Trembling Before G-d (2001) User Reviews

Children of a lesser G-d

[jotix100 · 8/10 · 13 June 2004]

This is a very disturbing documentary. One can only congratulate director Sandi Dubowski for the courage in dealing with the subject matter. Of course, the study here was done among Orthodox Jews who are at the margin of their religion. This film is universal because it could apply to conservative beliefs as well.

How can the people in charge of a congregation reject anyone because they are different from what ancient texts tell? Aren't these gay men and women the product of legal marriages from religion abiding parents? These children didn't ask to be born gay, but the fact remains they are that way and no one, being the rabbis in charge, or the parents can reverse the fact. Love, nurturing, acceptance are lacking from all those in high places.

After viewing the film, I felt great sadness for the people that have to lead a life away from family and community for just being gay. Shame on the parents and the leaders for banning their children into oblivion. I salute their stand for being themselves.

You don't have to be Jewish, but it helps

[[e-mail] · 8/10 · 27 June 2007]

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

"Trembling Before G-d" -- the very title needs to be explained if you are to understand the film -- is an exceedingly painful story about the difficulties faced by gays and lesbians from Jewish Orthodox communities. Although the Hebrew and (occasional) Yiddish expressions that crop up are adequately translated in subtitles, this is a story of what must be called "Gay Shame" as opposed to "Gay Pride." The sacred texts of the Jews condemn homosexuality, calling for the death by stoning of males who practice it. Lesbian sex is likewise forbidden. While gay Jews are no longer stoned, gays and lesbians who confess their sexual orientation are almost uniformly ousted from the communities in which they grew up and abandoned by their families as if dead.

"G-d" is the Orthodox way of avoiding reference to God's name in writing. Pronouncing the name of God is explicitly forbidden in the Torah, and when saying prayers a variety of devices/euphemisms are employed to address the Almighty without saying his (or her) name. The most familiar of these to non-Jews is often translated into English as "Yah" or "Yahweh" or "Jehova." It generally appears in Hebrew prayer books as a tetragammaton -- four consonants, often articulated as "adonai." In Moses' time, the high priest could pronounce the name of God once a year in sacred space, hidden from the congregation. Modern Jews have no idea what God's "real" name is. Indeed, in conversation outside the synagogue, Orthodox Jews frequently refer to God as "ha-Shem," which means "the name."

"Trembling Before G-d" allows a number of gay and lesbian Jews to tell their own stories. So difficult is the topic for most of them that few allow their faces to be seen, appearing mostly in shadows or behind curtains or in black profile. One of the most poignant of the tales told is that of a woman who has borne 13 children to a husband who acknowledges that he is incapable of truly loving her because he would prefer sex with men (he seems not to have acted on it). And then there's the married woman who has revealed her lesbian desires to her husband and now lives a celibate life with him and their children. And, although only one is interviewed, there are those who marry, already knowing that their sexual orientation is not heterosexual.

But the primary focus of the film is on gays and lesbians who have acknowledged their sexual orientations to themselves and, in most cases, revealed themselves to their parents and their communities. As a result, they've been excommunicated and, although they continue to feel Orthodox, they are prevented from practicing their Orthodoxy within a community. Many have tried unsuccessfully with the help of their rabbis and psychotherapists to shed their sexual desires -- and the rabbis and therapists are themselves interviewed in the film. In one case, a man in his forties returns to visit a sympathetic rabbi who had counseled him twenty years earlier and the gay man tells the rabbi that he was unable to overcome his desires but does not practice anal sex. The rabbi is astounded; he knew of no other way for homosexuals to have sex. When the gay man explains and likens his desire for his partner to the intense sexual desire that a married man feels for his wife, it comes to the rabbi as a revelation.

Having written all this by way of explanation, a few words of criticism: the film is too long and far too repetitive. Several of the people who have allowed themselves to be interviewed tell their stories, with small variations, more than once. And there is too little time spent with the few Orthodox rabbis who seem to understand the issue, exploring why the pain that follows exclusion is essentially unacknowledged and unaddressed in the world of Orthodoxy.

Jew or not, however,this is a film that should be seen. Unfortunately, I'm absolutely certain it will NOT be seen by those who need to see it the most. G-d forbid!

Reinterpretation of Halakhah

[farkhadkuanyshkereyev · 8/10 · 23 September 2020]

The movie "Trembling Before G-d" is a documentary about Jewish homosexual people that are trying to live according to the Halakhah, Jewish Law. They struggle due to the fact that they want to live a religious life by adhering to rules and traditions of Hebrew scriptures, but normative rules of Halakhah prohibits homosexuality. This review will argue that homosexual people can still be religious adherents of Judaism because they can follow most of the traditions of Judaism and become celibate, as only the sexual intercourse between homosexual people is prohibited in the Hebrew scriptures, not their sexual orientation.

Modern Jewish people value Hebrew scriptures that contain commandments, rules, and traditions of Jewish life that people should follow. It happened with the emergence of Rabbinic Judaism when Jewish people reordered Judaism by changing the main focus of the religion from the sacred Temple to the scriptures, the Torah. The Torah is a set of 5 books that share the common theme of Israel's journey into Egypt and subsequent liberation to travel back to Palestine. It included the "instruction" for the Jewish people. Rabbinic Judaists believe that Moses was given both the written and oral versions of the Torah, called the Mishnah. Later the Midrash or biblical commentaries and interpretations of the Torah emerged. Midrash contained 2 categories, the Halakhah, Jewish legal tradition, and Aggadah, everything else. It is clear from the movie how religious Jewish people study the Halakhah to know more about the normative rules of life of Jewish people. Halakhah and other Hebrew scriptures are of high value for Jewish people.

One of the homosexual people, named David, was concerned with the fact that he follows most of the commandments and teachings of the Halakhah and still hesitates to call himself a true Hebrew person due to his sexual orientation and not having children. According to Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, "Torah says that the normal family structure is the part of the holy society, therefore this normative value cannot be violated by homosexual people who are making a mistake". Jewish people were visiting the Rabbi teachers for seeking knowledge regarding Rabbinic Judaism. Rabbi teachers were respected teachers and are believed to know most of the Hebrew scriptures. David was talking to his first Rabbi teacher about his concerns and his teacher said that according to the Torah David should become celibate and sublimate his feelings into doing good deeds. He said that God does not give us something that we cannot control, that it is hard sometimes, but still possible to manage life challenges. The concept of monotheism was essential in Judaism. David was following most of the teachings of the Halakhah and all of the 10 commandments of the Hebrew. Rabbinic Judaists believe that Moses was given 10 commandments at Sinai by God. David kept the Sabbath holy, kept the Jewish dietary laws, wore a yarmulke all the time, and prayed 3 times a day. Following these rules defines the true identity of Jewish people. Celibacy is a way for homosexual people to live "a happy Jewish life" according to the Torah. In the beginning, the movie shows 2 quotes. The first quote was from the Leviticus 20:13, one of the 5 books of the Torah. A quote says: "A man who lies with a man as one lies with a woman, they have both done an abomination; they shall be put to death, their blood is on them". The second quote was taken from the Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 20:2. The Shulchan Aruch is the Code of Jewish Law that was written in the Halakhah category of the Midrash. The quote says: "For women to rub against each other in the position of sexual intercourse is forbidden... It is fitting the court to administer lashes for this transgression." Both quotes state that the homosexual intercourse between men and between women is prohibited. Celibacy denotes that a person will abstain from any sexual intercourse. This way homosexual Jewish people will not breach any rule of the Halakhah.

