God, who answered our genderqueer ancestor JacobLit. heel Jacob is the third patriarch, son of Isaac and Rebecca, and father to the twelve tribes of Israel. More than any of the other patriarchs, Jacob wrestles with God and evolves from a deceitful, deal-making young man to a mature, faithful partner to God. His Hebrew name is Yaakov. when they wrestled with the Angel–
May God answer us
God, who answered our genderqueer ancestor JosephJacob's eldest son by his beloved wife, Rachel. Joseph, the dreamer, was his father's favorite and nearly murdered by his brothers. Sold into slavery, he became viceroy of Egypt where he ultimately saves the Egyptians and also his own family from starvation. His Hebrew name is Yosef/ when they were in the pit–
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God, who answered our genderqueer ancestor DinaDina is Jacob's only daughter and the sister of the twelve tribes. in the womb–
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God, who answered our genderqueer ancestor, Judge Devorah when they led IsraelLit. ''the one who struggles with God.'' Israel means many things. It is first used with reference to Jacob, whose name is changed to Israel (Genesis 32:29), the one who struggles with God. Jacob's children, the Jewish people, become B'nai Israel, the children of Israel. The name also refers to the land of Israel and the State of Israel. in war–
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God, who answered our genderqueer ancestor YaelA female character in the Book of Judges who is instrumental in the Israelites' obtaining the victory that Deborah had prophesied. When she encountered the enemy king Sisera, Yael invites him into her tent. She feeds him milk to make him drowsy and, when he fell asleep, she murders him by driving a tent peg through his temple. when they defeated the enemy general Sisera–
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God, who answered our genderqueer ancestor JudithJudith saved her people by seducing Holofernes, the enemy general, and then decapitating him. The story of Judith, found in the apocrypha, is associated with Chanukah (relating to the tradition of eating cheese dishes because she seduced the general and fed him dairy). Her Hebrew name is Yehudit. when they defeated the enemy general Holofornes–
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God, who answered our genderqueer ancestor the Queen of Sheba when they impressed King Solomon–
May God answer us
God, who answered the people of Corinth when they challenged the gender norms of wearing their hair–
May God answer us
God, who answered our asexual ancestor Mary Magdalene–
May God answer us
God, who answered our genderqueer ancestor Mary, who learned at the feet of Jesus–
May God answer us
God, who answered our genderqueer ancestor Joan of Arc at Orleans–
May God answer us
God, who answered our genderqueer ancestors at Dewey’s and Compton’s riots–
May God answer us
God, who answered our genderqueer ancestors at Stonewall–
May God answer us
God, who answers us in the face of unprecedented hate and vitriol–
May God answer us
Rabbah Rona Matlow is the author of We are God’s Children Too.
