transactionManager.begin();
saveOrUpdate(entity1);
saveOrUpdate(entity2);
...
transactionManager.commit();

private void saveOrUpdate(SomeEntity entity) {
    try (Session session = sessionFactory.openSession()) {
        session.setFlushMode(FlushMode.AUTO);
        session.beginTransaction();   // throws IllegalStateException "Transaction already active"
        try {
            session.saveOrUpdate(entity);
            session.getTransaction().commit();
        } catch (Exception ex) {
            session.getTransaction().rollback();
            throw RuntimeException(ex);
        }
    }
}

@Override
public void begin() {
    if ( !session.isOpen() ) {
        throw new IllegalStateException( "Cannot begin Transaction on closed Session/EntityManager" );
    }

    if ( transactionDriverControl == null ) {
        transactionDriverControl = transactionCoordinator.getTransactionDriverControl();
    }

    // per-JPA
    if ( isActive() ) {   // *** This is the problematic part *** //
        throw new IllegalStateException( "Transaction already active" );
    }

    LOG.debug( "begin" );

    this.transactionDriverControl.begin();
}

/ Note: depending on the JtaPlatform used and some optional settings,
// the underlying transactions here will be controlled through either
// the JTA TransactionManager or UserTransaction

Session session = sessionFactory.openSession();
try {
    // Assuming a JTA transaction is not already active,
    // this call the TM/UT begin method.  If a JTA
    // transaction is already active, we remember that
    // the Transaction associated with the Session did
    // not "initiate" the JTA transaction and will later
    // nop-op the commit and rollback calls...
    session.getTransaction().begin();