Moving Traditions and Temple Beth Abraham are excited to bring Tzelem B-Mitzvah
to trans, nonbinary, or gender expansive teens and their families in the Westchester area.
About the Program
The Moving Traditions Tzelem B-Mitzvah Program – created by rabbis, social workers, and educators – helps parents and preteens explore what it means to celebrate this milestone as part of their adolescent and gender journeys, be the center of attention during a life cycle ritual, navigate expectations from friends and family, find Jewish meaning in the ceremony, and navigate other social-emotional challenges and joys of coming of age. The program offers support for families and trans, nonbinary, or gender expansive 6th grade preteens seeking to build authentic rituals and ways of being on the day of their b-mitzvahs and every day, while countering cultural pressures that encourage the performance of a singular way to be – a Jew, a family, a gendered human.
This program grows out of two aspects of Moving Traditions’ research-based work that have served thousands of youth and their families for the past few years. The Moving Traditions B-Mitzvah Family Education Program is a family education-focused approach to b-mitzvah that connects Jewish wisdom to the interpersonal and social elements that come up as children enter the teen years. Moving Traditions’ Tzelem groups, offered in collaboration with Keshet, were created to serve the needs of trans and non-binary Jewish teens through monthly meetings with a trans or non-binary mentor. Some Tzelem groups have expanded to serve LGBTQ+ teens, many of whom are also exploring gender identity.
Please note that this program is not a preparation for a b-mitzvah ceremony, but a place to explore together the many issues related to becoming a teenager, and gender identity, that come up during that process. If your family is looking for a synagogue or community to prepare for the b-mitzvah ceremony, we are happy to connect you with our partners!
Program Details
The program consists of eight sessions during the school year, led by a trained facilitator. All sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 7 – 8:30 p.m. ET on the following dates:
- November 6, 2024
- December 18, 2024
- January 22, 2025
- February 5, 2025
- March 5, 2025
- April 2, 2025
- May 7, 2025
Location:
Temple Beth Abraham
25 Leroy Avenue
Tarrytown, NY 10591
P: (914) 631-1770
Group Leader: Rabbi Amalya Volz
Rabbi Amalya Volz is a chaplain, spiritual leader and seeker, social justice organizer, and teacher of Jewish texts who was ordained as a rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary in May, and simultaneously received a MA in Jewish Women and Gender Studies. Rabbi Volz has served in both informal and formal roles in a number of communities in Ohio and New York, including the Cleveland Partnership Minyan, Oberlin Hillel, the Beis Community, and the Fort Tryon Jewish Center. She is passionate about writing and her publication credits include Hey Alma, eJewishPhilanthropy, Tablet, and the Times of Israel. She received a BA in Jewish Studies from Oberlin College. Follow her on Instagram and Substack.
Please contact Stacy Shapiro at sshapiro@movingtraditions.org or Stessa Peers at speers@tba-ny.org with any questions!
Supporting Partners
