Related Blog Posts on A Taste of Judaism, Conversion, JewV'Nation, and LGBTQ+ Jewish Life

Read about one transgender camper's journey of self discovery at Eisner Camp 12 years ago and how her camp community encouraged her to be her full, authentic self.

If one of your New Year's resolutions is to delve deeper into your Judaism, consider signing up for one of the Reform Jewish Movement's classes.

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.

For many LGBTQ+ Jews in the United States, LGBTQ+ synagogues and organizations offer that sustenance.

Every June we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community with a sense of pride that's not just acceptable, but essential.

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.

"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.

Even before I finalized my conversion to Judaism, I was preparing to celebrate my adult bar mitzvah. In a sense, my conversion preparation became a precursor to bigger plans: for a bar mitzvah and a Jewish vow renewal ceremony with my wife Laurie later this year.

On Shavuot, many of us study the Book of Ruth. Lauded by Rabbinic tradition as a righteous convert, Ruth’s story continues to resonate with the experiences of many Jews-by-choice today.

I’m feeling very peaceful today. I went to the mikvah this morning. I was a little nervous, just because official rites of passage can be a little scary. But I knew everyone was going to be super nice and supportive (and they were!).