24 February 21 • 2019
jn

‘Be The Light’

Series will focus on raising
diverse, authentic Jewish families.
T

hrough a grant from the Jewish 
Women’
s Foundation, Stand 
with Trans will offer a series of 
workshops — “Be the Light” — geared 
to Jewish parents that deal with a 
variety of topics surrounding raising 
LGBTQ+ children. 
Topics will include creating an 
LGBTQ+ inclusive community for 
Jewish families, parenting with 
love and acceptance, and hear-
ing from those who’
ve been 
through it. The workshops will 
look at these topics through a 
Jewish lens, exploring how val-
ues and Torah come into play.
The first event is at 7:30 
p.m. Saturday, March 9, at 
Congregation Shaarey Zedek 
in Southfield. Featured speak-
ers are Rabbi Yonatan Dahlen 
of Shaarey Zedek, Dr. Daniel 
Shumer, clinical director of the 
Child and Adolescent Gender 
Clinic at C.S. Mott Children’
s 
Hospital in Ann Arbor, and 
Sara Wiener, M.S.W
., director 
of mental health services within 
Child & Adolescent Gender 
Services at Mott Hospital.
At this event, participants will 
learn to understand the differ-
ence between gender identity 
and sexual orientation; discuss 
the coming-out process, includ-
ing transitioning, pronoun changes, 
hormones and surgery; explore Jewish 
values regarding communal responsi-
bility and creating sanctuaries, obliga-
tion vs. kindness, and compassion and 
forgiveness; and learn ways to be more 
inclusive in their homes. 

The second event is at 9:30 a.m. 
Sunday, April 7, at Temple Israel in 
West Bloomfield. Rabbi Becca Walker 
and Monica Sampson, M.S.W
., will 
present practical learning about 
accepting parenting practices. 
The third in the series is at 7 p.m. 
Tuesday, May 7, at Temple Beth El 
in Bloomfield Township. A panel of 
parents and LGBTQ+ identified 
individuals will share their sto-
ries. Lite refreshments will be 
served at each event. 
Go to standwithtrans.org/
upcoming-events/be-the-light 
to register. There is no charge to 
attend and the workshops are 
open to the community.
Stand with Trans is a nonprof-
it organization whose mission is 
to provide the tools needed by 
transgender youth so they will 
be empowered, supported and 
validated as they transition to 
their authentic life.
When Hunter, the son of 
Stand with Trans’
 Executive 
Director Roz Gould Keith, 
first came out as a transgender 
male at age 13, the Keiths had 
nowhere to go for support. They 
felt alone and lost.
“Within the year, Temple 
Israel was calling with resources 
and let us know that our family 
was always welcome (at Temple),
” Roz 
Keith said. “It’
s a tough road and we 
feel blessed to have had the support 
of the Jewish community from the 
Frankel Jewish Academy to Temple 
Israel to Camp Tamarack — everyone 
has had our backs.
” ■

jews d
in 
the

Rabbi Yonatan 
Dahlen

Dr. Daniel 
Shumer

Sara Wiener

Jewish National Fund’
s Women for Israel 
and Thread invite you to a 
GIRL’S 
NIGHT 
OUT

Featuring an Israeli Wine Tasting

WITH 
SPECIAL 
GUEST
Libby Weiss

Former IDF Social Media Spokesperson 

Thursday, March 7, 2019 ∙ 7:00 pm

Specialties Showroom
2800 
W. 
Eleven 
Mile 
Rd., 
Berkley, 
MI 

RSVP by February 28 at jnf.org/wfidetroit

No cost to attend Dietary laws observed Wine and hors d’
oeuvres will be served 
 
 

Thread’s 
mission 
is 
to 
empower, 
educate 
and 
engage 
 
Jewish 
women 
in 
their 
30s 
to 
50s 

jnf.org · 800.JNF.0099

The National Council of Jewish 
Women Michigan will be hon-
oring exceptional Jewish high 
school seniors who demonstrate 
leadership within the community. 
Applicants must prepare a personal 
essay, demonstrate their leader-
ship in the Jewish and/or secular 
communities and be available for a 
personal interview the morning of 
Sunday, April 14. 
Applications are due Monday, 
Feb. 25, by noon to NCJW|MI, 
26400 Lahser Road, Suite 306, 

Southfield, MI 48033. Eight final-
ists will be recognized at the Jewish 
Youth Awards Ceremony Tuesday, 
May 14, at 7 p.m. First place 
will receive $,2500; second place 
$1,200; third and fourth place $500 
each; and four honorable mentions 
will receive $200 each.
The awards are funded by Dina 
and Herman (z’
l) Brodsky Jewish 
Youth Awards Fund and Nathan 
(z’
l) and Esther (z’
l) Katz Jewish 
Youth Awards Fund. 
For details, go to ncjwmi.org.

NCJW 2019 Jewish Youth Awards

