Religion
Gay & Orthodox – an earthquake in the making?
Geoff Sifrin
TAKING ISSUE
Same-sex couples living in Israel who want to have a child through a surrogate mother, must go abroad to do it. Nepal is one of the places where this is possible.
The motivation for these couples wanting children is the desire to live a “normal” life. To some, this means belonging to a community which accepts who they are, and raising a family. Judaism – and other major religions – has not yet come to terms with the increasing legitimisation of homosexuality and same-sex marriages, which are now legal in many countries including South Africa.
The more liberal Jewish denominations accept gays and lesbians as full congregants and in some cases even rabbis. But in Orthodoxy the issue is highly contested. What should an Orthodox rabbi do when confronted with a gay congregant who wants to remain Orthodox and participate in Jewish community and ritual, in synagogue and elsewhere? Including possibly raising a family or becoming a rabbi.
In February 2005 the movie “Trembling before G-d” came to Johannesburg, telling the story of openly gay Orthodox Rabbi Steven Greenberg. Predictably, it caused confrontation. The Beth Din condemned it and Jewish schools and other institutions were forbidden to screen it.
Greenberg, who accompanied the film to South Africa, said: “In the past, if you were gay, you would either shut up or leave Orthodox Judaism.”
For the Beth Din, the issue was clear: There could be no compromise on the halachic view condemning homosexuality, and Greenberg’s claim to be an Orthodox rabbi was unacceptable. He was here “under false pretenses”.
The Beth Din refused an invitation to present its viewpoint at an interfaith panel discussion following the film’s screening. Its most senior official said: “That sort of debate is an ‘American’ thing. Our duty is to educate and teach, not to debate.”
Now, JTA reports, four prominent modern-Orthodox rabbis have done what Orthodox gays and lesbians say was inconceivable a few years ago: They spoke at a public conference at Columbia University two weeks ago on the treatment of gay, lesbian and transgender people in Orthodox communities, called “Faith, Desire and Psychotherapy”.
Speakers included Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, former president of the Orthodox Rabbinical Council of America; Rabbi Mark Dratch, the RCA’s executive vice president; Rabbi Shaul Robinson, leader of the Modern-Orthodox Lincoln Square Synagogue in New York; and Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot, a faculty member at Orthodox rabbinical school Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.
Others attended as observers, including Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, former executive vice president of the Orthodox Union.
A few years ago Helfgot managed to get over 100 Orthodox rabbis to sign a declaration, calling for inclusion of gays as “full members” of the Orthodox community. The declaration said that although Jewish law forbade gay sex, it “does not prohibit orientations or feelings of same-sex attraction, and nothing in the Torah devalues the human beings who struggle with them”.
In response, some 200 Orthodox rabbis issued a rebuttal – the Torah Declaration – declaring homosexuality an unacceptable “lifestyle” and describing homosexual inclinations as “changeable” through conversion therapy. Mental health professionals at the conference labelled such therapy psychologically dangerous.
The gay issue will remain divisive in Orthodox Judaism, and more so as demands increase from gay Jews who want to remain Orthodox. Is there any room for compromise here, or is this a simple matter of unambiguous, unchangeable halacha, versus liberal modernity, with no possibility of a meeting point – as many respected Orthodox rabbis say?
Is the participation of the aforementioned rabbis in this conference the opening of a new door for Orthodoxy? What we can be sure of is that the matter will not easily be resolved without the ground shaking.
Geoff Sifrin is former editor of the SAJR. He writes this column in his personal capacity.
Darren
April 29, 2015 at 6:44 am
‘\”Orthodox\” congregations accept as full members Jews who breach halacha on a daily basis – those that publicly desecrate the Sabbath, those that publicly eat treif, those are clearly not living a halachic lifestyle. In some cases, these members sit on committees and become leaders in their communities.
Whilst homosexuality remains un-halachic and can never be condoned, why are homosexuals as individuals denied membership when other violaters of halacha are not?
‘
Choni
April 29, 2015 at 8:51 am
‘Darren, I would say that for the same reason Chabad shuls (quite rightly I think) will not give an Aliyah to a Jewish man married to a non-Jew), but will give an Aliyah to sinners you mention.
’
Josh
April 29, 2015 at 10:38 am
‘Id like to weigh in on this. First of all if you believe that G-d is perfect and does not make mistakes then homosexuality cannot be a mistake. Also how deluded and self centered are people to believe they can \”fix\” G-ds mistakes.
Secondly who is some man to tell anyone that their \”homosexual inclination is “changeable” through conversion therapy\”. A person can no more help their sexual orientation then they can their gender. Why dont they try change someones skin color next? If you do not approve of homosexuality that is your preference but do not limit the freedoms of others to suit your lifestyle.
Is religion not supposed to be about tolerance and peace?
