RELIGION Relocating Sale Same-Sex Marriages Get Approval hair & nail supply 355-3496 1/2 OFF • All Products (excluding nail products) hair dryers 1.19 shampoos/conditioners 3.30 hair colors 1.49 bleaches/developers brushes/combs 1.69 rods/clips/pins/rollers 39.00 capes 22.00 clippers/trimmers/irons 3.00 etc. 29113 Northwestern Hwy. at 12 Mile Rd. Southfield colorcharm revlon l'oreal clairol salano dryers wahlclippers diffusers Temple Beth El invites you to bring the family to a Shabby Celebration with Cantor Jeff Klepper and Rol liaeder ahabbat Family Zervice Itpril 3, 7:30 p.m. zivdallah Concert with Kol B' Seder and Yriend5 April 4, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Ito Charge A Alk DAVID ROSENMAN'S AUTO AIM PURCHASERS NEW & USED CAR BROKER (313) 851-CARS (313) 851-2277 46 FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1992 Larry Paul makes FURNITURE NEW. Custom Restoration, Lacquering, Refinishing of new or old furniture, antiques, office furniture, pianos. For Free Estimates 681-8280 A report approved by the Reconstructionist leadership says homosexuals are as deserving of sexual intimacy as are heterosexuals. IRA RIFKIN Special to The Jewish News I n a statement that goes beyond any previous Jew- ish denominational assertion of homosexual rights, the Reconstructionist movement's congregational umbrella group has called for the "full and complete equality of homosexuals in Jewish life." The statement of homosexual equality came in a 40-page report adopted by the Federation of Reconstructionist Congrega- tions and Havurot. While not explicitly calling for rabbinically sanctioned same-sex marriages, the report states that homosex- ual couples have as much right to committed, sanc- tioned relationships as do heterosexuals. In a statement released with the report, Reconstruc- tionist leaders said that the "complete and unequivocal equality" they have propos- ed for homosexuals marks "a `first' in three millennia of Jewish history," during most of which, they ac- knowledge, homosexuality was looked upon as an aber- ration. Eighteen months in prepa- ration, the report has also been approved by the ex- ecutive committee of the Reconstructionist Rab- binical Association. The group's full membership is scheduled to take up the issue in March. The report "welcome(s) lesbian and gay individuals and families as members of congregations and havurot with the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexual individuals and families." It goes on to state that "lesbian, gay and heterosexual people are equally deserving of sexual intimacy" and that "as we celebrate the love between heterosexual couples, so too do we celebrate the love between gay or lesbian Jews Noting that Jewish tradi- tion places great value on family and child rearing, the report concludes that "lesbian and gay Jews con- tribute to the building of strong Jewish values." While the statement is not binding on the 70 Reconstructionist congrega- tions around the nation — each of which is fully autonomous —Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, the ex- ecutive director of the Philadelphia-based FRCH, said he believes that it reflects the majority view of the movement's estimated 50,000 affiliated members. He noted that Reconstruc- tionist rabbis — as have Reform rabbis — have al- ready conducted same-sex marriages. One such mar- riage last summer involved two women associated with Atlanta's Congregation Bet Haverim. While the con- gregation is Reconstruc- Same-sex marriages sanctioned by Reform and Reconstructionist rabbis have already occurred. tionist, the rabbi who per- formed the ceremony was Reform. The Reform movement has no official policy on same-sex marriages. "Gay and lesbian Jews are among the members of our communities," Rabbi Liebl- ing said. "They may be our children or children of our dearest friends, our co- workers and neighbors, or our rabbi or teachers. "Many gay and lesbian Jews practice and celebrate Judaism within our com- munities. Many more would do so if given the chance. We, therefore, fully welcome gay and lesbian Jews." Rabbi Liebling also noted that past Reconstructionist innovations —including creation of the bat mitzvah ceremony and the formal or- dination of women and their inclusion in a minyan — have since been adopted by both the Reform and Con- servative movements, and he predicted that would also happen with the granting of full equality to homosex- uals. 0