Rabbi Steve Greenberg, the first openly gay Orthodox Rabbi, in his interview says that "when the child says to his parents that he is gay, then his parents should suggest interpreting the Torah in another way so that the child will continue to be in love with Torah and understand that there is a way to live a decent and happy Jewish life". This quote shows one of the Judaists traditions of constantly interpreting the Torah. Midrash contains commentaries and interpretations of the Torah that was collected from different Rabbinic teachers and sages. Therefore it was a common theme to reinterpret the Torah and commentaries were subject to revaluation. Different Rabbis and sages were writing their commentaries to the Torah in the Midrash and Gemara. A psychiatrist that was also interviewed in this movie told a story about a homosexual man who visited a Rabbi and surprised him with the new definition of homosexual intercourse. Therefore it is possible that the idea of sexual intercourse and celibacy is a new topic for Judaism that was not addressed deeply and is open for reinterpretation.

To sum up, "Trembling Before G-d" shows that even if a person is not naturally heterosexual, he or she still can be religious Jewish and adhere to the rules and traditions of the Hebrew scriptures for defining themselves as true Jewish identity. Historically ideas written in Hebrew were subject to change and reinterpretation and therefore they may include commentaries regarding sexual orientation.

A poignant documentary about being true to yourself

[howard.schumann · 16 February 2003]

It is no secret that many Gays and Lesbians have turned their backs on religion because of its strictures against homosexuality, yet there are still those that want to be both Gay and religious. This is the subject of the poignant documentary, Trembling Before G_d directed by a Gay Conservative Jew, Sandi Simcha Dubowski. The film examines the beliefs of Orthodox Gay and Lesbian Jews who are struggling to bridge the gap between their way of life and the teachings of their religion. The film, which played for five months in New York and was named Best Documentary at the Berlin Film Festival, has sparked debate between liberals and conservatives, Gay rights activists, the media and spokespersons for organized religion.

Orthodox Jews hold that acts of homosexuality are punishable by death. The passage most quoted is from Leviticus 10:13: "A man who lies with a man as one lies with a woman, they have both done an abomination: they shall be p ut to death, their blood is on them". I do not know who wrote those words or what the circumstances were, but I do know that a just God who grants his love unconditionally certainly did not. Yet Orthodox Jewish Rabbis in their devotion to Jewish doctrine consider this the "truth", ignoring the humanity of the people they have been taught to serve. Even more moderate Jews believe that homosexuality is evil or, at the very least, a sickness. This is not far different than the beliefs of many Catholics, Mormons, or Muslims as well, but the film only concentrates on Jews, and only on those who are "orthodox" in their beliefs. [In the Jewish tradition, Orthodox means belief in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) as the written word of God, strict adherence to dietary laws, and following cultural restrictions such as not driving on the Sabbath].

Dubowski interviewed Gays and Lesbians in New York, London, Los Angeles, and Jerusalem, many coping with rejection from their families, issues of suicide and AIDS, and self-acceptance. It is unsettling to hear learned Rabbi's telling them that they must remain celibate, submit to therapy, or pray until their urges disappear. Some of the Rabbis do not even understand what is meant by oral sex and mutual masturbation. The urge to say, "please wake up" is overwhelming. One of the interviewees is David from Los Angeles, a bright and articulate man in his late 30s who, following the advice of a rabbi, tried for many years to change his orientation through therapy. He talks without bitterness about the advice given to him by various rabbis to eat figs, snap a rubber band on his wrist or bite his tongue whenever he feels the temptation to have sex with another man. Now twenty years later, David confronts the Rabbi who ordered him into therapy and tells him that his advice did not work.

There is also Michelle, a Hasidic Lesbian from Brooklyn who married under pressure from the family that now virtually disowns her. Many of the people interviewed are afraid to reveal their names and faces on camera because of fear of family and community rejection. Some openly state how afraid they are that their life style will prevent them from ever going to "heaven". One of the angriest is Israel, a 58-year-old man from New York who rejected his family after they forced him to undergo electro-shock therapy. Others interviewed include Rabbi Steven Greenberg, the first openly Gay Orthodox rabbi and author of the book "Of Wrestling with God and Men". Greenberg talks with hope about God being lovingly open to questioning and to learning from man. He says there is an alternate way of interpreting the passage from Leviticus but we are not told what this is.

Trembling Before G_d is about being Gay but is also about the need to belong -- to parents, to community, to a set of rules. It is heartbreaking when Israel says, "I'm 58 years old and I want my Daddy" and extremely moving when he finally telephones his 98-year old father after twenty years of estrangement. In an odd way, the documentary celebrates Judaism even while pointing out its flaws and it got me back in touch with the Jewish experience -- the songs, the feeling of community, and the struggle to understand God and His purposes. The real sadness was thinking about centuries of intolerance practiced by those who themselves have been victims. Trembling Before G_d illuminates the problem but does not show us a way out, yet if given enough exposure it just might become a wake up call to those still tied to an archaic belief system that long ago ceased to have any relevance or purpose.

a poignant, thought-provoking documentary, illustrating the lives of ultra-orthodox & hasidic Jewish gays and lesbians

[yefefiyah · 9/10 · 1 October 2001]

Few people realize the magnitude of the controversy surrounding this issue, mostly because they have not experienced this struggle in their own lives. This film delves into the lives of several members of the orthodox Jewish community worldwide who struggle with their see-saw lives, trying to find a happy balance between religious & sexual identity. There is a new hope of opening the orthodox Jewish community to the possibility of accepting this growing population. Anyone who has had difficulty with acceptance for any reason, be it religion, race, creed, sexual identity, will be able to identify with those who tell their story. Please support this cause and see this film. The word must be spread and these stories must be heard before the world as we know it can change. Although this film is of a very serious nature, there are lighter moments that lift the spirit and present an air of hope for a better future.

G__d but not Gr__t...

[jk8n · 6/10 · 17 October 2005]

I am a Jew, albeit a "heathen" Jew, yet I found myself loathing all of these hyper-religious Jews, gay or not. It wasn't until the very end of the film that the director managed to bring us back to the mainstream, the essence, of Judaism with a throwaway quote from one of the film's counterpoint talking heads, a psychologist who had defected from the flock of extreme Orthodox Judaism. To paraphrase his lyrical and solid argument, he reminded us that the God of Judaism is a God of love, not control. He is the same God that engaged in conversations, in the Talmudic tradition, with Abraham and Moses and other biblical figures, in order to respond to the needs of the changing human condition. Until that point it was unclear what the director's point of view was or who her intended audience was for this film. If this portrayal of the most extreme vestige of Judaism was intended for a general audience, then, judging by my own reaction, I'd say she may have succeeded in painting all of Judaism with the same brush. It was clear that the rigid and mindless interpretations of Judaism by the extreme right were being depicted as a bad thing, but where was the Talmudic debate as to why they were wrong? I may not be a religious Jew, and I may not believe in God, but as one of the gay outcasts from the flock explained, I do believe that being born a Jew is a gift. It is Judaism's ancient teachings, that a meaningful life must be spent in pursuit of knowledge and understanding and tolerance in order to better the human condition, that make Judaism such a special tradition to be a part of.

