Sexuality, gender, and the LGBTQ+ community are not concepts one would expect to find in a book directed at the Haredi community, and certainly not one directed at Haredi children.
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A Yiddish-language version of Jonathan Branfman's book "You Be You: The Kids' Guide to Gender, Sexuality, and Family," set to be released at the end of this month, aims to make this information accessible to Haredi children in a way that has not been possible in the past.
The book, which was originally released in English in 2019, aims to serve as a source of information for children aged 7 to 11.
"Many Haredim who belong to the LGBTQ+ community are forced to contend with discrimination and internal stigmas. The goal of this illustrated book," Branfman explained, "is to explain to Haredi children in simple and familiar language concepts like identity, gender, discrimination, sexual and romantic orientation, and different types of families. Children who read the book discover within its pages that there are different kinds of people and variety is something to be celebrated."
The book's illustrations have been adapted for a Haredi audience, with pictures of a bride and groom, for example, dressed in traditional ultra-Orthodox garb.
Lili Rosen, who translated the book into Yiddish, grew up in the Haredi community. She said she hopes the book will reach ultra-Orthodox children who feel alone or misunderstood and help them and the world at large to understand and accept them.
"I think it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this is a book that saves lives," she said.
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