ConservativeMovementtoAccept GayRabbis

RabbisKasselAbelson,ElliotDorff,JoelMeyersandAlvinBerkun,fromlefttoright,holda newsconferenceannouncingtheConservativemovementsendorsementofahalachic positionallowinggayrabbisandcommitmentceremonies,Dec.6,2006,inNewYork.

ConflictingConservativeopinionsexpectedtoopenthe wayforgays
ByBenHarris December6,2006 NEWYORK,Dec.6(JTA)EvenbeforetheinkwasdryontheConservativemovements decisiontoacceptgayrabbisandallowsamesexcommitmentceremonies,itsimpactwas alreadybeingfelt. RabbiJeromeEpstein,executivevicepresidentoftheUnitedSynagogueofConservative Judaism,themovementscongregationalarm,immediatelyannouncedthathewas recommendingachangeintheorganizationshiringpractices,whichhadrequiredemployees tobeobservantofJewishlaweffectivelybarringgaymenandlesbians. Iseenoreasonwhyweshouldnotreviseourhiringpoliciessowemayconsiderapplicants forUnitedSynagoguejobsnomatterwhattheirsexualorientationmaybe,Epsteinsaidina statement.UnitedSynagoguesleadershipwilldiscusstheissueatournextscheduled meeting. WithadvocatesonbothsidesoftheissuewarningthatWednesdaysdecisionsbythe CommitteeonJewishLawandStandardscouldirreparablyfracturethemovement,thetwo daymeetingwascloselymonitoredaroundtheJewishworld.

Intheend,thecommitteeendorsedthreeseparateteshuvot,orresponsa,ontheissue.One, byRabbiJoelRoth,affirmedthemovementstraditionalbanongayrabbisandcommitment ceremonies.Another,byRabbisElliotDorff,DanielNevinsandAvramReisner,reversedthose positionswhileupholdingthebiblicalprohibitiononmaleintercourse.Bothpapersearned13 votes,amajorityofthe25membercommittee. Athirdopinion,byRabbiLeonardLevy,alsoaffirmedthemovementstraditionalpositionon homosexualitywhilerejectingthenowcommonviewthathomosexualityisanorientationone cannotcontrol.Levyspositionearnedtheminimumsixvotesrequiredforacceptance. RothandLevy,alongwithRabbisMayerRabinowitzandJosephProuser,resignedfromthelaw committeetoprotestitsendorsementoftheliberalDorffpaper. AttheUniversityofJudaisminLosAngeles,leaderslonghavemadecleartheirintentionto ordaingayrabbisifthelawcommitteeallowedit.AtWednesdaysmeeting,Dorff,rectorof U.J.sZieglerSchoolofRabbinicStudies,saidheexpectstheseminarytoannounceafinal decisionwithinweeks. InNewYork,theJewishTheologicalSeminaryhasbeenlessforthcoming.Thoughhehassaid publiclythathesupportsgayordination,incomingChancellorArnoldEisenpromisedtoconsult withfaculty,studentsandthecommunitybeforemakingadecisionheemphasizesisnot halachicinnature. Asurveyofopinionwithinthemovementistobeconductedbeforereachingafinaldecision. WearegoingtoconsiderwhatwethinkbestservestheConservativemovementandlarger AmericanJewishcommunity,Eisenwroteinanemailfollowingthedecision.Weknowthat theimplicationsofthedecisionbeforeusareimmense.Wefullyrecognizewhatisatstake. MomentumhasbeenbuildingforyearsforamorepermissiveConservativeattitudetoward homosexuality.Despitethecommittees1992decisionupholdingthebanongayrabbisand commitmentceremonies,anumberofConservativerabbisdoperformsuchceremonies. Thatnumberisexpectedtogrownowthatrabbishavereceivedhalachicsanctionfromthe movementshighestlegalbody. Ithinktherewillbeasignificantchange,saidRabbiAyeletCohen,aJTSgraduateandleader ofCongregationBethSimchatTorah,aManhattansynagogueforlesbiansandgaymen. Anoutspokenproponentofchangingthetraditionalprohibitiononhomosexuality,Cohen performedcommitmentceremoniesforgaycouplesevenbeforethecommitteesdecision.She saidopponentsofchangenolongerwillbeabletousethelawcommittees1992statementon homosexualityasanexcusetocontinueexcludinggaymenandlesbiansfromthemovement. Accordingtothecurrentpositionofthemovement,gaymenandwomenarelesserhuman beingsthanheterosexuals,Cohensaid.Gaypeoplecanbekeptoutofeveryleveloflay leadershipinourmovement.Untilnow,rabbishavebeenabletosay,TheresnothingIcan do.Myhandsaretied. Butbydecidingthatcontinuingthebanongayordinationandcommitmentceremoniesalsois alegitimateposition,thecommitteehasensuredthatlocalrabbiswhoopposeachangein policywillhaveahalachicauthoritytociteinmakingtheircase. Thereisconsiderablylessambiguityatthemovementsseminaries,wheremuchofthe agitationtochangepolicyhasoriginated.

