#nonbinary hebrew project

[kittyoverlord]

Hello. I am lucky enough to be friends with the creator of the Nonbinary Hebrew Project. They are looking for input on website accesibility, and I thought tumblr would be a good group of people to ask.

If you didn't know about the Nonbinary Hebrew Project, there are great resources for things like being called up for an Aliyah, the Parent's Blessing, etc.

If you happen to have a few minutes to peruse the site and send me your thoughts/ideas on accessibility, I will pass all comments along to the owner of the site.

@vaspider Thought you may be interested and could help spread the word. :) (no worries if not tho)

[magnetothemagnificent]

Do you have thoughts on the Nonbinary Hebrew Project? https://www.nonbinaryhebrew.com/grammar-systematics

I've known about it for a while and I think it's pretty cool! I personally think its systematics make more sense than other suggestions/movements people have made, such the creation of new letters which is more common/being tested in Israel. I find the grammar laid out in the Nonbinary Hebrew Project to be a lot simpler and I think would be a lot easier in terms of typing (new characters is obviously a challenge for typing and digitizing) and incorporating into daily use. The new letters are really only used in signage, because they can't really be distinguished in speech, and thus really aren't helpful, where as the Nonbinary Hebrew Project's system can be integrated into both text and speech.

[whatlieswithintheorchard]

Everyone!!! Check out Volume II of this wonderful siddur!!!!

Siddur Or veShalom is the second volume of Siddur Masorti, a new Sefaradi siddur. Siddur Or veShalom contains the liturgy for Shabbat and Festivals and is a part of our first ever community partnership with Congregation Or veShalom in Atlanta, Georgia.

"The Siddur offers a new, fluid, and gender sensitive translation of the text, a transliteration according to Sefaradi pronunciation, and a running commentary. It seems that one could not wish for more, yet there are many more pearls of wisdom and excitement to be found by the traveler in the magical paths of this Siddur."

It celebrates traditional Sefaradi liturgy, inclusive of a diversity of Sephardi/Mizraḥi customs and filled with beautiful piyyutim (songs and poetry) and psalm texts. But accessibility is at its core, with an unprecedented full transliteration, guiding commentary, and adaptations for use by all genders.

[lazarusemma]

This doesn't quite answer the actual question here, but on a related aside I'd recommend looking into the Nonbinary Hebrew Project (which includes a page of resources about other languages, including Yiddish)!

Do you know if there's any Hebrew/Yiddish terms for trans and nonbinary? I know there's a few from the traditional eight genders, but I don't feel comfortable using them since they're more intersex specific, and I'm not intersex myself. Thank you in advance

There's a list of Yiddish trans/nonbinary terms!

I don't have a list on hand for Hebrew, so hopefully my followers (particularly those who are Israeli) can help out.

You're right that what some people call Talmudic "genders" are actually sexes.

[roboromantic]

.

[notaplaceofhonour]

Question for nonbinary jumblr:

I’m nonbinary & need a gender neutral alternative to aunt/uncle for my nieces & nephews to call me. I know English has “auncle” & “pibling” but both sound uncomfortable to my ear. My instinct to construct an at least natural-sounding equivalent would be to go back to the etymological root for aunt & uncle to reconstruct a version that isn’t gendered. The problem is, aunt & uncle don’t share an etymological root, so this isn’t really possible.

On the other hand, דודה & דוד in Hebrew clearly do share etymology & seem like they would relatively easy to make gender neutral (besides the obvious that “gender neutral” isn’t how Hebrew typically works lol). However, I’m aware that there’s a project/movement to Queer Hebrew / introduce non-binary gender to it, and I’m curious if anyone knows what would be a way to make דודה / דוד gender-neutral?

[spacelazarwolf]

love that anon is so upset about trans converts meanwhile when i talked to my rabbi about how i was questioning my gender & stressing about picking my name she was like 'do you want a gender neutral name? we will Make you a gender neutral name'

eventually we decided on one feminine and one masculine name and m'beit (thank you nonbinary hebrew project) instead of ben or bat and it was literally fine with everyone involved

nice!!!

[the-one-eyed-seer]

me @ Hebrew

Not everything has to be male or female. Not everything has to have a gender. A rock is a rock. A tree is a tree.

God damn it.

[simontov]

google search: how to ask my hebrew teacher to translate the nonbinary hebrew project stuff for me since we're learning all of the other pronouns but despite the fact that i have (he/they) in my name she immediately went "at-AH" last class which felt. weird. anyway.

[kittyoverlord]

immediately bounced off the site for not (seeming to?) support light mode, in case that's useful feedback

I will pass this along!

[magnetothemagnificent]

do you know anything about ways to neutrally gender myself in Hebrew? I’ve been switching between masculine and feminine words (per a suggestion from a friend of mine whose first language is Hebrew) but I don’t love it as I would prefer to be ungendered.

There's many different movements and programs to add gender neutral pronouns and grammar to Hebrew, a bunch of them are outlined in this thread here :)

I personally like the Nonbinary Hebrew Project best, although it's not something that's caught on in Israel and is more US-based. I find the system really straight-forward and logical, and easier on the eyes to read.

