Related Blog Posts on Jews of Color and LGBTQ+ Jewish Life

Photo of five notable Hispanic Jews Ruth Behar, David Blaine, Quiara Alegria Hudes, Gabe Saporta, and Claudia Sheinbaum
Hispanic Heritage

Meet These Hispanic Jews Impacting the World

Alex Graaff
Hispanic Heritage Month takes place from September 15 - October 15 and is a month-long celebration of Latinx history and culture. Meet some notable Hispanic Jews who have made a noteworthy difference in the world-whether that's through influencing policy, magic, or writing a catchy song!
Photo of a group of people on A Wider Bridge Leader's trip to Israel
Israel

Hope and Pride in Be’er Sheva

Rabbi Dara Lithwick
During Pride Month, I participated in a leaders' trip to Israel through A Wider Bridge, an organization dedicated to connecting LGBTQ+ people in North America and Israel. Around Israel, pride events this year focused on calls to free the hostages, support the hundreds of thousands of displaced people, and reach a meaningful ceasefire.
Photo of Chaim Harrison wearing a Walk the Moon shirt, holding his hands up, standing in fromt of a rainbow colored arch
Featured on Instagram

Being Honest with God and Myself

Chaim Harrison
I took the Commandments seriously. However, one of the Commandments deeply resonated above all others: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor," meaning "You shall not lie" (Exodus 20:13). This affected me most because I was lying to others and myself about a core aspect of my identity: my bisexuality.
an image of a man sitting on a rock looking out into the desert
Introduction to Judaism

Funny, You Don’t Look...

Miguel L. Salazar
"What are you?" was a question I was often asked in New York City. At first, I did not understand. Having grown up in San Antonio, Texas during the Jim Crow era, there was no doubt in my mind. During Jim Crow, Americans were defined by their skin color. I was not Black, but neither was I white. Therefore, I reasoned, I must be Mexican.
female and male symbol combined and written with chalk
Transgender Inclusion

Affirming and Loving Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Expansive Grandchildren

Given these realities, the Union for Reform Judaism, Jewish Grandparents Network, and Keshet collaborated to create a series of conversations to support grandparents and other loving adults who are interested in providing affirming spaces for gender expansive, non-binary, and transgender young people. These sessions have provided grandparents with foundational knowledge, shared language, and inclusive practices.
LGBTQ+ Jewish Life

Affirming Trans & Non-Binary Youth in Our Jewish Communities

This Pride Month, NFTY North American Board members Daniella Abbott and Cameron Samuels joined HUC rabbinical student Kelly Whitehead to discuss how their trans and non-binary identities have influenced their attitude toward systems of oppressions in the wake of new legislation aimed at attacking queer identities.
kippa and tallit
B'nai Mitzvah

Becoming BMitzvah

Rabbi Jen Gubitz
I love seeing how our students at Temple Shalom of Newton transform throughout the process of becoming BMitzvah. It's the end of my first year coordinating the BMitzvah program and my colleague Allison Lobron, an experienced leader in inclusion and social emotional learning, and I are hosting an end of year celebration for our BMitzvah students.