Big news, Homo-heebs and their admirers! The Conservative movement has voted to officiate openly gay rabbis. As you may recall, leaders from the Rabbinical Committee on Jewish Law and Standards have met to vote on a number of gay-tinged rules. They'll also be releasing a statement on whether or not to perform same-sex "marriage" ceremonies. No word on that front right now. If the movement does allow gay nups, it may ban certain practices, e.g. anal sex.

We'll keep you posted on the gay marriage thing. In the meantime, why don't you enjoy a press release from the Jewish Theological Seminary. They're "pleased that in a historic movement, the Movement's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards allowed the Movement’s seminaries to ordain openly gay and lesbian rabbis and cantors."

We've heard of Jewish bowels, but that's a lot of movement. Find out what else is shaking, after the jump.

December 6, 2006
www.keshetjts.org

Jewish Seminary Group Pleased With Decision to
Ordain Gay and Lesbian Rabbis

New York, NY—Keshet, the organization of Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) community members advocating for the full equality of Jews of all sexual orientations in the Conservative Movement, is pleased that in an historic moment, the Movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards allowed the Movement’s seminaries to ordain openly gay and lesbian rabbis and cantors.

Sarah Freidson, a second-year rabbinical student and co-chair of Keshet declared, “Keshet is excited about the progress that has been made and looks forward to partnering with Chancellor-Elect Dr. Arnold Eisen to ensure that come next fall, any qualified Jew can become a rabbi or a cantor.” Eisen has said, “I’m in favor of the ordination of gay and lesbian rabbis. I want to learn from my colleagues, and I want to talk to people, but this is my strong conviction now” (Forward, 4/14/06).

Freidson continued, “Despite this decision, there is still much work to do to bring us to a moment where we fully embrace gays and lesbians as a part of our movement. The medical and psychological communities agree that homosexuality is not a disease. Keshet pledges to continue working for the complete equality of gay and lesbian Jews in our movement. We also congratulate the University of Judaism, our sister school, for pledging to immediately admit qualified gay and lesbian students.

Keshet organized a full day and a half of learning, prayer, and dialogue to coincide with the meetings. The full inclusion of gay and lesbian Jews in the Conservative Movement will create a richer diversity of voices and experiences and bring back the gay and lesbian Jews, their friends and families, and others who have left the movement because of its discriminatory policies.

Aaron Weininger, a college senior who identifies as a gay Conservative Jew, said, “I've known I wanted to be a rabbi since high school. I am thrilled that today’s decision will allow me to enter rabbinical school with the entirety of my mind, heart, and soul. As I strive to serve the Jewish community and teach Torah, I want to be open and honest about my identity as I draw on my experiences and encourage others to do the same. This decision means that there is still a long way to go for total inclusion, I pray for the day when that happens.”

Rabbi Judith Hauptman, the E. Billi Ivry Professor of Talmud and Rabbinic Culture at JTS stated, “Halakha (Jewish law) is not now and never has been a rigid, paralyzed or frozen code of conduct. Halakha is a way of life, a living, breathing embodiment of the Jewish community and its most cherished principles. Our ethical principles compel us to grant the same rights and privileges to gay and lesbian Jews as we do to all other members of the Jewish community. In the words of the Torah, ‘V'ahavta l’rei’echa kamocha,’ You must love your neighbor as you do yourself (Lev. 19:18). Today’s decision is an important step in the right direction, but it inappropriately tells people how to conduct their private lives.”

Sandi DuBowski said, “I am the director of the film, Trembling Before G-d, about Hasidic and Orthodox Jews who are lesbian or gay. I was raised a Conservative Jew in Brooklyn at Temple Beth El. Tens of thousands of Conservative Jews watched the film at hundreds of our synagogue and cinema screenings and asked their rabbis, ‘Why? How can our movement treat a group of us so unjustly? How can we inflict such pain?’ Today is a powerful first step in embracing and recognizing the full dignity of all Jews. I am happy but not satisfied. I look forward to the day when gays and lesbians in our whole capacity to love can be fully affirmed with completely open arms.”

Rabbi Noach Shapiro, the spiritual leader of Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Montclair, NJ, said, “Today is a day of pride to be a Conservative Jew. As a rabbi, I can now return to my community, look them in the eye, and tell them that the Conservative movement, in our own way, with dignity, with integrity, and within the framework of Jewish law, has done what we needed to do: remove the barriers which prevented our Jewish lesbian and gay sisters and brothers from serving God, Torah and the Jewish people in the time-honored role of Rabbi and Cantor. We are all the richer for it.”