Video & Guides on Queer Jewish Ancestors: The Story of Ben Rosenstein z"l
The story of Ben Rosenstein z"l offers an entry point into questions of LGBTQ+ dignity in death.
About
What does queer dignity in death look like? How can Jewish communities honor LGBTQ+ members in their passing? The story of Ben Rosenstein z"l offers an entry point into these questions, via three resources:
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The video outlines Ben’s life and death in early twentieth-century America, as well as a twenty-first century community’s efforts to honor him.
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The Discussion Guide for Participants includes questions and prompts for viewers.
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The Discussion Guide for Facilitators includes these same questions and prompts, as well as additional considerations and suggested discussion points.
Learning Goals:
- Explore themes of LGBTQ+ ancestry and queer Jewish lineages.
- Learn the story of Ben Rosenstein z”l as a case study for honoring queer ancestors.
- Understand challenges around dignity in death for queer people.
- Learn Jewish tools for fostering dignity in death for queer people.
Video Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to LGBTQ+ ancestors
01:34 Immigrating to America
2:01 Life on the Lower East Side of NYC
3:25 Moving to the Midwest
4:21 Navigating Illness
6:48 Ben's Passing
8:04 Honoring Queer Ancestors in Death
Sources:
- Noam Sienna; A Rainbow Thread: An Anthology of Queer Jewish Texts from the First Century To 1969 (2019)
- Chicago Daily Tribune: Death Reveals Girl “Wed” Girl to Fight Want. February 8, 1915.
- Chicago Daily Tribune: Dress, Not Suit, Will Be Shroud. February 9, 1915.
- Digital Transgender Archive
Additional Resources:
- Community Hevra Kadisha of Greater Boston; Toward a Gender-Inclusive Hevra Kadisha (2020)
- Feinberg, Leslie; Transgender Warriors: Making History from Joan of Arc to Marsha P. Johnson and Beyond (1997)
- Feinberg, Leslie; Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue (1998)
- Jewish Book Council; Queer Identity in Jewish History: An Interview with Noam Sienna (2019)
- The Order of the Good Death; Trans Death Rights Are Human Rights (2020)
- Queer Funeral Guide; A Funeral Guide for Queer People, and Those Who Support Them (2019)
- Sharman, Zena; We Have the Power to Reimagine How We Die and How We Mourn; Xtra (2023)
- Shomer Collective’s Jewish End of Life Rituals Glossary
Discover more
Resources on death and dying created as part of the Shomer Collective Educator Fellowship.
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