150 Orthodox rabbis sign statement for acceptance of gay Jews

[Ian David]

150 Orthodox rabbis sign statement for acceptance of gay Jews

By Celeste Lavin, 365gay.com
08.03.2010 12:45pm EDT

A group of Orthodox rabbis issued a statement calling for the acceptance of gays and lesbians in the Orthodox community.

The statement said, “Embarrassing, harassing or demeaning someone with a homosexual orientation or same-sex attraction is a violation of Torah prohibitions that embody the deepest values of Judaism.” About 150 rabbis, mostly from the Modern Orthodox movement signed the statement that listed 12 principles for why gays and lesbians should be accepted in the Orthodox community.

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The statement of principles emphasized that “change therapies” encouraged by some communities could be very harmful. “We affirm the religious right of those with a homosexual orientation to reject therapeutic approaches they reasonably see as useless or dangerous,” read the statement.

It also said that Jews with same-sex attractions should not be pressured to marry different-sex partners “as this can lead to great tragedy, unrequited love, shame, dishonesty and ruined lives. They should be directed to contribute to Jewish and general society in other meaningful ways.”

More:
http://www.365gay.com/news/150-orthodox-rabbis-sign-statement-for-acceptance-of-gay-jews/

See also:

Rabbi Helfgot’s Statement of Principles urges sensitivity toward gays in Orthodoxy Orthodox rabbi aims for movement consensus

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Entitled “Statement of Principles on the Place of Jews with a Homosexual Orientation in Our Community,” the piece, revised with the help of Rabbis Aryeh Klapper and Yitzchak Blau, has as of Wednesday garnered the signatures of more than 140 Orthodox rabbis, educators, and mental health professionals.

Helfgot said he is pleased with reaction to the statement, posted on the Internet last week, which attempts to “express an authentic, honest, balanced, reasoned, nuanced, thoughtful approach to a sensitive issue, balancing Torat Emet {stressing Jewish law} with Torat Chesed {emphasizing compassion}.”

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While reactions have been mixed, he said — with some people signing the document immediately, others noting that they would think about it, and still others holding that the issue should not be publicly discussed — “most of those who have spoken about it have been very positive.”

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The rabbi cited a 2001 book by Rabbi Chaim Rapoport, “Judaism and Homosexuality,” which, he said, articulated many of the themes evident in the statement.

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Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, first vice president of the Orthodox movement’s Rabbinical Council of America and religious leader of Cong. Ahavath Torah in Englewood, called the document “an appropriate statement, otherwise I wouldn’t have signed it.” He noted that “there have been numerous situations where homosexuals have married people of the opposite gender in an attempt to live a life story that they simply could not. This has the potential to create terrible things for those in the relationship.”

More:
http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/content/item/14318/



It's not perfect, but it's very Progressive for one of the most backward sects of Judaism that still has one foot firmly set in The Bronze Age.

However, this is mostly from the Modern Orthodox movement. However, some of the hardcore Fundies in the old-fashioned Bronze Age Orthodox movement ALSO signed onto this. This is significant. Those people make The Amish look hip, relevant and trendy.


See also:



Modern Orthodox Judaism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Modern Orthodox Judaism (also Modern Orthodox or Modern Orthodoxy) is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize Jewish values and the observance of Jewish law, with the secular, modern world.

Modern Orthodoxy draws on several teachings and philosophies, and thus assumes various forms. In the United States, and generally in the Western world, "Centrist Orthodoxy" – underpinned by the philosophy of Torah Umadda ("Torah and Knowledge") – is prevalent. In Israel, Modern Orthodoxy is dominated by Religious Zionism; however, although not identical, these movements share many of the same values and many of the same adherents.<1>

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Orthodox_Judaism

Orthodox Judaism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Orthodox Judaism is a formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics canonized in the Talmudic texts ("Oral Torah") and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim. Generally, Orthodox Judaism consists of two different streams, the Modern Orthodox and the Ultra Orthodox.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Judaism

[dipsydoodle]

1. A kindly gesture

:thumbsup:

[leftynyc]

2. Excellent

Nice to see an Orthodox religious community do the right thing.