‘
Choni
April 29, 2015 at 4:44 pm
‘There is a (wise) tradition in Judaism that if a man or woman sins in any manner let him do so in a private way.
However, if he does so in a public way -especially in Israel- then it is a Chillul Hashem.’
Adam
April 29, 2015 at 8:32 pm
‘So Josh pedophiles are acceptable too because God doesn’t make mistakes? There’s a difference between having an attraction and acting on it. We have freedom of choice, that’s built I to Gods creation.
also, if you do believe in God, then you need to believe the part where He says it’s wrong.
so perhaps you can’t change who you are attracted to, but you can certainly change how you act on that attraction.’
David
April 30, 2015 at 4:36 am
‘Aren’t we led by a strange bunch of Rabbonim? ?
Can’t even agree on a subject that, in this day and age is an accepted part of life in most of the world where ‘thinking’ plays it’s part in ‘acceptance and tolerance’.
After all , we are not talking about giving up Jerusalem — which can never happen due to it’s sanctity to every Jew.’
Josh
April 30, 2015 at 7:29 am
‘Im sorry but ive got to ask Adam did you just compare Homosexuals to Pedophiles? Quite frankly we see a lot of people in the community doing things they are not supposed to but I do not see them getting their own special article.
We claim to live in such a tolerant society these days, Nobody is asking anybody to participate in homosexual activity but let us at least acknowledge their right to exist and not compare them to criminals. Especially as Jews we need to in a world that encourages bigotry be the opposition who says we love all mankind.
We cannot use freedom of speech to try and cloak ourselves in a constitutional right that
is as overplayed in the South African community at large as it is misapplied. Everyone should get to believe in G-d.Pray to G-d, worship G-d. Of course! But to use Him on others, to exclude others. No. I
mean not against Jews or homosexuals or any other of our brothers and sisters on this planet. And at least not in my name Enough with intolerance. Yuck!’
Adam
May 4, 2015 at 6:36 am
‘Josh, yes, I compared homosexuals to pedophiles in the sense that both are urges and actions prohibited by Torah law.
Before you get all worked up, my point is that since you asked whether God would create homosexuals (which he prohibits), I asked if the same would apply to pedophiles (which he also creates).
Imagine a pedophile standing in a court of law, claiming it wasn’t his fault because God created him and God is loving and all merciful.
Of course the actions are different, but on a point of law (leave emotion out of it), you cannot hide behind the fact that God wouldn’t create such people. ‘
Josh
May 5, 2015 at 10:29 am
‘Adam I am afraid I cannot agree with you. And as a criminology student let me tell you people say and do things in a court of law in the name of G-d all the time. But the point is to compare two law abiding and consenting adults who choose same sex relationships to someone who diddles children is not acceptable.
The fact is any G-d who is loving and merciful would not create all his children equally, give them free will and then damn them for all eternity for using it. I believe that mans interpretation of religion is also flawed but thats a completely different argument.
I am a full Libertarian i believe in personal freedoms and personal responsibilities and your rights end where my nose begins you have no right to tell ANY PERSON what they can and cannot do with their body. Plus homosexuality is not a choice. Why would anybody CHOOSE a lifestyle where religious zealots want to kill you in the name of G-d and you and your loved ones are seen as an abhorrent social taboo?
Come out of the dark ages people and embrace the light. If G-d can love all of his children im pretty sure we can too. ‘
Josh
May 5, 2015 at 10:33 am
‘Adam I am afraid I cannot agree with you. And as a criminology student let me tell you people say and do things in a court of law in the name of G-d all the time. But the point is to compare two law abiding and consenting adults who choose same sex relationships to someone who diddles children is not acceptable.
The fact is any G-d who is loving and merciful would not create all his children equally, give them free will and then damn them for all eternity for using it. I believe that mans interpretation of religion is also flawed but thats a completely different argument.
I am a full Libertarian i believe in personal freedoms and personal responsibilities and your rights end where my nose begins you have no right to tell ANY PERSON what they can and cannot do with their body. Plus homosexuality is not a choice. Why would anybody CHOOSE a lifestyle where religious zealots want to kill you in the name of G-d and you and your loved ones are seen as an abhorrent social taboo?
Come out of the dark ages people and embrace the light. If G-d can love all of his children im pretty sure we can too. ‘
Andi
May 7, 2015 at 11:49 am
‘If the Rabbis can accept changes in modern science eg. authorising the use of certain switches on Shabbos and working out how electricity can halachically be used on Shabbos, surely there is room for understanding that there are are lot of scientific articles available that have discussed the genetic, socialogical and hormonal factors that influence sexuality. Why can’t they change their approach to homosexuality then?’
Beth
May 8, 2015 at 10:03 am
‘Andi, there are indeed rabbis who have reformed historical laws and traditions.’