The message that the film SHOULD have made, and failed to do, is that EVERY religion taken to its extreme, including Judaism, is nothing more than a breeding ground for people who are like robotic religious protoplasm. Ultimately, their religious fervor serves only to maintain a symbolic, xenophobic status quo that becomes a perversion of something they blindly devote their life to preserving.

This movie made me cry... and smile, too

[elperez3 · 10/10 · 9 March 2005]

I had heard a lot about this movie before I saw it. I rented it and watched it twice. I never watch movies twice! I think that this movie should be watched by all. Being gay and religious is obviously not just a Jewish problem. There are people all over the world right now from many religions, ethnic groups, and ages that are struggling with potential rejection and/or isolation if they come out. They feel defective and guilty for being who they are. In come cases, the family gets rejected and labeled as the "family with the gay son and /or daughter." It is really sad and unnecessary. This type of reaction to homosexuality is potentially chasing away good people who can make a difference in our society. Additionally, many teenagers and young adults find themselves with no hope. The only way out for them is suicide. This is horrible.

Watch the movie and "Disc 2." It has good stuff on it! :)

Unprecedented, but ambiguous

[mukhameddukayev · 7/10 · 16 February 2020]

The documentary film by Sandi Simcha DuBowski called "Trembling Before G-D" displays the difficulties of religious lives of the gay members of the Jewish orthodox community in New York. There are several people appearing throughout the film, identities of some are concealed, some of them are psychologists, some are religious community leaders, some are ordinary orthodox practitioners. The main agenda of the movie is to show the struggles of the LGBT people in orthodox Jewish communities and somewhat shine the light on the different distortions from the stereotypical image of orthodoxy in Judaism. While the documentary is praised by many critics for its unprecedent scope, there is some strong criticism of the movie. One of the possible criticisms is that the documentary is one-sided, depicting Jewish orthodoxy as a unitary body, excluding the inherent differences inside the Jewish community. Moreover, considering that the documentary aims at portraying the conflictual beliefs of LGBT people and their faith, some critics have pointed out that the root of their conflict is not in the religion itself, but rather in the acceptance by their community. Concerning the one-sidedness of the documentary, the film can be viewed as positioning LGBT people against the Orthodox Judaism. The inclusion of psychotherapists such as Shlomo Ashkenazy, as well as the depiction of one orthodox Jewish woman Michelle and how she was forced into marriage and later ostracized by her family and the community can be evidence for such a claim. One cannot help but feel sympathetic to the woman and her situation, backed up by the stories of the psychotherapist about gay orthodox men. There is, consequently, an antagonistic feeling towards the community that ostracized these people. However, such a depiction of one camp of suffering LGBT people and the other punitive orthodox people camp makes an impression that the two are segregated and wholistic. In other words, the Jewish community and the LGBT Jews are unitary actors with respective set of beliefs that are established and known inside the communities. However, this is not necessarily true of Judaism, as can be seen in the historical evidence of different sects present in the pre-Roman abolition of Jewish Temples and Jewish revolt. Even though after the historic event the main sect that came into dominance was the Pharisees, given the fact that the teachings were mostly oral and somewhat inconsistent, it is hard to imagine the Jewish Orthodoxy as a wholistic body. The reason why it is important in the current discussion is that there might as well be Jewish communities more acceptive of the LGBT people. While the documentary gives an example of that, namely Jerusalem Open House of Rabbi Steven Greenberg, an openly homosexual rabbi, the overall composition of the documentary seems asymmetric. In terms of the focus of the conflict of LGBT people towards the Jewish Orthodoxy, an argument can be made that these people feel not so much of a religious conflict, but rather a conflict with their community and acceptance. It is true, however, that the documentary participants come from different backgrounds, where one prominent case is of David, an observant Orthodox Jewish doctor from Los Angeles. He has done many attempts to rid himself of homosexuality, following the advice of one rabbi, by eating figs and wearing a rubber-band to hit his wrist every time he thinks of men. One could say is that the actions taken by David originate in his desire to be accepted by God, to be a righteous Jew, but one could also argue the opposite. At some point in his interview he told a story of how he came out to his own parents. During the conversation he promised them that he will be treated and that he was at the time already on the way of treatment. Even though it does seem that it is his choice out of religious beliefs, there appears to be another equivalently important reason to be accepted by his parents. Another example given in the documentary was an interview of a Jewish woman talking about her friend who committed suicide, because she was lesbian. Suicide is also considered a sin in the Jewish Orthodoxy, and the fact of her going for this sin over the sin of being gay is somewhat ambivalent. There is still conflict with the religion in the case of suicide, thus the argument for pure conflict of religion and queerness is incomplete. It is true, however, that gay men are punished by death, as seen from the quotes from Torah in the beginning of the documentary. Nevertheless, from the same quotes it can be seen that women are not subject to death but rather to lashes. Thus, for women homosexuality seems less of a sin than for men. Consequently, for women death is not equivalent to being homosexual, it appears as a greater sin. Overall, the religious conflict of LGBT people is insufficient to explain their behavior. One other significant conflict is the conflict with the community. In conclusion, the documentary film is indeed an outstanding piece that depicts the struggles of LGBT people in the Jewish Orthodoxy. However, while aiming to show the conflict of these people with the religious canons of Judaism, the film seems to concentrate on their conflict with their communities. Another criticism of this movie can be based upon its somewhat overgeneralizing assumptions, depicting the Jewish community and LGBT people as somewhat unitary bodies with consistent and absolutely accepted beliefs and values.

Amazing

[aous · 10/10 · 4 October 2002]

This documentary transcends any and every divisions there are in this world and shows the admirable strength a proud few who felt the need to communicate their struggle with the rest of the world. I was always taught that one should could not be religious AND homosexual, that we had to choose between being one or the other. This film proves that theory wrong. Its ultimate message is showing the power of love via humanizing and de-stigmatizing a sensitive, but very real, issue. God bless all who participated.

Kvetch kvetch kvetch...

[moonspinner55 · 4/10 · 15 January 2007]

For all its high spirits, feeling of brotherhood and celebration, Old World Judaism shuns homosexuality with an angry vigor, with families abandoning or shutting out their gay children completely, leaving the gay Jewish minority to seek solace in treatments, either psychiatry or with outmoded methods (one gay man is told to snap a rubberband around his wrist whenever he sees a fellow he's attracted to!). Globe-trotting but exceptionally lightweight documentary tries a multi-character approach with the stories interlocking and so forth, but it's a film-structure too ambitious for a low-budget project such as this. The feelings involved in the film are not cheaply felt, but the movie itself seems merely pasted together. We get far more than we need about a tour guide in Israel who hasn't seen or spoken to his family in years, but very little about a lesbian who's afraid to even walk through a Jewish celebration being held in her neighborhood (when she pauses to watch the happy children playing, she wryly comments, "they look much happier than I ever was"). These Orthodox gays and lesbians are tied irrevocably to their faith, yet they cannot reconcile the fact their religion doesn't regard them in a positive light. Their collective self-esteem is incredibly low because they have more questions than answers. A curious glimpse into the human condition--possibly saying more on the need for religion rather than the condemnation of homosexuality--but with blurred-out faces and silhouettes, uncertain editing and sloppy interviews, we don't get enough substance on the main topic, and not nearly enough colorful human subjects to sustain interest. ** from ****

Empathy when there is none

[quitifa · 10/10 · 23 April 2005]

I am not Jewish, but I am gay. Many of my gay friends struggle to find religion in their lives and this film touched a note with me.

