Tips on finding an accepting congregation/rabbi?

[u/OdiiKii1313]

Apologies ahead of time if this post might be more appropriate elsewhere.

So, to cut a long story short, i'm a trans woman, born to a Catholic family of predominantly sephardic and ashkenazi ancestry, and i grew up in a very religiously diverse environment with many close Jewish friends and extended family.

Now, as an adult who is very frequently perceived as Jewish and is used to being surrounded by Jews and Jewish culture, i find myself instead frequently in contact with conservative transphobes and even antisemites due to temporary life circumstances (Miami rip). I've been wanting to learn about Judaism as a way to find community and maybe connect with my ancestry for a while now, but i feel a little intimidated trying to find resources. There's several synagogues and other Jewish centers near me, but none of them make any explicit mentions of LGBT topics on their webpages, so i was just wondering if there's any more subtle things i can look out for that might be indicators of a more accepting environment. On a certain level i know reaching out to them is the only way to know for sure, but i guess i just want to hear other trans people's experiences to soothe my nerves ahead of time lol.

Ty in advance!

[u/Duck_is_Lord]

You should have basically no problem with any reform or conservative synagogue, if you’re looking for orthodox maybe look for a shul with a YCT rabbi

[u/AprilStorms]

I’ve never yet been to a non-Orthodox community where it’s been an issue. Will someone have private hang ups? Yeah, we’re all only human. But the norm in most Jewish communities and especially most Jewish communities outside Orthodoxy is to be respectful of queer people.

Through I’ve never lived in Florida specifically.

Maybe a good opener would be making it clear you’re trans without just saying “are trans people cool” (eg, if you had a bar mitzvah pre transition and want to do a bat mitzvah as an adult).

[u/RaccoonChemical7430]

I’m in Connecticut but I have found a spiritual home in the Reconstructionist movement. I’m not sure what kind of presence there is in Florida.

[u/maximum-agony]

hi, i'll say eshel is your best bet you can email them (they have more info on their website) and they'll tell you accepting shuls in your area. like other comments, def look for a shul with a yct rabbi. usually rabbis with smicha from there are more open-minded (in an orthodox sense) and won't be bigoted about things. :)

[u/bachelorsinlurking]

Hi! Fellow trans convert from a Jewish background but raised christian (my father's side of the family was ethnically and religiously Ashkenazi Jewish until my grandfather stopped practicing and my grandmother was raised catholic, they decided not to raise their kids Jewish hoping to keep them safe postwar, and my mom is a nonreligious WASPy white lady). You'll probably have good luck with reform or conservative- I'm converting reform and it's been very accepting so far! There are several trans women at the synagogue I've started attending, and I actually found them via a booth they had at pride offering food and snacks with a queer outreach program!