Our hearts remain broken. Our rage still simmers. But amid our myriad feelings about the election outcome and its impact on LGBTQ+ people, Jews, all of us — we are also galvanized. We at Keshet are more committed than ever to the work we do to cultivate spaces of affirmation and belonging, and to advocate forcefully, Jewishly, for the rights of transgender, nonbinary, gender-expansive, and all LGBTQ+ people. We know, firsthand, how deeply it is needed.
In this moment, observing Trans Day of Remembrance and Resilience by honoring the power of trans people in the face of hardship and mourning the trans and nonbinary people whose lives were lost in acts of hateful violence is a sacred act of resistance as we stand at the precipice of what’s been happening and what’s to come. It is a deep reminder that we have been in this fight for generations, and that we possess the hard-won tools to triumph.
Here are a variety of ways to do mark this day.
Observe TDOR in your community
- Hold space to remember those who were lost this year. Share this memorial reading by SVARA faculty and Keshet Emeritus Board member Rabbi Becky Silverstein. Add this or another memorial reading to your Shabbat service.
- Consider pulling from our Transgender Remembrance and Resilience Shabbat Liturgy for your next Shabbat service or utilize the whole thing for a service of your own.
- Share our Transgender Day of Remembrance memorial graphic in your social media and/or download it and post publicly in your institution.
- For many transgender people, TDOR is a hard day. Keep this in mind as you engage with your community, and consider it when planning other events on your calendar.
- If you are personally impacted, remember there is no right or wrong way to mark this day, and hold yourself with compassion. Give yourself space to grieve if you need it.
Educate yourself
Make plans to support trans members of your community
- Offer support with Jewish rituals that mark transgender-specific lifecycle events like name changes and gender-affirming medical procedures. (For resources, visit transtorah.org)
- Make sure your community spaces have all-gender restrooms.
- Make sure community organizations practice inclusive policies that are transgender affirming.
- Model correct pronoun and name use, and encourage your community to do the same. Show respect to trans and nonbinary community members.
- Honor living Jewish transgender leaders like Kate Bornstein, Koach Baruch Frazier, and Abby Chava Stein by reading their work or booking them to speak at your organization. You can order Keshet LGBTQ Jewish Hero posters of Kate Bornstein and Koach Frazier here.
- If you would like to get involved in Keshet’s work mobilizing Jewish communities to fight for trans rights, please contact our Community Mobilization team at [email protected]
- Reach out to Keshet’s Education and Training department for support in cultivating trans equality and belonging in your community at [email protected].