Aside from that, I believe the direction was compelling but did not force nor interfere with the events in these peoples lives. It was a portrayal as well as an enlightenment. I knew not the religion of the Jewish people and yet I felt the outcasts feelings and empathized with the homosexuals.

The director captured a range of emotions. The moment where my heart stopped was when a young gay man cried at the wailing wall. I cried, too. Hats off to the director.

Yawn.

[MiloMindbender · 5/10 · 4 June 2010]

As someone who grew up with religion & was gay, the topic of the intersection of the 2 would be potentially interesting. However, I just found this to be a rather banal documentary. It's a rather superficial. Just people stating the same thing over & over... As a budding gay boy, I looked at religion & saw it for what it was...a load of bunk. So, listening to a bunch of people hem & haw about reconciling the differences between the 2 just sounds tiresome & confirmed that renouncing religion (superstition) is the right decision.

If there wasn't so much footage of people bloviating about themselves & more about either the history of treatment of homosexuality in Judaism or more about actual philosophical underpinnings of religion that could still make it relevant in a secular society, this could have been much better...However, as others have mentioned, it's mostly just people kvetching with annoying music in the background. Had Oprah done a show on the topic, it would have been more interesting.

Beating their heads against the Western Wall..

[dfarhie-1 · 2 June 2002]

There will always be oppression, there will always be bigotry, and there will always be guilt and shame, because organized religion has given us all of these and more. And now here comes a group of gay Orthodox Jews asking their elders and family to deny millennia of religious writings and dogma and accept them unconditionally? I am gay and a Jew and accept the fact that not every person I meet will be happy with either of those affirmations. To find people that will accept both at the same time is rarer still. At least I had the good fortune NOT to be born into an orthodox household. I would have written them off years ago..

This documentary is a caring and touching look at several people caught in a moral and sexual dilemma. Whom do they deny, themselves, or G-d? If they proclaim their homosexuality to their world, they are dismissed or ignored, shunned or exiled. If they repress their feelings and accept the dogmatic teachings of their draconian faith, then they are driven to suffer in silence, or worse, suicide.

This is little more than a modern day inquisition with the parents, the rebbe's and the congregations turning the thumbscrews on these pathetic souls. My heart goes out to all of them, but in my opinion, it is a loosing battle. I would rather see them live as complete a life as they can, knowing they are doing the best that they can, and striving for a shift in attitude in general, not a change in religious doctrine, which will never come.

A must see documentary

[neil-464 · 10/10 · 18 December 2006]

Today the question of homosexuality in the Jewish world is in the forefront of the Jewish press. The Conservative movement just voted to ordain gay and lesbian rabbis and allow for same sex "committment" ceremonies. Call it what you will, but it's same sex marriage.

To make my position clear, I totally support equal rights under the secular law for gays and lesbians but feel the is no official place for it in religious law. The Orthodox community will SHUN such people (and I can understand that), The Conservative community will be kind of blase about it, the Reform community will openly embrace it.

To see the reality of the genuine suffering of Orthodox gay and lesbian people brought tears to my eyes when I saw this film. They are torn between 2 very strong and basic values, are being pulled apart emotionally. They strongly desire to be part of the Orthodox community which shuns them totally and they cannot chose one life style over the other.

For those of you shunners, this film should make it much more difficult to have the knee-jerk reaction to the problem.

A moving eloquent film.

[BenWhitehouse1979 · 10/10 · 8 July 2005]

This film is wonderful. It's a moving account of devout Jewish LGBT people. They tell their stories with honesty, humour and candour. The film is beautifully shot and the score becomes an integral part of the film (almost another character). The whole package is really very moving, but, to be honest, the footage can verge on the grainy (although the silhouette scenes are incredibly beautiful), and the subjects can verge on the irritating. (Some of the Rabbis need a holy kick to the head!) Nevertheless, really worth watching. The extras with the DVD are also a nice bonus. This film has become a movement in itself bringing healing and discussion of this important issue within Jewish circle. (There needs to be a Christian version of this film! A dialogue about the question of how to reconcile LGBT Christians passionate love of their faith and the Divine with the drastic Biblical prohibitions that forbid homosexuality.)

It Broke My Heart

[jtolleson · 8/10 · 14 February 2007]

It isn't an unfamiliar mantra, but that doesn't mean it loses its power.

Look, glbt people of faith have been told for a long time that they should either "straighten up" (pun intended) or leave their faith traditions. I've experienced that myself by identifying jointly as lesbian and Christian. But is it really the place of any community of humans to dictate the status of my relationship to G-d? Well, I suppose that in the Jewish tradition it is even more complex, where faith, culture, ethnic identity, and family are more tightly intertwined than anything. And it pained me... the thought that anyone would be forced out of their faith community or even their sense of relationship to G-d by human reaction to sexual orientation.

I have great respect for the history and theology that underlies orthodox Jewish observance. But I want there to be a space for all people who share that bond with G-d and who want to observe, just as I want that for myself in Christianity. Is that REALLY too much to ask? And is the consequence worth it? That is the question of Trembling Before G-d... a wonderful film.

A reminder of how disgustingly manipulating religion is

[dariusharastoo · 1/10 · 11 May 2020]

I usually do not write reviews especially for documentaries such as this one which was a torture to watch but in this case as a gay man I will. I was so disgusted with the ethos of the homophobic orthodox jews and the so-called Israeli psychiatrist who was proudly defending therapy for gay people in this documentary !! If ever these hasidic jews take over power in Israel they will be worse then radical Islamists. They are just appallingly disgusting

"I don't want to be less Jewish because I'm gay"

[madiyarkatranov · 8/10 · 26 February 2020]

"I don't want to be less Jewish because I'm gay" says David in the beginning, one of the main subjects of the "Trembling Before G-d" documentary. Members of the LGBTQ+ have a history of strong antagonism with traditional religious communities, antagonism which often includes discrimination and oppression. While that is one of the main reasons some homosexual individuals lose their faith in religion, others, like David, seek ways of continuing to practice and uphold religious beliefs. Distressing and detached experiences of the latter are what the director of the documentary set out to illustrate to their audience through putting these individuals as protagonists and main subjects of the story. Another aim that the film seeks to achieve is a considerable room for interpretation that religious philosophies, such as that of Judaism, have on topics like LGBTQ+.

The 2001 documentary was directed by Sandi Simcha Dubowski and narrates a story about gay Orthodox Jews, who share their experience and thoughts about the dilemma between their sexual orientation and religious beliefs. How these people handle negative reactions from their family members is a significant part of the story. Throughout the film, psychiatrists and Jewish rabbis also share their opinions and personal experiences with homosexual Jews.

