Q: What is Judaism's view on homosexuality?
A: Traditional Judaism has seen - and continues to see - homosexuality as an
abomination (Refer to Leviticus, chapter 18. Interestingly, neither the Torah
nor the rabbinic tradition has much to say concerning lesbian relationships. It
is the male's "spilling of seed" anywhere other than in the usual "place" that
is seen as a sin). Many in the traditional community today will say that they
accept the homosexual person as a Jew, but they cannot condone what they
understand to be sinful behavior nor can they that say that homosexuality is on
the same level as heterosexuality.
On the other hand, there are
those, not all, who believe that the traditional laws against homosexuality
originated in a more ritual context, since, for the most part, the word
"abomination" was applied more in the ritual sphere of life than in the ethical.
The Torah seems to see homosexual relations in a cultic context rather than
something more parallel to the interpersonal context of heterosexual
relationships.
Although the sin of Sodom
and Gemmorah is apparently homosexuality, later Jewish tradition, including the
Biblical prophets, makes no reference to homosexuality and see the sins of Sodom
and Gemmorah as cruelty and lack of hospitality to the "stranger" - xenophobia,
as it were.
Reform Judaism, for the most
part, seems to view the traditional prohibitions against homosexuality as mores
from a bygone age, mores now replaced with clearer understandings of the reality
of gender orientation as something which is, as it seems to me, beyond simple
individual "preference."
Is Judaism capable of doing
such an "about-face" on a position which has been so firmly founded in the
tradition? Some have made an analogy to the tradition's disqualification of deaf
people as valid witnesses, a disqualification which was later nullified when
people learned more about what it means to be deaf. This reasoning would allow
us to say that, since we now have more and better knowledge about homosexuality
and no longer see it either as an abomination nor as mental illness, we have
reason to reevaluate the tradition's negative posture vis-à-vis
homosexuality.
I may be overstating the
case, but in my experience during the last few years, it seems that many, if not
most, Reform Jews seem to be willing to make no great distinction between
homosexual and heterosexual relationships, although it remains an emotionally
charged question on all sides and there are still many "hot" issues. As a whole,
however, the Reform Movement, both the "lay people" and the rabbis have come out
very strongly in favor of civil rights for gays and lesbians. You will see this
reflected in the resolutions below.
As for the sensitive issue
of whether or not rabbis should or should not, could or could not, perform
rituals affirming same-sex unions, be they called "weddings," "commitment
ceremonies" or "ceremonies of affirmation," or something else, the CCAR indeed
took a stand on this issue at our national convention which was held in March of
2000, in Greensboro, N.C. Preceeding the discussion and vote were years of
studying the issues from traditional as well as psycho-social literature.
While virtually all of the
rabbis affirmed gay/lesbian civil rights, some rabbis were not comfortable with
affirming same-sex unions, either because they did not believe that it was
warranted by the tradition or because they felt that a public statement might
hurt relations with more traditional streams of Judaism, especially in Israel.
When it came to a vote, however, the VAST majority of Reform Rabbis present on
the Convention voted in the affirmative "that the relationship of a Jewish, same
gender couple is worthy of affirmation through appropriate Jewish ritual
" This
was followed by language supporting those rabbis who chose to perform such
ceremonies as well as those who chose not to. (The resolution with its
background is added below.) For those who do officiate at such ceremonies, some
will use the traditional language of "kiddushin sanctification," while others
will use terms such as affirmation or commitment.
Clearly, the official arms
of Reform Judaism have taken a most welcoming stance vis-a-vis lesbian and gay
Jews who wish to learn, worship, give, live and love as Jews.
One final note; if you are
interested in learning more about Reform Judaism's stance vis-a-vis welcoming
gays and lesbians into synagogue life, I would highly recommend you looking at
the UAHC's publication entitled "KULANU - All of Us," a guide to making our
congregations even more inclusive.
I have shared with you both
my own understanding of this question. It is in no way official. The resolutions
listed below, both of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC - the
umbrella organization of Reform Congregations in North America) as well as the
Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR - the organization of Reform Rabbis
in North America.) speak for themselves.
