What Does It Mean to Be Created in God’s Image? Educating About Queer Judaism in the Reform Jewish Community

This essay presents an view of a particular study and discussion guide for rabbis, educators and trainers based on Mishkan Ga’avah: Where Pride Dwells: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Jewish Life and Ritual. This book is a compilation of 130 prayers, blessings, and inspirational liturgical texts that celebrate Jewish LGBTQ+ spirituality, gender and sexuality, such as a Prayer after a First Sexual Experience, a Blessing for Chest-Binding for Trans, Non-Binary, and/or Gender Non-Conforming Jew, etc. The guide, which was created by Rabbi Eger and Eleanor B. Steinman, RJE, provides tools for Jewish communities and communal leaders to teach about gender, sexuality and Judaism. The lessons are targeted to those school-aged and up, including college students and adults. This paper covers the main themes of the guide and explains how a religious-egalitarian discourse regarding sexual education is structured and how it reflects profound trends in the discourse and practice of including LGBTQ+ people in American Reform Jewish communities. This discussion will illuminate more broadly how discourse on non-heteronormative sexuality and gender intersects with contemporary religious communities.