Sex: Jewish Positions
Perspectives on sexuality in Jewish culture
Sex: Jewish Positions explores the diverse, surprising and often contradictory ideas about sexuality in Jewish tradition and culture. The exhibition looks at various perspectives, from traditional Jewish scholarship to contemporary artists and instagrammers, from religious to secular, from hetero to lgbtqi+.
Multiple subsets
Sex: Jewish Positions presents stimulating combinations of traditional Jewish objects and contemporary art and photography to show that Judaism is not a uniform, exclusively religious culture. Contemporary Judaism combines many subgroups and individuals, religious and secular, with constantly evolving ways of thinking and living – not least when it comes to sex.
Reflection
The exhibition features four themes in various galleries: Obligation & Pleasure, Desire & Control, Sexuality & Society and Erotic & Sacred. Each theme presents a range of Jewish views about sex and sexuality – from religion and rite, to art and popular culture. A central space provides an opportunity to reflect: a place to listen to contemporary ideas about sex in Jewish culture and share opinions.
Obligation & Pleasure
Traditional Jewish law is clear: sex is a religious, even a sacred duty that ensures the continuation of humankind and is only permitted in the context of heterosexual marriage. The rabbis also discussed the role of pleasure. They point out that sex can foster harmony in the home, and a Jewish husband is obliged to satisfy his wife sexually, regardless of her ability to conceive child. Feminism, the lgbtq+ movement and evolving social norms have given rise to new interpretations of Jewish law. Marriage of people of the same gender and sexual freedom are also part of Jewish life today.
Benyamin Reich, Untitled (from the Divine Connection series), 2005, courtesy of the artist
-© Benyamin Reich, Berlin
Desire & Control
Sex is strictly regulated in traditional Judaism. Men are required to control their desires and channel these in the correct manner: sex is for the marital bed and to conceive children. Masturbation by men is frowned on as ‘spilling seed’. A woman should only have sex when she is not menstruating. Some couples feel that this enhances their passion, while for others it frustrates their sexual fulfilment. In particular, feminist and queer Jews show that sexual liberation and Judaism go together perfectly well.
Promotional photo by Sjalhomo, Jenny E. Wesly, Amsterdam c. 1980. Jewish Museum collection.
Founded in the Netherlands in 1979, Sjalhomo campaigned for acceptance of homosexuality in Jewish communities and created space for homosexual Jews to experience their Jewish identity to the full.
Sexuality & Society
Sex is surrounded by profound taboos. Every society develops rules about what is acceptable and what is not, yet rules are there to be broken. Even in the Bible, attitudes to incest, adultery and sex outside the community appear ambivalent. Famous Jewish sexologists such as Sigmund Freud and Magnus Hirschfeld paved the way for sexual emancipation and new forms of sexual identity. Political movements such as feminism and nationalism have also enabled Jews to develop different group identities. Various Jewish artists have adopted sexual and gender identity as a theme in their work. Through their life and work they have encouraged debate about social norms and have enabled new forms of self-expression.
Orthodox Eros, G.L.H. (b. 1976), Israel, 2010. Courtesy of the artist.
This meticulously composed picture of a young Orthodox man is part of a series by Israeli photographer G.L.H. The photos offer an intimate insight into masculinity and religion and show the role sensuality and the erotic play in Chassidic life.
I am in Training, Don't Kiss Me, Claude Cahun (probably France, 1927). Courtesy of Jersey Heritage Collections.
This iconic self-portrait of Claude Cahun, born Lucy Schwob, presents an enigmatic mix of masculine and feminine expression. Part bodybuilder, part seductress, the ambiguous image conveys a sense of a stable gender identity. Cahun’s exploration of gender, sexuality and the self resonates today in an age in which identity is an increasingly flexible concept.
Erotic & Sacred
Traditionally, the rabbis have agreed on one point: since sex is a sacred gift, abstention is not an option. Especially on Shabbat, sex is a religious obligation. Some Jewish mystics even ascribe divine, cosmic powers to human sexuality. The connection between God and the Jewish people is described as an amorous relationship. This is expressed in erotic terms using sensual allegory in texts, prayers and rituals. For some, the Torah scroll is an object of adoration, and the famous Song of Songs is packed with erotic verse. American artist Judy Chicago has made contemporary, feminist illustrations of this biblical book.
Contemporary voices
Judaism is constantly evolving. New voices are continually emerging, even some that were once considered unacceptable. Looking at old texts through a modern lens has opened up traditional sexual norms to discussion.
Israeli artist Noa Snir has created a series of ten monochrome works especially for the exhibition entitled Episodes from the Babylonian Talmud reflecting through a contemporary lens on famous and little-known Talmudic passages about sex.
Noa Snir, Episodes from the Babylonian Talmud (Berlin, 2023)
Berakhot 62a. ‘Rav Kahana went in and hid under Rav's bed. He heard Rav chatting and laughing with his wife, doing what he required and being intimate with her. Rav Kahana said to Rav: Such lust, one would think that Abba had never tasted a dish before! Rav said to him: Kahana, is that you? Go away! This is not appropriate. Rav Kahana replied: It is Torah, and I must learn.’
In het Kunstkabinet van het Joods Museum is de installatie Tumtum te zien van de Israëlische kunstenaar Gil Yefman (1979). ‘Tumtum’ is de benaming van vroege rabbijnen voor mensen wiens genitaliën verborgen of ambigu waren. Met zijn uitbundige overvloed aan lichaamsdelen, brengt Yefman een ode aan het non-binaire en wijst hij starre afbakeningen van seks en gender af.
Gil Yefman, Tumtum, 2024, crochet knitting, additional sound and performance, 200x200x200cm. Photo by: Jens Ziehe