Written by Rabbi Don
Rossoff, Temple B'nai Or, Morristown, NJ
Following are the Texts
of Various Reform Resolutions on Homosexuality:
Adopted by the 107th
Annual Convention of the Central Conference of American Rabbis March,
1996
BACKGROUND:
Consistent with our Jewish
commitment to the fundamental principle that we are all created in the divine
image, the Reform Movement has "been in the vanguard of the support for the full
recognition of equality for lesbians and gays in society." In 1977, the CCAR
adopted a resolution encouraging legislation which decriminalizes homosexual
acts between consenting adults, and prohibits discrimination against them as
persons, followed by its adoption in 1990 of a substantial position paper on
homosexuality and the rabbinate. Then, in 1993, the Union of American Hebrew
Congregations observed that "committed lesbian and gay couples are denied the
benefits routinely accorded to married heterosexual couples." The UAHC resolved
that full equality under the law for lesbian and gay people requires legal
recognition of lesbian and gay relationships.
In light of this
background, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Central Conference of American Rabbis
support the right of gay and lesbian couples to share fully and equally in the
rights of civil marriage, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the CCAR oppose
governmental efforts to ban gay and lesbian marriage. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that this is a matter of civil law, and is separate from the question of
rabbinic officiation at such marriages.
Civil Marriage for
Gay and Lesbian Jewish Couples
Adopted by the General
Assembly Union of American Hebrew Congregations
October 29-November 2, 1997
Dallas
BACKGROUND
In 1987, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC) reaffirmed
its commitment to welcoming gay and lesbian Jews into its congregations and
encouraging their participation in all aspects of synagogue and communal life.
In 1993, Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler, President of the UAHC, called upon the
Reform Movement to support the right of gay and lesbian couples to adopt
children, to file joint income-tax returns, and to share in health and death
benefits provided to heterosexual couples by federal, state, and local
governments and by both large and small corporations. Following Rabbi
Schindler's call, the UAHC, in 1993, resolved that full equality under the law
for gay men and lesbians requires legal recognition of monogamous domestic gay
and lesbian relationships.
In 1990, the Central
Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) adopted a position paper encouraging rabbis
and congregations to treat with respect and to integrate fully all Jews into the
life of the community regardless of sexual orientation and acknowledging the
need for continuing discussion regarding the religious status of monogamous
domestic relationships between gay men or lesbians and the creation of special
ceremonies. In April 1996, the CCAR adopted a resolution supporting the right of
gay and lesbian couples to share fully and equally in the benefits of civil
marriage.
In addition, the Canadian
Council for Reform Judaism (CCRJ) has supported the extension of spousal
benefits to same-sex partners in relationships which would be deemed "common
law" marriages if the partners were heterosexual. The CCRJ also supported the
1996 amendments to the Canada Human Rights Act to add "sexual orientation" as a
prohibited ground for discrimination.
In the years since first the
UAHC and subsequently the CCAR gave their support for full equality for gay men
and lesbians in congregational life, gay men and lesbians have increasingly come
forward to participate in the life of Reform Judaism on national, regional, and
local levels. No less than heterosexual couples, gay men or lesbians living in
monogamous domestic relationships have demonstrated, like their counterparts,
love for one another, compassion for the sick, and grief for the
dead.
The UAHC has for decades
provided moral leadership to the Jewish community and to our nation, recognizing
our differences and diversity, but acknowledging that we are but one family,
equal before God. In this spirit, the UAHC must now move more forcefully to
support the monogamous domestic relationships of gay men and
lesbians.
Legal recognition of
monogamous domestic gay and lesbian relationships and congregational honoring of
these couples will together provide these men and women and their families with
dignity and self esteem.
In 1993, the UAHC General Assembly resolution called
for recognition for Lesbian and Gay relationships: A) by governmental
legislation as to participation in health plans and survivor benefits, as to
fitness to raise children, and as to legal acknowledgment of the relationship;
and B) by congregations and institutions of the Reform Movement to extend
benefits to partners of staff members and employees.
