MEETING

The EBTC is on hiatus until May, 2011.

LISTSERV

Click here to join the announcement list for the East Bay Transgender Chevra.

BLOG

Click here for the EBTC Blog. 

**Due to the need for confidentiality of our membership, please email Noach Dzmura [ brerrabbi at hotmail dot com ] providing a little information about yourself and what your interests/goals are for participating in the Chevra.  In reply, Noach will send you the location of the meeting.

East Bay Transgender Chevra (EBTC)

About EBTC

The EBTC has been meeting since November, 2009 in a private residence in Oakland, California.  As the group coalesces, we will develop interests in a number of areas of Jewish concern.  As it stands now, we serve different roles for our members. 

In part, we support one another in joys and challenges of life.  In part, we celebrate Jewish holidays and life-cycle rituals together, including rituals related to transition.  In part we are a social justice organization, concerned with transgender inclusion in the Bay Area.  Some of our members teach in local classrooms, synagogues and JCCs.  Others enjoy the time to be Jewish and talk about living Jewish lives, in a place that is utterly and completely accepting of our gender identity. 

Ultimately, the group will evolve to meet the needs of its members, in the place where gender and Judaism intersect.  (Which, as you know, is a pretty broad container!)

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 serve the community we live in.

Exploring TransJewish Possibilities

Just to begin to explore what might be possible:  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?