Temple Beth El Blog

This year let us think of our Pride month observance as a tree.

This tree connects us to our Judaism, our ancestry—and ourselves. At the root is our text, our tradition, the Torah and Talmud.

Our shared history, which nourishes us all, is the trunk of our tree.

Advocacy, outreach, and connection are represented by the tree branches. Imagine how a branch grows—how it reaches. This echoes how we reach out to others, to each other—how we stretch, how we grow, how we expand in our roles in the world, and how we expand within ourselves.

And, finally, in the leaf, the flower, and the fruiting of our tree resides our creativity. The music of Pride, the food of the soul, and the art as well as the writing of Pride—the ways in which we express our individual narratives and community experiences.

During Pride month here at Temple Beth El, we aim to encompass all parts of our tradition, history, advocacy, and expression in our programming. Please join us!

Bo’u Nashir! (Come, Let Us Sing!) Pride Edition
Tuesdays, June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 3:00–3:30 pm • Facebook Live

The soul-fulfilling song sessions you have come to love return with special Pride connections all month long. Cantor Jacob Niemi will be singing pieces by LGBTQ composers or with Pride themes. How many songs about rainbows does he know? Tune in weekly via Facebook Live to find out!

Quarantine Kitchen Pride Edition: Rainbow Challah 
Thursday, June 3, 12:00–12:30 pm • Facebook Live

Watch this encore showing of Quarantine Kitchen where Jen Szlasa shows us how to make rainbow challah. Try your hand at making some ahead of our Pride Shabbat on June 11. Find the recipe here. You can also watch the demo anytime here.

Reading through a Bent Lens: How Queer Approaches to Text Can Illuminate and Elevate the Study of Jewish Texts 
Sunday, June 6, 11:30 am–1:00 pm • Zoom

Join Cantor Jacob Niemi for an exploration of Jewish sacred texts from LGBTQ+ perspectives, and learn how these readings can elevate the study of Torah for all.

Pride Shabbat 
Friday, June 11, 7:30–9:00 pm • Facebook Live

Explore some of Wisconsin’s LGBTQ+ history, show our pride, and welcome Shabbat through this special Pride Shabbat service honoring the Jewish LGBTQ+ community and allies. We are honored that scholar and activist Richard Wagner will be sharing remarks with us on the topic “Battlers of Hate and Destroyers of Stereotypes in the Struggle for Righteousness.” LGBTQ+ history in Wisconsin, as elsewhere, is a journey toward justice. Episodes in Wisconsin’s journey include the Jewish community's leadership on the state hate crimes law and its work countering ignorance and stereotypes. Join us in this community celebration of love, faith, equality, and respect.

Order Richard Wagner’s books from the local bookstore Mystery to Me (scroll down on the home page of their website for direct links to order in the Featured Books section). Please note on the order form if you would like your books signed by the author. Books to be signed will be delivered to TBE, and we will contact you when they are ready for pickup. Unsigned copies can be picked up at the bookstore at 1863 Monroe Street (across from Trader Joe’s).

Showing Up for Transgender and Nonbinary Youth
Thursday, June 17, 7:00–8:00 pm • Zoom

Brian Juchems, co-executive director of GSAFE (an organization supporting LGBTQ+ students, educators, and families throughout Wisconsin) will give us a look at the issues facing LGBTQ+ students in our schools, bills being debated by our legislature to prevent transgender and nonbinary students from participating in school sports, and longer-term efforts to marginalize transgender youth within our communities. Find out how to get involved to support greater inclusion.

Looking to take action now? Brian also recommends this site https://equityforall.wixsite.com/supporttranskidswi created by a trans youth activist and organizer for ways to take action right now in response to the bills that have been introduced. 

142 Jewish Writing Prompts for Pride
Wednesday, June 23, 7:00–8:30 pm • Zoom

Get your Jewish creative juices flowing! Join Rena Yehuda Newman and writers of all ages, identities, and Jewish backgrounds for a fast-paced workshop of writing prompt-based games for Pride month.

Resources
The Pride team last year put together a wonderful list of resources, which can be found on the Temple blog.

Save the Date
2021 TBE Swarsensky Scholar-in-Residence: Rabbi Mark Sameth

We’re excited to announce that our Swarsensky Scholar this fall, Rabbi Mark Sameth, will explore themes of gender and identity in our tradition and how to use it for justice today.

Provisional Program for November 12–14, 2021 (subject to change)

• Friday evening: “A History of the Dual-Gendered Hebrew Name for God,” in 25 minutes with accompanying graphics. Appropriate for all ages.
• Shabbat morning: Interactive Torah study. A “deep dive” into Parashat Vayeitzei. A look at the text of this week’s Torah portion through the lens of dual gender. One hour.
• Shabbat lunch: Panel discussion with a panel of the Temple’s choosing to engage in conversation with Rabbi Sameth about issues raised so far—and others they may wish to raise. A flexible program designed to bring in other voices and different perspectives.
• Sunday morning: A keynote presentation on the social justice implications of the dual-gendered name of God (e.g., supporting gender equality, feminism, LGBTQ, interfaith, multicultural, and intersectional identities) followed by Q&A. A chance to discuss together how we might best put this learning to use in the furtherance of tikkun olam.

Rabbi Mark Sameth (he/him/his) was named “one of America’s most inspiring rabbis” by The Forward (inaugural list, 2013). He is featured in Jennifer Berne and R. O. Blechman’s God: 48 Famous and Fascinating Minds Talk about God.His interfaith work was the topic of a story in The New York Times. His essays and interviews appear on Religion Dispatches ("Our Father, Who Art Our Mother") and Being Both, in books published by Jossey Bass, Jewish Lights, CCAR Press, and New Paradigm Matrix, and in Reform Judaism Magazine, Journal of Jewish Education, CCAR Journal, and the New York Times (“Is God Transgender?” Op-Ed, August 12, 2016). He tweets from @fourbreaths.

Comments about Rabbi Sameth’s book “The Name: A History of the Dual-Gendered Hebrew Name for God” (Wipf & Stock, 2020):

• “May just be the most interesting thing written about God since the Jews figured out there was only One.” —Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, author of Kabbalah: A Love Story
• “A startlingly persuasive argument that Maimonides sought to reveal the secret of God’s dual gender… Ready-made for adult education.” —Rabbi Elaine Glickman, editor-in-chief, CCAR Journal
• “Has the potential to change our entire understanding of the past.” —Rabbi Dr. Kerry Olitzky, co-author of Book of Job
• “The Name is traditional and revolutionary, historical and mythical, rational and mystical. I couldn't put it down.” —Rabbi Naomi Levy, author of Einstein and the Rabbi