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According to the Torah Commentary Torah Queeries (a look at the weekly parsha through an LGBT lens), this week’s Torah portion poses many challenges for those whose gender identity does not align with their anatomy. In the 2^nd creation story of this week’s parsha, we read that God created man and then from man, God removed a rib and fashioned woman.

Regardless of whether you take the story literally, most of us tend to label people either male or female. But what about those who in their kishkes, do not feel like what their bodies tell them they are? According to the commentary, the challenge of this week’s portion is that “not all human beings identify with the gender in which they appear to have been ‘created.’”

Many transgendered people while being frustrated that this week’s Torah portion sorts humans by gender lines, find great comfort in the fact, that it also tells us that we are all made b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God. I hope that anyone who feels marginalized remembers that anyone made in God’s image (which is everyone) has a vital place in this world. As I read the creation story this year, I am thinking about all those who struggle with labels regarding their gender or sexual identity.

To that end, I would love to personally invite you to join with me and march in this year’s Pride Parade on Sunday, October 14^th. It is one of the sign-up options for our congregation-wide Mitzvah Day. A bus will be leaving Sinai for Pride at 10 am where we will join in a day of celebration and honor of all who are indeed made in God’s image. I look forward to marching alongside all of my Temple Sinai family with pride!

The link below will sign you up for Pride and give you an option to ride the bus.

https://www.templesinaiatlanta.org/form/50th-anniversary-mitzvah-day.html

https://atlantapride.org/fest-and-parade/

Shabbat Shalom,

Beth