Cantor Jacob Niemi will share examples of queer interpretations of text that add new facets to our understanding of Torah and its relevance in our lives. While this approach may be particularly meaningful to those who are LGBTQ+ and seek to read their own experience back into the text, the goal of this conversation will be to explore how reading through a “bent lens”* can deepen the experience of all who find meaning in the study of Torah.

We will start by looking at the weekly Torah portion, Sh’lach L’cha (Num. 13:1–15:41), and then use that as a jumping-off point to explore other related Jewish texts.

*The term “bent lens” is borrowed from David Shneer's introduction to “Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible.”

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