Trans Halakha Project

The Jewish community has been blessed with the increased visibility of trans, intersex, non-binary, and gender non-conforming folks. The unique lives, bodies, and experiences of this growing subset of our community demands a new halakha (pathways and practices of Jewish expression). The Trans Halakha Project aims to respond to this demand by catalyzing and nurturing euphoric and dignified embodied Jewish practices for Trans Jews.

This multidimensional project at SVARA has several distinct goals:

  1. Create euphoric and celebratory opportunities for trans Jews to learn and explore their personal relationship to halakha
  2. Curate existing and developing resources that have been created for trans Jews, by trans Jews.
  3. Develop new halakhic literature that addresses the needs and experiences of trans Jews authentically and without reservation

Since launching this project in March of 2021, the Trans Halakha Project has collected data (through a community survey) about the experiences of trans Jews interacting with and shaping halakha, assembled a Steering Committee to help drive and give shape to our work, and begun moving toward the project’s goals—all singularly focused  on uplifting, prioritizing, and codifying the voices of trans Jews. As we head into this second year, we have launched the Teshuva-Writing Collective, a team of 10-12 trans Jews who will author teshuvot that respond to questions about Jewish life and practice that emerge directly from trans people.

The Trans Halakha Project seeks to empower and nourish the trans Jews whose experiences are not yet at the center of halakhic exploration. May this work support our communities so that we may all benefit from uplifting the lived realities, stories, and narratives of trans folks in and through halakha.

What’s On Deck

In his recent Hot Off the Shtender piece Go Out and See, Rabbi Becky Silverstein offers an invitation for the beloved trans/non-binary members of our community to submit rituals and blessings. Learn more here.

Summer Programing:

Want to join us? Sign up for our mailing list

Want to contribute to THP? Make a donation here

Want to learn more about us? Meet our Steering Committee 

Read:

Becoming Halakhically Ungovernable
Towards Halakhic Euphoria
Halakha as Communal Practice
Forging New Pathways: The Trans Halakha Project

Listen:
Halakha as World Building (Judaism UnBound Podcast)