One of the main messages that the makers of the documentary are aiming to convey to their outsider viewers is the excruciating pressure and feeling of isolation that Jewish homosexual individuals face within their religious communities, which they still wish to be a part of. A technique through which the director chose to achieve this goal was selecting these individuals as protagonists, as they are the ones who directly face these issues. Most of the subjects of the documentary, who came out to their families about their sexuality, have strained relationships with them, meaning that even the closest people in their religious circle pushed them away. The film consists of many monologues, dialogues and letters filled with emotions, such as sorrow, anger, and vulnerability, that are very personal to the subjects that narrate the film. Such depictions pull emotion and compassion from the audience, and make the viewers understand and sympathize with the protagonist(s). For example, there is Malka, whose parents are not happy to accept that she is a lesbian and has married another woman. Then, there is Israel, a 58 years old man, who did not talk to his brother since 1971 and whose father still did not accept him for who he is. The viewers are being provided with scenes such as when Malka is hurt after each phone call from her parents or Israel's very passionate speech about his faith, which was still with him, even after what his family and society did to him. Thus, through the director's choice of protagonists, inside which lives and experience the film gives a view of, the film achieves its primary purpose - to illustrate the sad realities of detachment from religious community present in an ordinary Jewish homosexual's life who still want to follow the footsteps of their religion.

Moreover, the documentary shows us that there are multiple ways people can interpret religion, such as Judaism, and that some divisions in religious communities welcome all kinds of people, including members of LGBTQ+. This message is delivered by demonstrating the variety of opinions given by rabbis, Jewish religious teachers, on how they treat their adherents that are homosexuals; to the audience that shows exactly how people of the same religion of Judaism and even of the same religious title can interpret religious doctrines differently. For instance, on the one hand, the movie begins with a quote from the Tanakh, which in general states that homosexual people "shall be put to death" or be "administered lashes for transgression." Some rabbis from the film say that having a homosexual relationship is prohibited, and gay people should try conversion therapy or live their lives in celibacy.

On the other hand, filmmakers also included more inclusive statements related to religious treatment of homosexuality. One of those was made by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin saying, "When you don't know you tend to demonize and almost dehumanize, but when you met the individual, you see sincerity of his prayers, you can no longer demonize and dehumanize. You have to just love and help." In the same way, Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo argues that it is impossible for Torah to ask a person to do something he/she is not able to do, and living a celibate life is impossible due to a force of a human sexuality. Though not a rabbi, David, a gay Orthodox Jew, comments on the Jewish Law and claims that drugging people and exposing them to electric shocks to purge their homosexuality is "anti-Halacha" or against the Jewish Law. The filmmakers included in the documentary the first openly gay Orthodox Rabbi - Rabbi Steve Greenberg, which is an example of a life that has both religious and sexual acceptance of itself. He states that human beings can influence even God, because "God, Blessed Be He, wishes to learn from his conversations with human beings. "It's not Judaism, if it's not responsive to the human condition". I think this was one of the most vital details that the filmmakers included to convey their message about the room for interpretation in Judaism on issues of homosexuality.

To sum up, "Trembling before G-d" is a successful attempt at describing closely to the audience the high extent of rejection that many Jewish representatives of LGBTQ+ face in their own religious and familial communities, experiences that often come with a sense of unhappiness and isolation. Which group would be the film's main protagonist (religious and homosexual Jewish individuals) was an important decision in achieving this goal, as showing the most intimate and private sides of these individuals' lives helped the documentary to bring out the affection and emotion from the audience and raise the audience's understanding of the issues these people go through. More importantly, the documentary teaches an outsider viewer about how traditionally viewed strict religious communities actually have sacred teachings and texts that are open to interpretation through showing various and sometimes opposing views on topics such as homosexuality coming from members of different Jewish religious communities.

As a gay Catholic, I can identify ...

[Shakespeare-2 · 14 December 2002]

As a gay Catholic, who has embraced celibacy to conform to the teachings of the Church, I can wholeheartedly identify with the efforts of the Orthodox Jewish lesbians and gays in this film to reconcile their spirituality and sexuality, and to find acceptance in the eyes of God and their community. It is heartwrenching especially to see the havoc that this struggle has wreaked in the life of Israel Fishman. On the surface, he responds with bravado, rejecting the people and the faith that have rejected him. Yet, in one of the film's most powerful scenes, he vents his sorrow and bitterness, anger and rage, at what being gay has cost him, especially the love of his father.

The documentary is perhaps not slick and elegant in terms of production values. The constant subtitles, interpreting Hebrew and Yiddish terms for the Gentile viewer, are sometimes intrusive and annoying (especially if the viewer is at all conversant with the Jewish faith). It would have been useful, though, to explain that "Ha-Shem" means "the Name", i.e., God's name which may never be pronounced.

What it most interesting about this documentary, I think, is that it shows how the main problem may not so much be finding acceptance of onself as lesbian or gay, but rather finding acceptance of oneself as a spiritual person in a secular world.

Finally, although the film clearly documents the trials and difficulties of being a lesbian or gay Orthodox Jew, the joy of loving and being loved by G-d comes shining through. The lesbians and gays in this film suffer much at the hands of their families and rabbis, their synagogues and yeshivas -- but never, it seems, do they question that they are loved and accepted by G-d.

The martyrs of Hashem

[bazanuar · 10/10 · 24 September 2018]

"They lose their neshama (the soul), they live a life which destroys us internally." - the reality that many Orthodox and Hasidic Jewish gay people have to face throughout their life. "Trembling Before G-D" discusses one of the most arguable questions, which hasn't lost its relevance up to these days, by looking into the lives of gay people who find themselves balancing between properly following Judaist beliefs and continuing to be who they are. This question of personality or neshama, the soul in Hebrew, remains to be relevant not only to Judaism, but to other Abrahamic religions as well. This said, the documentary breaks the ice on the topic of religion and homosexuality in Judaism - the movie sets its own pace by developing the discussion basing on the experience of people in the absence of author's external influence. First of all, I find it important to say that I possess a little knowledge about Judaism and I have secular views towards religion in general. Therefore, I really hope to have no bias towards the current topic. Having said that, I want to set the starting point of this review at the conflict between homosexuality and the religion. It is permittable for a person to be gay, but it is not permittable to engage in homosexual activity. In fact, it is said in Torah: "And if a man lies with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed a detestable act: They shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them", or in other words those who engage in such activity should be punished by death. Therefore, being homosexual is viewed as having a burden to carry though the whole life and undermine any intimate relationship with the same sex. This looks pretty much exclusive, as if Torah excludes gay people from sharing their and receiving feelings of love or joy, even though it was the God who created them homosexual. As one of the interviewees questions if "Joy is only being straight and having children", in my mind, I came up with another question of whether these religious gay people become martyrs for the sake of Hashem, the God, - not only in the meaning of Kiddush Hashem and "sanctification of God's name", but also in the meaning of disregarding their personal desires for the sake of the God. What I see is a paradox, since religious gay people have more desires to overcome during their service to the God, compared to heterosexual people who are free to have intimate relationship once they create a family. If Judaism had merits to assess people's actions as Buddhism has, then I should say that gay individuals who undermine their sexual desires and follow Judaism and Hashem would attain more merits through their life. However, what about the people who do want to have intimate relationship with their partners of the same sex? What Judaism has to offer them? It happens that no such option exists, and these individuals have to find their own way to combine the teaching of Torah with their views. The conflict here is between the religious values and the reality of being gay, the individual's neshama and Torah's teachings or requirements, as I perceive them, written down by Moses. The popular argument about homosexuality about its 'unnaturality' comes to mind as I see its response in Torah. It seems that Torah abandons homosexuals in the same way as it labels penguins to be impure in Leviticus, despite that both of these creatures were created by the God. But what about the natural instincts? One Rabbi in the movie said that "There is no reason for an instinct". Therefore, can we say that sexual desires of gay people cannot be blamed or judged? Even if the answer is yes, this will most probably cause a great disagreement from the majority of Judaist followers due to their conservative views. Nevertheless, if we consider these words from the movie: "God engages with human beings. God listens to them and understands. It is not Judaism if it's not responsive to human condition.", they are based on the example of Moses and other prophets who have engaged with the God and sometimes had influence on him (or may be her). At the same time, to what extent can one question the genuineness of Moses' interpretation of the God's words. I mean, what if Moses belonged to the gay minority in Judaist society? Would his views on God's will remain the same or what influence could he make on the God? It seems like, if the modern Judaist authority agrees that the God can learn from the human, it would still be reluctant to agree on rewriting the Thora and accept the faith of homosexual Judaist at the equal level. So, it happens that the documentary gives rise to even more questions, rather than gives concrete answers. However, these questions, which have often remained unasked, represent an important move to increase the awareness about the problems that gay minority in Judaist society is facing. Can Hashem, the knower of secrets, truly understand this exclusion and guide people towards more inclusive solution? I guess the time will show. Before that, these people will continue to tremble before the God.

