The Jewish Thing - A Happy N.

As many of you know I have long been obsessed with Judaism and gender (and many other things but this is irrelevant for this post). Today I was doing some Jewish reading when my whole world came crashing down in a pile of glorious Jewish gender mess. I discovered Rabbi Elliot Kukla. Now you may say why does this rabbit make N’s world stop turning. It is because Elliot is the first openly transgender rabbi.

I have spent the better part of my afternoon and early evening reading about the transtorra, gender queer weddings, and androgynim in Judism. Rabbi Elliot Kukla finds comfort in century old texts of Judaism when modern (American) thought is against trans and genderqueer individuals.

Most individuals within our society are against the idea of gay marriage, I can only expect that trans weddings would be even less accepted in their Christian mind set. In the context of a Jewish wedding, Rabbi Kukla has offered all the possible Hebrew phrasing and paths the ceremony can take.

For a bride:
Brucha Ha’ba’a b’shem Adonai

For a groom:
Baruch Ha’ba b’shem Adonai

For an individual who wants to indicate an alternate gender identity:
Brucha Ha’ba b’shem Adonai

For two brides:
Bruchot ha’baot b’shem Adonai

For two grooms, for a bride and a groom or for a couple that wants to indicate as little gender as
possible:
Bruchim ha’baim b’shem Adonai

For a couple that would like to indicate complex genders:
Bruchim ha’baot b’shem Adonai

This continues past the opening of the ceremony and Rabbi Kukla doesn’t fail to satisfy all options throughout his entire text.

The idea that I mustn’t be a bride or a groom is extremely satisfying. The though of an actual religious ceremony that encompass the complexity of individual gender blows my mind.


Currently I can even begin to explain how happy I am to be reading about ‘making your Jewish community more trans friendly.’ This is even more reason for me to want to become Jewish. I was just down talking to Ben who says that many Jews are Buddhist. My issue is that I don’t know many Buddhist who are Jewish – but I’ve never feared away from being the first at anything. More to come from me later!

I urge you all to read things that Rabbi Kukla has written.
http://www.transtorah.org/resources.html

and to open you community, Jewish or not to be more trans friendly.