Related Blog Posts on B'nai Mitzvah, LGBTQ+ Jewish Life, and Lifecycle Rituals

While it's true that much of life is uncertain, one thing we can all be sure of is that one day, our lives will end. We don't know how or when it will happen (hopefully after many happy years), but it will happen. How can we possibly prepare for this ultimate

A mother reflects on marking her daughter's departure for college and the solace rituals offer.

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.

Terms like "bar mitzvah," "bet mitzvah," and "bat mitzvah" typically evoke images of teens reading from the Torah and formally taking their place within the Jewish community. But many Reform congregations offer adult b'nei mitzvah classes, enabling people to participate in this ritual later in life.

A brand-new baby is an astonishing being! How a tiny human could emerge from a mere bundle of cells, and the simple fact that any human being exists earthside, is truly remarkable.

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.

As a child snoop, I was well acquainted with the contents of my parents’ dresser drawers. This came in handy often, like the night before a trip when my mom panicked because she couldn’t find her passport.

In the weeks leading up to my civil divorce, I delved into Jewish tradition to see how I could mark it Jewishly. I'd been married under a chuppah with the exquisite blessings of our tradition; simply marking my divorce in the Cook County courthouse was not going to suffice.

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.