Must-watch for religious people, and the rest of you too.

[AinuraM · 10/10 · 27 September 2020]

This film "Trembling Before G-d" is a thought-provoking piece, it shows different perspectives of people who originate within the same community. The inquiry behind the documentary aims at showing the position which religion takes in the hearts of the subjects, considering - and in some cases, regardless - of what kinds of negative outcomes come with it. Both the genre and the style are documentary, with minimal interjections of non-diegetic music (some traditional music is played throughout, but no background narrator commentary), leaving only interviewees' answers (and some commentors', like therapists) for the audience to witness. This creates an empathic position from the very start and helps you to relate with the subjects, religious or not. The content revolves around people, no matter young and old, identifying as gay and being previously raised in a Jewish community and having received a religious education. The outlook and thoughts of each of them are tightly connected to the sacred scripture Torah, many times Talmud and Torah are mentioned (and opinions on what Halakha would entail); one of the subjects referred to Torah being "the most important present" to be given (1:14:47-1:14:58) and expressed gratifying feelings toward G-d for being a Jew. Noticeably, even the film's title is spelled with G-d rather than God, I believe it is so because it is unadvisable to put God's name somewhere without utmost respect (everything where the name is written becomes holy). Thus, we can see how the religious adherence influences the lives of people directly to the tiniest details; especially through such extreme examples where parents refuse to contact their children after coming-out. The father's persistent refusal to meet his son at an age that old was shocking (re-watch 1:09:07-1:12:40). Some parents acted otherwise only because Rabbi recommended them to keep relationship with the daughter (1:05:37-1:08:40). This question, or rather issue, of putting one's religious identity over any other identity (e.g. familial belonging, sexual orientation) in my opinion, is central to the theme of the film. The film highlights Jewish community's affinity to the religious practices: diverse religious rituals such as Sabbath are mentioned in conversation, and Jewish wedding ceremonies shown to be involving traditional rituals too. Almost every ordinary gathering is accompanied by songs or recitals from the holy books. At the same time, juxtaposed to this trend are the conflicted feelings of the queer community, who want to stay Orthodox but cannot figure a way to do so, mainly for the reason that every figure who has an authority in religious questions (Rabbis, seniors) repeatedly assume that there is something wrong in being a queer. Such predicament is fundamentally harmful for mental state in the long-term, as was noted by one of the therapists (06:06-06:39) and depicted in length through the distressing example of the subject who tried to "change" for 20 years. The parties who eventually try or do understand the real situation provide only one answer: to stay celibate for the rest of your life. I do not know what kind of reaction should be here, but from an outsider position, that is surely absurd suggestion to make as a person who is supposed to help people become happy in harmony with religion. If it is not the function of the Rabbi, and only strict observation of their teachings are valid, then would it mean that religion only has place for certain groups of people? Such rhetorical questions are the only response I get from within. I greatly sympathize with the subjects of the documentary and wish their lives could be less miserable. On the other hand, some commentors have explained that G-d himself can be influenced. That is the reason why the sacred scriptures are studied further. "Moses influences G-d, Abraham influences G-d; G-d, Blessed Be He, wishes to learn from his conversations with human beings... that's what covenant is about!" says one of the commentors (1:15:24-1:15:43). Another states: "When you don't know, you tend to demonize and almost dehumanize ... as you see this sincerity, this prayer, you can no longer demonize, dehumanize" (01:02:19-01:02:40). Although some representatives of Rabbis may have this understanding attitude, it is clear that there are people dissatisfied with the status quo. For instance, the shot at 54:20 shows a protester who shouts: "We are fed-up that the ultra-Orthodox rule Israel" (lasts until 54:30). Hence the film also highlights how each of the experiences is different and depends on where the subjects live, their background, etc. In conclusion, most of the Jewish people are "Trembling Before G-d", and even more so if they belong to the LGBTQ+ community, because the fundamental aspirations for companionship or family in life seem to be unattainable; moreover, many feel alienated from their close ones and the Jewish community for religious reasons. Meanwhile queer people cannot liberate themselves from their roots, they intentionally choose to adhere to their beliefs, which in turn brings difficulties of various scope to their lives. The question remains unresolved: how can they be happy with their identities so that the Halakha would not be violated.

Diversity of understandings of Torah

[aruzhanaudanbekova · 9/10 · 27 September 2020]

