You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security.

Skip to main
Blog

Exploring Identity for Jewish American Heritage Month

BY: Trevor News
Blue, yellow and white map looking illustration

As May rolls around, we recognize Jewish American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the rich cultural history and contributions of Jewish Americans. As someone from a family with Jewish heritage, this month is a moment to connect to a tradition that is both religious and cultural. I have often been called “one ‘i’ away from having a Jewish last name” (my surname is Bernsten, but often misspelled as Bernstein)and, though I was not raised in a Jewish family, my paternal grandmother came from an Ashkenazi Jewish family in Lithuania and my identity – whether or not I could consider myself Jewish – was an ongoing question.

We didn’t talk about my Jewish heritage as a family growing up, but my best friend in middle school was Jewish – she was my gateway to getting to know the Jewish heritage. Some of my favorite memories revolved around sitting in her dining room with her extended family in Beloit, Wisconsin attending Passover seder dinners, drinking non-alcoholic grape juice, and reading the story of the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt, stories that overlapped with my Christian upbringing. As I grew up and tried to find safe people to come out to, it was my Jewish friends who were overwhelmingly the most affirming of my LGBTQ identity in a largely Christian community.

In college, I became interested in finding out more about the Jewish part of my heritage. I often felt some imposter syndrome over not being Jewish enough – I wasn’t raised Jewish, it was my dad’s mom who was Jewish, not my mom’s, therefore negating the technicalities required to be considered fully Jewish. My first boyfriend in college, however, was Jewish, and I was similarly welcomed into his home to celebrate the Passover and Hanukkah traditions. Learning about the Jewish emphasis on optimism, memory, family, and responsibility, struck a chord in me. I felt like I was neglecting my responsibility to honor a part of my family, to learn about their memories and understand my own heritage. 

In the summer of 2018, I decided to travel to my Jewish family’s homeland in Vilnius, Lithuania. I had never been to the country, but I knew it was where my Jewish ancestors had lived. Asking my grandmother about her family that had lived there, she simply said that after the Holocaust, “she never heard from them again” and told me she didn’t like talking about it. That was that – it was a painful subject to talk about. I thought of the importance of memory, and knew that going to the place where my ancestors lived was the best way to connect to the part of my identity I was just beginning to understand. Identity is never clear cut – there are nuances and shades of gray in our heritage, in the intersections of our identity that drive who we are. Buying pastries in a small bakery in Old Town, I explained that my family had been from Lithuania, and she piled my bag with six pastries and told me, “welcome home” in broken English. Visiting Vilnius and spending time at the Holocaust Museum (The Green House) and learning about the atrocities in the city where my family has hailed from helped me understand the sobering history that was inextricably linked to my identity as a descendent of immigrants in America. The longing I felt to understand part of where I came from was driven by a desire to connect with all parts of where I came from, in order to understand my place in America. Months like this remind me of taking time to connect to where we come from to understand who we are.

At the Trevor Project, we understand the importance of celebrating heritage and exploring our identity. This is especially important for LGBTQ Jewish youth who face unique challenges and experiences of discrimination. It’s important to recognize that Jewish American Heritage Month comes at a time when anti-Semitism continues to be a pervasive issue in our society. In 2022, the Anti-Defamation League tabulated 3,697 antisemitic incidents throughout the United States. According to the ADL website, “this is a 36% increase from the 2,717 incidents tabulated in 2021 and the highest number on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979.” marking the highest level of such incidents since the organization began tracking them in 1979. This is a sobering reminder that there is still much work to be done to combat prejudice and discrimination against Jewish Americans and other marginalized groups.

For LGBTQ Jewish young people, these issues can be particularly challenging. The Trevor Project is committed to supporting all LGBTQ young people and ensuring that they feel safe, accepted, and supported. During Jewish American Heritage Month, we encourage all members of our community to take the time to learn about and celebrate the rich history and contributions of Jewish Americans. The Trevor Project is proud to stand with the Jewish community and all those who are working to create a more inclusive and accepting world. 

Ryan Bernsten is Senior Managing Editor at The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and mental health organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people. If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or suicidal, our trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386 via chat www.TheTrevorProject.org/Get-Help, or by texting START to 678-678.

Read more from
Blog

Blog

In Defense Of Saying Gay/Trans

Last week, we saw the passage of HB 1557, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay/Trans” bill, by the Florida state Senate. This bill will ban classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, and appears to threaten LGBTQ support in schools and includes vague parental notification requirements which could effectively “out” students to their families without their consent. This bill, which has passed at every level of the Florida state legislature, now awaits the governor’s final decision before being signed into law. The potential impact of the passage of “Don’t Say Gay/Trans” on the health and happiness…
52 Mile Pride Ride
Blog

Join The Trevor Project For Our 52 Mile Pride Ride Challenge

For LGBTQ+ young people, having an affirming community makes all the difference. Community is wherever you feel connected — that’s when we’re strongest. That’s the power of us. Our Trevor community shows up for each other, even in the face of incredible challenges. That’s why we’re excited to invite you to join another virtual fundraising challenge this Pride — so we can continue to show up for LGBTQ+ young people. We’re asking our community to commit to logging 52 miles — however it feels best to move — all in effort of supporting our mission to end suicide among LGBTQ+…