Elul Study: From Tolerating to Celebrating All

About this Episode

This is a discussion via Zoom led by Rabbi Abby Stein, an American transgender author, activist, blogger, model, speaker, and rabbi. She is the first openly transgender woman raised in a Hasidic community, and is a direct descendant of Hasidic Judaism's founder the Baal Shem Tov. In 2015, she founded the first support group nationwide for trans people of Orthodox background.

She says the conversation around LGBTQ Jews in our communities (as well as other community members who are part of minority identities within our communities) has usually revolved around tolerating the "other," accepting those that are "different." It's time we move past that. Tolerance is for lactose, not people. People we celebrate. Judaism has so much to teach us on this - how do we ensure that we create communities soaked in love and celebration for those who need it most?

The discussion took place August 13, 2020 as part of the Elul+ Pre-Tishre study program presented by Temple Beth Am Los Angeles.