The documentary movie "Trembling before G-d" depicts lives of Orthodox Jew LGBT people. Several people were interviewed and asked about their experiences. Due to the fact that relationship with people of the same sex is prohibited in Judaism, people who realized they are gay had to struggle not only with outer factors like segregation from the community, rejection of the family, etc, but with self-hatred and thoughts about being rejected by their own creator. Even though most people perceive being gay as complete opposite to what God expected of people, the movie has interviews with people who were rather optimistic of their sexuality and religious belief. This paper will analyze how stories of different people who were interviewed in the film "Trembling before G-d" show the diversity of ways to understand Torah and God. To begin with, in order to have a general understanding of Judaism, it is necessary to know what Torah is. Torah can be explained in different ways. One way of understanding is that it is first 5 books of Hebrew Bible. Other way is to think of Torah as "instructions" of Jewish teachings, culture and practice. Finally, it can be understood as a written law that God gave to Moses. According to Torah, God emphasizes the importance of creating a family, having children and raising them teaching Torah. Thus, gay people do not fit into the idea of being a "good" Jew who follows all the rules. People interviewed in the movie have different stories of what happened to them after they realized they are gay. Some of them decided to leave their community and live with their partners and believe that the God they worship would never reject his own children. Nevertheless, they still have fear that they will not be able to live happily in the afterlife with their partners, and thus try to do as many good deeds as possible to earn the forgiveness of God. Others have struggled for 20 years to change their sexuality, going through various therapies, prayers and rituals, which were not helpful. Some had to hide their sexuality and were forced to start a traditional family and have children. Other people's loved ones had more tragic stories, as they did not see another option but to commit suicide. All these issues, including depression, self-hatred, fear, shame and even suicide are the result of social pressure from families, Rabbi and internal understanding of God's words. The movie successfully unravels the stories of different people, opinions of psychologists and even Rabbis, even though it might have been rather complicated to find people who would agree to share their experiences, because the topic is very sensitive, intimate and at times, rather painful. There were several scenes where people started crying, because it was so hard for them to talk about their issue. One of the first people that appear on the screen is a psychologist who tells a story of a woman who was depressed. She is a mother of 12 children and her husband is gay. Her husband realized he was gay when he was 16 and had to suppress his feelings and desires and sacrificed 40 years of his life to live the life God wants him to live, according to his understanding of Torah. Nevertheless, his wife admires him and thinks he is a saint, because he could fight his own wishes. From these people's view, every man's obligation is to start a family and have children. The next person who tells his story is a man who is openly gay but tried for a long period of time to find a cure. He says "Judaism is correct. It says homosexuality is wrong. And I am a homosexual, so Judaism owes me an answer". He tried different approaches, asked for advice from Rabbis and doctors, but nothing helped him. Finally, after accepting the fact that he cannot be changed, he was advised to start practicing celibacy, even though he always dreamed of starting a family and having children. He also mentioned, that he heard of many people who had to have surgeries, be drugged or undergo electric shock therapies to purge the sexuality and could not believe that Halakha (Jewish legal tradition) could approve this. So, this man seems rather confused with his sexuality and how it is perceived in the religion. One of the interviewed Rabbi said, "You cannot lie people and tell them they can be devote Jew and violate one of the commandments where the Torah prescribed the death penalty". In his understanding, one cannot be Jew and gay at the same time. But on the opposite side, first openly gay Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg advises Orthodox parents whose children come out as gay to try to find different ways to read the Torah, to let their children know that God will not reject them who they are. Moreover, there is a couple of lesbian women who live together for 10 years and believe that God was the one who wrote them to be lesbians and will forgive them and let them stay together in Heaven if they try their best and do a lot of good deeds and help people. Finally, there is an openly gay man who has HIV and tells about his experience with dealing with stigma around homosexuality and stigma around his disease. Nevertheless, he is rather positive about his situation and believes God still loves him. To sum up, the movie obviously could not fit stories of all Orthodox LGBT people, but in my opinion, it successfully showed how diverse the stories of people are, and how their stories depend heavily depend on what kinds of people they meet, their understanding of Torah and what they are told rather than relying only on Torah. The movie was produced in 2001 and I hope, the situation has at least slightly changed for these people within the last 20 years. Finally, according to Halel Rabbi the single most important idea in Torah is "What is hateful to you do not do to your fellow" and the rest is only explanation of this idea. Thus, communities should only prohibit actions that harm other people.

Life of LGBT in Jewish realies

[chosenoone · 8/10 · 3 October 2018]

For the moment, imagine being a young child, and you are observing unintentionally that all of your friends show signs of love to opposite sex, which basically creates a clear foundation that it is "the norm" in the society you are in. But then you realize that you have that tingling feeling when it comes to interaction with boys, but nothing happens with girls. Of course, the panic will slowly arise, because it is obvious to you at this age that this is abnormal. And you try to hide deep down your feelings at all, planting that exact seed of conflict of your true nature with the world around you, which is also means that you deny to tell and admit to anyone, even yourself. That basically describes the struggle of vast majority of homosexual people around the world. But, that is not enough: imagine if all of the mentioned things happen in a community, where religion plays huge role in people's life, spreading its roots deep down to most of the aspects of their life. And this particular religion is straightforwardly states that being gay or lesbian is a sin and/or evil quality. In other words, struggles that LGBT people would come up with are multiplied several times. And this is what is shown in the wonderful documentary film called "Trembling before G-d", created in 2001 and based on the six-year work of Sandi Simcha DuBowski interviewing dozens of homosexual people in the Jewish community. Only several out of all were brave enough to agree being part of this film, which already shows how much this particular quality is abnormal to their society. The whole film is constructed around the interviews and people's stories with an addition of commentaries from different psychotherapists and rabbis (teachers in Judaism). The main point here is the conflict between the inner nature of homosexual people and their faith. From the one side, it is written commandments in Torah (Jewish Bible), that being homosexual is a sin and etc., and it was mentioned in the film that it is literally the first line that says breaking the rules is prohibited. In other words, there is a pretty obvious logical contradiction in being gay and religious person at the same time. But on the other side, it is inevitable nature of the human itself, he/she simply cannot go against himself in this particular aspect of sexuality. You just do not feel the same feelings of love and sexual desire to the opposite sex, and there is no matter of controlling it. In the film, actual gay person consulted several times at psychotherapist about this issue, and what he was actually offered were different attempts to change it - whenever he started to feel attracted to men he needed to slap himself by rubber band, or bite his tongue, or hold on the breath, using the logic of waking up from this "cloud". In other case, another homosexual man's story were way more harsh than the previous one - as soon as his father knew about his gayness, he started taking son to mental hospital, where he undergo electroshocking practice, by also suffering from huge pressure towards him. There, we see that being gay/lesbian is not only bad, both parents and society tries to "cure" these people from their sins, by medicine, by performing atonement ceremonies where people prayed for them. This factor also creates large amount of pressure to the individual himself, where he sees that coming out as a gay in this society will cost a lot - lots of health, time, nerves, and different aspects about social life will also change like people evading the contact with him and etc. An interesting phenomenon we can observe here is that it is a fact that being LGBT is considered as a serious sin, and majority of the people who were brave enough to accept it and not be ashamed of it - they try their best to compensate it with lots of good deeds. Trying to shift the balance in the scales for the good side their whole life, which also creates stressful environment. So, where it came up? Gay and lesbian people who can't risk it all to be themselves, lots of people surviving in the marriages with opposite sex just for the sake of family, this is basically how the situation is established in the Jewish society. And the problem is not discussed enough to even reconsider anything, and without the publicly showing and discussing the issue out loud, it could have been the same for the long period of time. But films like this that raise public awareness around this whole situation, they really help to solve the issue and at least show the world that particularly in the Jewish society homosexual people are living in constant agony of conflicting between themselves and their faith.

Greater future?

