nice-jewish-trans-girl - Tumblr blog

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רוּת֙ אַל־תִּפְגְּעִי־בִ֔י לְעׇזְבֵ֖ךְ לָשׁ֣וּב מֵאַחֲרָ֑יִךְ כִּ֠י אֶל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֵּלְכִ֜י אֵלֵ֗ךְ וּבַאֲשֶׁ֤ר תָּלִ֙ינִי֙ אָלִ֔ין עַמֵּ֣ךְ עַמִּ֔י וֵאלֹהַ֖יִךְ אֱלֹהָֽי׃

"And Ruth said: Do not try and coerce me to abandon you, to return to being behind you, for wherever you shall go- I will go, and wherever you sleep, I will sleep. Your nation is my nation, and your G-d is my G-d."

בַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תָּמ֙וּתִי֙ אָמ֔וּת וְשָׁ֖ם אֶקָּבֵ֑ר כֹּה֩ יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה יְהֹוָ֥ה לִי֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֔יף כִּ֣י הַמָּ֔וֶת יַפְרִ֖יד בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֵֽךְ׃

"Where you die, I shall die, and there I shall be buried. Thus shall G-d do to me and thus shall He continue to do so, for only death shall place a separation between me and between you."

[Megillat Ruth, Chapter 1, Verses 16-17]

In a few days is the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which among many things is the celebration of the wheat harvest. On Shavuot, Megillat Ruth (the book of Ruth) is read in synagogue. Megillat Ruth is the story of Ruth, a Moabite convert to Judaism. The defining moment of the story is when she and her mother-in-law Naomi are on the road to Israel, and Naomi implores her to leave her and return to Moab where she was held in high esteem. Ruth tells her that she will never abandon her, and that her nation (Judaism) is her nation. Ultimately, by the end of the book, we learn that a descendent of Ruth is King David, and in turn the entire Judaic Dynasty. King David passed away on Shavuot, and the main events of Megillat Ruth take place during the wheat harvest. For these reasons, the Megilla is read on Shavuot.

Megillat Ruth is especially important to Gerim- converts to Judaism, and many of the laws we have today about conversion are derived from Megillat Ruth.

More recently, the LGBT+ Jewish community, especially the lesbian Jewish community, has claimed Megillat Ruth as part of their story. The relationship between Ruth and Naomi is an ambiguous one- Naomi is Ruth's mother-in-law, but homosexual in-law relationships are not uncommon in history. Additionally, a lot of the language Ruth and Naomi use for each other can be interpreted as romantic. In fact, when Ruth has a child, the language the Megilla uses is that Naomi became the adoptive mother of the child.

Ultimately, we'll never know for sure what the nature of Ruth and Naomi's relationship truly was, but we do know that it is a story many LGBT+ Jews take comfort and pride in.

This year, as in most years, Shavuot falls in the Gregorian month of June, which is observed as LGBT+ Pride Month in the US many other parts of the world. In many cities, Pride Parades fall out on Shabbat or Shavuot, too often for it to be a coincidence, excluding LGBT+ Observant Jews from participating in Pride celebrations. I know for myself it's something I feel very hurt by, and something I think LGBT+ gentiles need to address and take accountability for.

But, I will still take comfort in Megillat Ruth, and the beautiful and loving relationship of Ruth and Naomi, who are part of my history and heritage as an LGBT+ Jew.

[image description in alt text]

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

Before voting, spin the wheel and get a Lord of the Rings character.

Not sure who your character is? You can look them up on this Tolkien Gateway character list, or just vote based on vibes.

For the purposes of the game, assume your vote is not "LaCE compliant." (That is, fucking an elf does not instantly mean marriage or death for that elf.)

Poll concept from @pollsnatural.

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

this was carved approx 1,700 years ago!!!

look at that shofar, lulav, and etrog under the menorah!!!!! almost two thousand years later and this hasn’t changed!!!!

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

Hey, would you consider taking down this post: https://www.tumblr.com/accessible-art/733352422469156864

The phrase "from the river to the sea" is an antisemitic phrase. That phrase is about the forceful expulsion of Jews from every land and into the sea to die off. It is very unfortunate that it's being used unwittingly by well meaning people to rally support for Palestine and their suffering (which we should do! Please don't misunderstand). That phrase is too loaded.

hello there anon, i am going to word this as gently as i can. i myself am jewish, and i will not be taking down the post as i fundamentally disagree that "from the river to the sea" is antisemitic. the saying is not to do with expelling jews from anywhere, much less killing us all. it is referring to the fact that israel is a settler colonial state on land that palestinians (of all religions - including jews) have inhabited for thousands of years. from the river to the sea is a reaffirmation of this land-history and a call to action against the ethnic cleansing, genocide, and erasure that palestinians have faced under israeli apartheid/governance. saying that the restoration of palestinian land to the palestinian people would result in jewish genocide is a baseless projection. do not get me wrong, there are absolutely people using the pro-palestine movement as a mask for their antisemitism, but this phrase did not originate with them. the reason this phrase is so divisive is the same reason "landback" is so divisive. settler-colonialism is so pervasive in the west that the idea of indigenous people seeking sovereignty over their land without violently dispossessing all others who live on the land is unfathomable, no matter how many times indigenous people have made it clear that they have no desire to do so. to put it bluntly, that phrase is only "too loaded" if you do not recognize palestinians as indigenous to their land, at which point whatever support you're "rallying" would be rendered useless.

you are welcome to unfollow us if this explanation does not satisfy you, but we will not be taking down our pro-palestine content.