A separate secular movement
is proceeding to recognize these monogamous domestic relationships judicially
and statutorily and to grant to gay and lesbian couples nondiscriminatory
economic, legal, and social rights equal to those under law enjoyed by
monogamous heterosexual couples.
THEREFORE, the Union of
American Hebrew Congregations resolves to:
- Support secular efforts to
promote legislation which would provide through civil marriage equal opportunity
for gay men and lesbians;
- Encourage its constituent
congregations to honor monogamous domestic relationships formed by gay men or
lesbians; and
- Support the efforts of the
CCAR in its ongoing work as it studies the appropriateness of religious
ceremonies for use in a celebration of commitment recognizing a monogamous
domestic relationship between two Jewish gay men or two Jewish lesbians.
Resolution on Same Gender Officiation
Resolution
adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Central Conference of American Rabbis,
March 2000
BACKGROUND
Over the years, the Central Conference of American Rabbis has adopted a
number of positions on the rights of homosexuals, on homosexuality in the
rabbinate, and advocating changes in civil law pertaining to same-gender
relationships.
In 1977, the CCAR adopted a
resolution calling for legislation decriminalizing homosexual acts between
consenting adults, and calling for an end to discrimination against gays and
lesbians. The resolution called on Reform Jewish organizations to develop
programs to implement this stand.
In 1990, the CCAR endorsed
the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Homosexuality and the Rabbinate. This
position paper urged that "all rabbis, regardless of sexual orientation, be
accorded the opportunity to fulfill the sacred vocation that they have chosen."
The committee endorsed the view that "all Jews are religiously equal regardless
of their sexual orientation." The committee expressed its agreement with changes
in the admissions policies of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of
Religion, which stated that the "sexual orientation of an applicant [be
considered] only within the context of a candidates overall suitability for the
rabbinate," and reaffirmed that all rabbinic graduates of the HUC-JIR would be
admitted into CCAR membership upon application. The report described differing
views within the committee as to the nature of kiddushin, and deferred
the matter of rabbinic officiation.
A 1996 resolution resolved
that the CCAR "support the right of gay and lesbian couples to share fully and
equally in the rights of civil marriage," and voiced opposition to governmental
efforts to ban gay and lesbian marriages.
In addition to these
resolutions, two CCAR committees have addressed the question of same-gender
officiation. The CCAR Committee on Responsa addressed the question of whether
homosexual relationships can qualify as kiddushin (which it defined as
"Jewish marriage"). By a committee majority of 7 to 2, the committee concluded
that "homosexual relationships, however exclusive and committed they may be, do
not fit within this legal category; they cannot be called kiddushin. We
do not understand Jewish marriage apart from the concept of kiddushin."
The committee acknowledged its lack of consensus on this question.
The Ad Hoc Committee on
Human Sexuality issued a report in 1998 which included its conclusion, by a
committee majority of 11 with 1 abstention, that "kedushah may be present in
committed same gender relationships between two Jews and that these
relationships can serve as the foundation of stable Jewish families, thus adding
strength to the Jewish community." The report called upon the CCAR to support
all colleagues in their choices in this matter, and to develop educational
programs.
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS justice and human
dignity are cherished Jewish values, and
WHEREAS, in March of 1999
the Womens Rabbinic Network passed a resolution urging the Central Conference
of American Rabbis to bring the issue of honoring ceremonies between two Jews of
the same gender to the floor of the convention plenum, and
WHEREAS, the institutions of
Reform Judaism have a long history of support for civil and equal rights for
gays and lesbians, and
WHEREAS, North American
organizations of the Reform Movement have passed resolutions in support of civil
marriage for gays and lesbians, therefore
WE DO HEREBY RESOLVE, that
the relationship of a Jewish, same gender couple is worthy of affirmation
through appropriate Jewish ritual, and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that we
recognize the diversity of opinions within our ranks on this issue. We support
the decision of those who choose to officiate at rituals of union for
same-gender couples, and we support the decision of those who do not,
and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that we
call upon the CCAR to support all colleagues in their choices in this matter,
and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that we
also call upon the CCAR to develop both educational and liturgical resources in
this area.
