Jewish People

A common saying is “two Jews, three opinions,” and this can be extrapolated to Jewish trans people, as there is no singular experience of being Jewish and trans. Jews encompass a diaspora of people from all over the world who share a Jewish identity and represent many races, ethnicities, nationalities, spiritual beliefs, and religious practices. No universally accepted definition of Jewish identity exists. While Jewishness is seen by some as a biologically rooted absolute, it is an individually self-defined identity to others. In one community, a Jew must have familial heritage and follow prescribed rituals, whereas another community might include converts to Judaism or atheist cultural Jews. This multiplicity of definitions has resonances with concepts of gender identity, including how trans can be defined narrowly ...