[galiya-55686 · 27 September 2020]

"Trembling before G-d" is an American documentary produced by Sandi Simcha DuBowski. This documentary looks at several Jews' complicated life situations due to their sexuality and religion. It demonstrates the difficulties people may face while being homosexual and following orthodox Judaism. The participants, several American Jews with one Israeli and one British, took a part in the movie telling their story and experience. It is important to notice that the majority of them were shot without their faces shown. In addition, psychotherapists and Rabbis participated in the documentary discussing the topic of homosexuality and its complicated connection to the orthodox Judaism. This movie raises an important question of being able to follow Judaism and being homosexual at the same time. Furthermore, the discussion is highly based on the religion itself and its crucial components like Torah, community, prayers, rituals and the creator. It can be supposed that Jewish homosexual are majorly told that it is a sin and revolt against God, however, nowadays with the greater tolerance and openness, Jewish religion can be interpreted a bit differently, as the constant learning between God and followers, as well as homosexuality is a sign of ability to fight. As it was mentioned, the documentary tells us several stories of homosexual Jews trying to fit in the religious community without being discriminated. It was shown, for instance, how women (story of Michelle) married men they did not want to spend life with, or how it was called "marriage of convenience". On the other hand, men who had an attraction to the men, caused their wives' go through anxiety and depression. Further, Davis' situation demonstrated how homosexual man was trying to fight his "abnormality" by visiting therapists and psychiatrists. One more case was about Mark's complicated path from being expelled from special institutions for educating Jews (Yeshiva) for his homosexual activity and fighting with AIDS, but at the same time staying devoted to his religion. Also there is a story of two women being in relationship but circled out of the family. These, and more cases were discussed in the documentary as well interview of Rabbis and therapists, who were covering both sides of such situations. From one point of view, it was proposed that it is a sin which is punished by G-d and should not occur in the first place. While some of them claimed that G-d is himself learning from human-beings and from interaction with them. At the same time, being a homosexual should mean that this person is capable of fighting related issues and complications; that he has that necessary strength. For the orthodox Judaism Torah is the most sacred component which should be followed by people. Torah is majorly accepted and understood as the first five books from the Hebrew Bible, as well as given knowledge and laws received by Moses from God. Torah provides a path a Jew should follow. For instance, such components as worshipping God, that God has no corporeal aspect and sees all actions of men. Nevertheless, one of the crucial aspects is family. According to the religious studies, the family is the basis for everything or how it was stated in the documentary it is "basic structure of formation". We can clearly see it in the story of Abram and Sarai who was not able to have children. God stated that it is not possible for Abram to father a nation without having children, therefore God himself gave them a son from Sarah - Isaac. It can be concluded that family is the basis of everything, even religion, and it should be constructed in the instinct way- man marries a woman and then they gladly will have children. In addition, it was mentioned in the documentary that relationship between man and woman is instinct, while homosexual relationship is a display of "anti-Jewish law" or "revolt against the creator". From the history we are able to see how strict can be orthodox Jews about their religion. For instance, at the time of king Antiochus Epiphanes who invaded Jerusalem 198 BC and persecuted Jews, people were forced under his control to eat pork. These people were ready to get tortured and die rather than disobey God's rules. This historic example demonstrated how Jewish people are devoted to the religion and are afraid and not ready to disobey his rules. Even nowadays, as it was claimed in the movie, coming out or even realizing homosexuality is a tragic for many of the followers. It causes self-harming, depression, anxiety and suicides. In this way people punish themselves for not being "normal" and usually are circled out of the community. Almost all the stories from the documentary illustrated that there is no option for being orthodox Jew and homosexual. Therefore, this impossibility leads to mentioned tragic consequences. It can be suggested that the documentary majorly demonstrated this side of view. Nevertheless, with the greater tolerance and openness, people started interpreting religion in a differing way. Now there is a turn to a more liberal way of seeing religion and Torah exactly. This liberal view emphasized the importance of ethical principles and tries to pay less attention to rituals. For instance, some would say that Talmud (combination of Mishnah, written collection of oral Torah and commentary) does not have to be the true words of God and a human does not have to obey it so strictly. Also some Rabbis see God being responsible to human's actions and in the constant conversation. In addition, being homosexual can mean that the person is able to fight against complication because of that. It can be concluded that despite strict rules written in the sacred documents and told by Rabbis, nowadays the situation can change from being harmful for Jewish homosexuals to accepting those people by the religious community and by families especially. This documentary provided important thoughts for all of us and a great discussion. It was so complicated to stay orthodox Jew and homosexual at the same time and not feel guilty and humiliated. Hopefully, the situation will change to more liberal view on that issue.

For thoughtful people of all beliefs

[ernar-75622 · 8/10 · 27 September 2020]

Trembling before G-d documentary illustrates Judaism's attitude to homosexuality. It is based on the painful stories of different LGBT community members. The film also presents the opinions of psychotherapists, researching the problem of homosexuality in Jewish society, and rabbis (in Judaism means an academic title confirming knowledge of the Torah and Talmud, as well as having the right to resolve religious and domestic issues of the community). It reminded me of another documentary A Jihad for Love, which describes a relationship between Islam and homosexuality. One of the interesting things about this religion is in the title of this movie. Judaism is one of the oldest monotheistic religions, where God is one and is the creator of everything, that is why Jews, as a sign of respect, avoid mentioning his name in writing, so that it is not erased or destroyed. Instead, they write G-d. The position of Judaism towards homosexuality is widely known. According to the Torah, it is a mortal sin: "And if a man lies with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed a detestable act: They shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them" (Leviticus 20:13). Opponents of the recognition of homosexuality as the norm claim that this is a rebellion against God. So, the main problem faced by gays and lesbians is combining their faith in Judaism, life in the community on equal terms, and their orientation. One of the features of religions is that Jews consider themselves the chosen people who made a covenant with God to bring light to this world, so perhaps they believe that if a person differs by physiological characteristics, he cannot be chosen by God and it could worsen the plight of gay people in Israel. When a person admits that he is gay, he has a choice: to be treated or to leave the community and be a hermit, and many commit suicides. Therefore, LGBT people often hide their orientation and live an ordinary Jewish life: they pray, get married the opposite sex, have children because, according to the Torah, a family is the basis of society, and it is preferable to follow the path that is already outlined. However, such a life is often full of pain, mental health problems, pressure, and many cannot stand it because it is challenging to hide emotions and feelings. Those few who choose the treatment path are also unhappy because they have to struggle with themselves all their lives to no avail, alone and detached from the community. One rabbi said that the ideal life of believing gay is not to show his sexual needs and preferences. Judging by the film, rabbis are divided into two types: those who are decisively against the manifestation of their unusual orientation, and those who seem to support such people but see only one way out of the situation: to threat homosexuality, which consists in prayers (reading psalms) and suppressing libido. This is very frustrating since it seems that there is no way out of such a situation, and it is impossible to be a correct Jew and homosexual at the same time. David's story is both shocking and depressive. It shows how purposeful and strong spirit a person can be when striving for faith so that people accept him as he is. After watching this documentary, it seems to me that most of the adherents of Judaism are trembling before the community, but not God. One of the main principle and tenet of this religion is that God treats everyone with dignity and respect and everyone was created in his image, so why a person who follows all 613 commandments of the Torah and lives the 'right' life is a mortal sinner only because of his sexual orientation, which he did not choose voluntary and cannot change? The movie told the story about a gay who came to a respected nationwide rabbi and asked why a man might be attracted to a woman? Rabbi was at a loss because there are no real reasons for this. This is something inherent in nature, so as the attraction of men to each other. Thus, maybe religious leaders simply did not deeply address the reasons for being homosexual and subconsciously want to oppose the LGBT movement's propaganda, but not against gays and lesbians believers as such. Trembling Before G-d is a very emotional and though-provoking attempt to show that everyone can become a religious and 'correct' Jew despite orientation. Just because someone is an LGBT representative does not mean he is sick, spoiled, or distant from God and cannot believe. It was filmed in 2001 but is still relevant as gays and lesbians face the same problems nowadays.