~ mod elya

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

i just pointed out in my judaism class that it’s interesting to me that when asked God’s name, God did respond with the ineffable name (the tetragrammaton) but put a much greater emphasis on who they are the God OF (I’m the God of Abraham, the God of Moses, etc.).

and my teacher said she feels a kinship with that because she remembers the joy that came with the first time she was called “(son’s name)’s mom”, and how beautiful it feels be named for who you love. and i almost burst into tears

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

I keep getting this mental image. Imagine him angrily dragging across the floor. In rage

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

I love it when people use "shrimp" to mean "beyond the human range". like "shrimp colors" but applied to other things. "shrimp emotions" "shrimp sounds" "shrimp morality", as if shrimp are living some kind of transcendent existence that humans can never comprehend

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

Two sword-shaped (“sipa”) amulets engraved with the Hebrew names of angels, names of G-d, and initials of verses, sewn into clothing for the protection of children whose siblings had passed away 

Iraqi Kurdistan or Iran, late 19th - early 20th century

via Kedem Auctions

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

Shabbat Shalom <3

the first time I lit shabbat candles

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

this website holds over 100 personal testimonies from roma & sinti survivors of the holocaust (porajmos). this is an ongoing project; the prague forum for romani histories will publish approximately 150 further testimonies over the next 2 years.

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

as we approach tu bishvat I am thinking about the olive trees in palestine. as we approach the new year for trees i am thinking about all the trees burned and cut down and decimated in palestine during the past century. as people gear up to donate to the reforestation and ecological concerns of occupied lands for tu bishvat i am thinking of the disregard for the environment in gaza and the west bank, i am thinking of the destruction of agricultural sites, of families’ olive groves and pomegranate trees that have stood for decades or even centuries, i am thinking of the ecological impact of incessant bombardment. as i get the zoom link to the tu bishvat seder with a list of foods to prepare in my email i am thinking of hunger in palestine.

donate to care for gaza

donate to PCRF

donate to anera

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

In the synagogue in Rovno, Volhynia, northwestern Ukraine (1924)

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

A few scenes of Jewish life in Algeria

Jewish men studying Torah, 19th century

Jewish family in Constantine, beginning of 20th century

A reunion in Constantine, most likely early 20th century

Jewish Jewelers in Constantine

Jewish shoemakers under a tent, 19th to 20th century

Tlemcen, the text reads “Hebraic ceremony organized at the Israelite Cemetary by the “Hebrat Guemelout Hassadim” Society for the burial of old Hebrew books no longer in use - the invitees and members” 19th to 20th century.

Via Judaicalgeria

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

A trans woman needs help right now.

My friend is back in the hospital and living in one of the coldest winters in her area in her car. She was laid off of her job because of irresponsibility of greedy corporate. Below you can find her payment methods, please spread the word as much as possible.

VeNm0: AbigailJ19

CA$HAPP: Joitoi

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

Jewish amulet to protect a woman and her newborn son, with invocations of Adam and Eve, Lilith, and several angels; Podolia, Ukraine, late 19th century. (The Russian Museum of Ethnography, St. Petersburg)

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

I hope everyone that's following me knows I do not support Zionism and am Palestinian yes?

[nice-jewish-trans-girl]

Verso Books has made several e-books on the history of Palestine available for free

1) Ten Myths About Israel by Ilan Pappe — examines the claims that are repeated endlessly in the media, enforced by the military, accepted without question by the world’s governments and reinforce the regional status quo. download here: https://versobooks.com/en-gb/blogs/news/solidarity-with-palestine-free-resources-and-further-reading?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

2) The Palestine Laboratory by @antloewenstein — uncovers how Israel has become a global leader in spying technology and defence hardware that fuels the globe's most brutal conflicts. download here: https://versobooks.com/en-gb/blogs/news/solidarity-with-palestine-free-resources-and-further-reading?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

3) Palestine Speaks ed. by Mateo Hoke and Cate Malek — a collection of testimonials from Palestinians narrating their own experiences and their own suffering. download here: https://versobooks.com/en-gb/blogs/news/solidarity-with-palestine-free-resources-and-further-reading?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

4) Blaming the Victims ed. by Christopher Hitchens and Edward W. Said — shows how the historical fate of the Palestinians has been justified by spurious academic attempts to dismiss their claim to a home within the boundaries of historical Palestine. download here: https://versobooks.com/en-gb/blogs/news/solidarity-with-palestine-free-resources-and-further-reading?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

5) The Case for Sanctions Against Israel ed. by Audrea Lim — considers all sides of the movement—including detailed comparisons with the South African experience. download here: https://www.versobooks.com/products/2239-the-case-for-sanctions-against-israel

6) The Punishment of Gaza by Gideon Levy — Tracks the development of Israel policy, which has abandoned the pretense of diplomacy in favor of raw military power. download here: https://versobooks.com/en-gb/blogs/news/solidarity-with-palestine-free-resources-and-further-reading?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social