East Bay Transgender Chevra

All transgender, transsexual, intersex, genderqueer or gender variant Jews and people in the conversion process are welcome to attend meetings held on the second Sunday of each month at 4pm ** in the Lake Merritt neighborhood of Oakland, CA.

Our first meeting (Nov 2009) was a success, with 8 people in attendance: genderqueers, MTFs, FTMs and partners were all present. Since then, about 15 people have shown up for one or more meetings, with a core group of 9 people who show up regularly. We had a great passover seder in April, 2010. The idea behind our coming together is that there is something unique that should be fostered about being Jewish as a transgender person. We need to think through some of the implications of who we are and how we can best support one another, and serve the community we live in.

Does one of the following ideas appeal to you?

What are the unique contributions a transgender perspective might offer to Jewish tradition?

Are you looking for a ritual or a blessing to take you through the next step of transition?

Would you like to participate in a transgender minyan?

Are you interested in helping to build a supportive transgender Jewish community in the East Bay?

How about bikkur cholim (visiting the sick) for transpeople approaching surgery or recovering?

Are you interested in exploring the intersections of transgender identity and Jewish canonical texts?

Does a transgender Torah study appeal to you?

Would you like to hang out with other transgender or gender variant Jews?

Are you interested in helping to transform the East Bay Jewish community into a place where gender-variance is celebrated?

Want to have fun, see movies, take walks, have dinners, and converse with other Jewish transpeople?

Are you interested in reading Jewish literature by transgender authors, or with transgender or gender variant characters, and talking about your thoughts with other transpeople?

Join us!