KeshetJTS,astudentadvocacygroup,saysasurveyshowedthateightoutof10membersof theJTScommunitywouldsupportordaininggayrabbis. Ithinkthatcongregantsareaheadoftheirrabbisonmanyissues,andthisisoneofthem, saidRabbiSteveGreenberg,anopenlygayOrthodoxrabbiandseniorteachingfellowatCLAL theNationalJewishCenterforLearningandLeadership.Icantellyouthattherearepeople whohavewantedtogototheseminarytobecomearabbiandhavechosentogoelsewhere, andwillbethrilledthatthatoptionwillnowbeopentothem. OnesuchpersonisAaronWeininger,anopenlygaysenioratWashingtonUniversityinSt. LouisandalifelongmemberoftheConservativemovement.Hisdecisiononwheretoapplyto rabbinicalschoolhingedonthelawcommitteesdecision. IwouldliketobeabletoapplytoaConservativeseminary,andforbothethicalandpersonal reasonsrightnowthatsnotanoption,WeiningertoldJTAbeforethevote. WeiningersaidhewouldapplytotheUniversityofJudaism,butwouldalsoconsiderJTSifthat becameanoption. Likeotheradvocatesofliberalization,Weiningersaidwhatsatstakeisnotjustthestatusof lesbianandgaymeninConservativeJudaismbutthemovementsentireapproachto interpretinghalacha. Hehopesthedecisionwillleadtogreaterclarityinthewaymovementauthoritiesnegotiate thelinebetweenfidelitytotraditionandthedemandsofcontemporarylife. Moralityisattheverycoreoflaw,andthatlawreallydrivesustowardouraspirationof holinessandjustice,Weiningersaid.Andsoifweinturninterpretlawtoexcludepeople,we reallyviolatetheintentofthelaw. RabbiAlanLaPayover,oneofveryfewopenlygayrabbiswhohasservedasthespiritual leaderofaConservativesynagoguehewasordainedbytheReconstructionistRabbinical Collegecalledthedecisionaverybigstep. GiventhenatureoftheConservativemovementsprocess,theydidthebesttheywereable todo,saidLaPayover,theformerrabbiatBethAmIsraelinPennValley,Pa. Giventhemultipleopinionsallowedbythelawcommittee,neitheradvocatesnoropponentsof changewillfeelcompelledtoadjusttheirpositions. Still,manyobserversarehopefulthatthedecisionwillopenavitaldiscussionwithina movementthatoncewasAmericaslargestJewishdenomination. RabbiMenachemCreditor,aleadingadvocateforchangewithinthemovement,saidEisens useofthecommitteedebateasanopportunityfordiscussionatJTSisastepintheright direction. Thatsarevolution,Creditorsaid.Itmightbequiet,butIthinkitsgoingtochangethings onthegroundbecauserabbiscantignoretheinclusionofwhicheverteshuvotwillbe accepted.Wecantignoreit.Theresnohidingit.Itstransparent.