Uncategorized Archives - SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva

A SVARA-nik is reading a page of Talmud in the bet midrash. The image is zoomed in on the learner's hands which rest on the page in front of them. They are wearing a soft blue sweater, and a SVARA branded shtender sits in front of them.

Waking Up to Divine Purpose

A photograph taken from behind a SVARA-nik in the bet midrash. You can see them placing a colorful sticky on a section of text within the masechet in front of them.

Revealing An Innermost Grief

A table of learning materials is set up in the SVARA bet midrash. There are laminated dafs, or pages of Talmud, alongside magnifying glasses, highlighters, unicorns, and rainbows. The table cloth is magenta and light from a nearby window falls across the table.

Recognizing the Unrecognizable Jewish Future

A collection of many volumes of Talmud. They are placed on a shelf, one after the other, and all of them have a blue piece of tape on the binding that reads, "SVARA".

As Our Learning Leads to Action

A dark image depicts someone holding a vigil candle up toward their face. They are wearing a mask and looking at the flame of the candle, and little else can be seen in the background.

Jewish and Queer Grief Technologies to Meet This Moment

The branches of a tree hang low to the ground, barely touching the surface of the water beneath it. A lake stretches out into the distance, and it seems that the greenery is slowly fading to yellow.

A Stolen Lulav

Two books are open on a dark wooden table. The first is opened to its title page, which reads, "What Judaism Teaches by Rebecca Namiat: Gems from Bible, Talmud, and other Literatures." The other book is not identifiable, but has an intricate wood-carved print on its page.

Note to Self: Choose Life

A large room is filled with SVARA-niks who are studying at long tables in the bet midrash.

And To the Students of Their Students

Two SVARA-niks learn together in the bet midrash. The table is crowded with dictionaries, masechtot, and Talmud resources.

Letting Go of Our Lizard

A group of SVARA-niks stand together in a circle outdoors, with tall evergreen trees behind them.

Mycelial Magic of Codification

A stack of masechtot sit on a windowsill, soaked in sunlight. A coffee cup sits beside them.

When Trying is More Than Enough

Rabbi Mónica hugs a learner at the registration table for Queer Talmud Camp.

Akiva, You Have Comforted Me

A learner sits in the bet midrash with a stack of materials beside them. Their notebook, as well as a masechet full of pink sticky notes, sits to the right of them.

Seeking an Incomplete Comfort

A SVARA-nik sits in the bet midrash, with a masechet, a dictionary, and an alef-bet ruler in front of them. They are looking intently at Benay who sits across from them.

A Season of So Many Questions

Lamenting Across Time

The Time-Traveling Talmud

A SVARA-nik sits in the bet midrash with their arms crossed over an open masechet.

To Know and Be Known

Let the Waves

A close-up image of someone's Alef-Bet learning materials. There is a colorful alef-bet sheet that lists each letter and its definition, as well as a folder that says "queer talmud nerd", and a worksheet that has been underlined and highlighted.

Long Live the Fairies

A photograph of a field. There is a tall spruce tree framing the shot on the left side, and two cows can be seen walking up the slope of a hill.

Making the Tradition What We Say It Is