But there's a few options out there, and you can figure out what works best for you :)

[pargolettasworld]

I think it's becoming a much more common option, certainly in the United States. At my shul, we've started referring to the process in general as "B'mitzvah." Part of my job is coordinating participation in these services, and one of the first things I ask the family in my first email to them is something like "Congratulations on [name of kid]'s upcoming simchah! How will we refer to this event going forward? Bar/bat mitzvah, b'nei mitzvah, b'mitzvah, or something else?" The parents are usually very happy to tell me, and we go from there.

Also, if anyone needs this for future reference, the Nonbinary Hebrew Project is gaining steam, and could help make your nonbinary b'mitzvah an even bigger success.

This is revolutionary y’all. I remember being 13 and refused to go do any ceremony because my parents tried to force me to go through a bar mitzvah. By virtue of the masculine name alone I just couldn’t do it. After that, I felt very alienated from the Jewish community. Having this option is so important for us to repair these binary aspects of our culture (link)

[whatlieswithintheorchard]

Nonbinary Hebrew Chanting Minyan

Friday, November 11, 9:00-9:45am PST on Zoom

Do you have a hard time with patriarchal language in liturgy? With an anthropomorphic male God figure? Do you love chanting or are you chanting-curious?

Join a morning minyan that is accessible to all and uses entirely nonbinary Hebrew and names for the Divine. All prayers will be in transliteration or English, so come even if Hebrew is new to you!

This minyan is a joint effort between SZ and Moishe House Rockridge in Oakland.

Join the Meeting: Zoom link

[jewish-lgbtq]

Because Hebrew is a gendered language, the Nonbinary Hebrew Project has created a third grammatical gender system! They are building a bigger tent for nonbinary Jews, guided by Torah and Talmud which teach us to rejoice that which cannot be neatly categorized.

The project is free, open-source, community-based, and grassroots. It lives and grows and changes with every single person who uses and adds to it.

Here are some example usages: Candlelighting Blessing: with gender-expansive God language

בְּרוּךֶ אָתֶה ײַ, אֱלֹהִימוֹתֵינוּ מַלְכֶּת הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְשֶׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶיהֶ וְצִוֶנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל שַבָּת

Bruche ateh Adonai, Elohimoteinu Malket ha’Olam asher kidshenu b’mitzvoteihe, v’tzivenu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat. Blessed are You, God, Ruler of the universe, who sanctified us with the commandment of lighting Shabbat candles.

~~~

Kiddush: with gender-expansive God language

בְּרוּךֶ אָתֶה ײַ,  אֱלֹהִימוֹתֵינוּ מַלְכֶּת הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרָאת פְּרִי הַגָּֽפֶן

Bruche ateh Adonai, Elohimoteinu Malket ha’Olam, borat p’ri hagafen. Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

~~~

Blessing over Bread: with gender-expansive God language

בְּרוּךֶ אָתֶה ײַ, אֱלֹהִימוֹתֵינוּ מַלְכֶּת הָעוֹלָם, הַ��ּוֹצִיאֶה לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ

Bruche ateh Adonai, Elohimoteinu Malket ha’Olam, Hamotzi'e lechem min ha'aretz. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has brought forth bread from the earth.

~~~

Waking-up Blessing: with gender-expansive language for the speaker, but traditional God language

מודֶת אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּם, שֶׁהֶחֱזַרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה, רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ:

Modet ani l'fanecha, melech chai v'kayam, shechezarta bi nishmati, b'chemla, raba emunatecha.

I give thanks before you, King living and eternal, for You have returned within me my soul with compassion; abundant is Your faithfulness!

~~~

Morning Blessing substitutions: with gender-expansive language for the speaker, but traditional God language

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁעָשַׂנִי בֶּת חוֹרין

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-Olam, she-asani bet chorin.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has made me free. ~~~

Soulmate Blessing: written by Ariel Ezekiel Tovlev, with gender-expansive language for the speaker's soulmate, but traditional God language

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶת יְדִידֶת נַפְשִׁי

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam, asher asah et yedidet nafshi. Blessed are You, Ruler of the Universe, who created the companion of my soul.

~~~

Wedding-Enacting Words: with gender-expansive language for the one the speaker is marrying and for the ring, but traditional God language

הרי אתה מקדשה לי, בטבעת זת, כדת משה וישראל

Harei ateh m’kudesheh li, b’tabaet zet, k’dat Moshe v’Yisrael.

Behold, you are sanctified to me, with this ring, according to Moses and Israel. ~~~ For more examples, as well as charts explaining the grammar system, check out the website! A note from Jewish-LGBTQ: The Nonbinary Hebrew Project is primarily being created in the diaspora and is used for ritual purposes; queer communities in Israel have their own system for creating gender-expansive Hebrew. The Nonbinary Hebrew Project should be understood as creating a third grammatical gender for liturgical and ritual Hebrew, rather than for everyday, spoken Modern Hebrew.

[progressivejudaism]

I can’t believe that I’ve never posted this here--  this is a thing.   An important thing.   If you are learning Hebrew / know Hebrew, please check this out.  Let’s help this movement to grow.