I’ve spoken different, thanks to organizations like Eshel, which help them find their paths. for example, is another national organization that works across schools, synagogues and communities to help create better inclusion for LGBTQ families and individuals in Jewish life. more the trans experience is destigmatized, the more communities are ready to get “The on board to support their members no matter what their said Dubbs experience,” Weinblatt, Education and Training Manager at and acceptance are a Keshet. “Inclusion journey and of course different institutions are at different places on that journey, but my general feeling is that most are moving in a positive direction.” For all of the trans Jews with, this dialogue is their main are not I’ve spoken concern. “We a halachic oddity, we are not a one trans man said. curiosity,” I believe that we have a collective responsibility to hear him above the noise of our not enough for rabbis to accept people: if a community and the individuals privilege. It’s within it are not open to this dialogue, trans people cannot stay, and will never feel safe. Elisheva Sokolic is a writer, living and working in London, UK. She gets passionate and wordy about anything from Judaism and Feminism, to parenting, coffee and cake. More of her writing can be found at www.elishevasokolic.com.
The technological age has definitely helped to make a real difference. Leah and many other Jewish women and men I’ve spoken to who grew up before the age of social media and the internet have similar stories of growing up in isolation and without acceptance. In contrast, the teenagers who I’ve spoken to are growing up with something quite different, thanks to organizations like Eshel, which help them find their paths. for example, is another national organization that works across schools, synagogues and communities to help create better inclusion for LGBTQ families and individuals in Jewish life. “The more the trans experience is destigmatized, the more communities are ready to get on board to support their members no matter what their experience,” said Dubbs Weinblatt, Education and Training Manager at Keshet. “Inclusion and acceptance are a journey and of course different institutions are at different places on that journey, but my general feeling is that most are moving in a positive direction.” For all of the trans Jews I’ve spoken with, this dialogue is their main concern. “We are not a halachic oddity, we are not a curiosity,” one trans man said. I believe that we have a collective responsibility to hear him above the noise of our privilege. It’s not enough for rabbis to accept people: if a community and the individuals within it are not open to this dialogue, trans people cannot stay, and will never feel safe. Elisheva Sokolic is a writer, living and working in London, UK. She gets passionate and wordy about anything from Judaism and Feminism, to parenting, coffee and cake. More of her writing can be found at www.elishevasokolic.com.