says abu stein an orthodox jewish transgender rabbi and activist the portrait is by benyamin a photographer with his own complex biography i grew up in an ultra-orthodox community in israel today he's an openly gay artist in berlin as works are about bridging the gaps in his identity. then you mean if i just work to 5 conventions a woman wearing a hat in prayer jacket usually reserved for hasidic men life's photos are his way of working through the ultra-orthodox life he left behind. and sure there's a lot of territory if you've been there for me. you know where you kind of are more nice in my life so i kind of. hide. myself inside of there. in a way they are all sort of portrayed. religion and traditions meet peer identity. with appearances by heists family and friends. 1. in the end it worked. benyamin heist grew up in a world of rituals with 10 siblings in an ultra-orthodox suburb of tel aviv a world he calls warm hearted but very strict he was born into a family of rabbis but he wanted to break out to be an artist there are trying to save me and i think the calmer ouster was for me. a w