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to their congregants. The Central
Conference of American Rabbis
(CCAR) has given the reins to the
rabbis, allowing them to decide
for themselves if they will perform
the service, said executive secre-
tary Rabbi Elliot Stevens.
The CCAR passed a statement
on homosexuality in June 1990
but deferred on the issue of same-
sex commitment ceremonies and
weddings. A subcommittee to ad-
dress the topic of sexuality has
formed but is in its initial stages.
No decision regarding com-
mitment ceremonies will be made
until March 1996.
Meanwhile, gays and lesbians
take an active role in Reform tem-
ples. Openly homosexual clergy
have been ordained as Reform
rabbis.
"We believe that all Jews re-
gardless of their sexual orienta-
tion have an equal right to full
participation in all aspects of
Jewish life. Where there is choice,
we reaffirmed the ideal of het-
erosexual, monogamous, procre-
ative marriage," Rabbi Stevens
said. "Those two principles are
in some tension but all Jews have
a right to participate in a full
Jewish life and all Jews have an
equal right to aspire to some sense
of holiness."
Locally, Temple Shir Shalom,
Temple Israel and Congregation
Shir Tikvah all have had clergy
perform the ceremonies.
Of the 11 Reform rabbis in the
Detroit area, three conduct the
commitment ceremonies, three
refuse requests for them and five
are grappling with the issue or
have not been asked.
Rabbi Lane Steiner of Temple
Emanu-El is not comfortable with
the idea of a same-sex commit-
ment ceremony, opting instead to
perform Chanukat ha'bayit, a
dedication of the house.
Rabbi Richard Hertz, rabbi
emeritus at Temple Beth El, is
another who refuses to do them.
A rabbi for 52 years, he has seen
and embraced many changes, but
this is one he cannot.
"It is just not my thing," he
said. "Maybe I am not in the
1990s yet.
"I probably would refer them
to Rabbi Wine," he said.
Among those struggling over
the question is Rabbi Joshua
Bennett of Temple Israel. Six
months out of rabbinical school,
he recently was asked by friends
to perform their commitment cer-
emony.
"The dilemma I struggle with
is the tension between tradition-
al Jewish values and changing
American values," Rabbi Bennett
said.
The biggest consideration for
the rabbis who conduct the ser-
vices is the health of the rela-
tionship and the potential of
stability.
"I would look at'every situation,
every relationship separately, ho-
mosexual or heterosexual," said
Rabbi Paul Yedwab of Temple
Israel, who has performed one
commitment ceremony. "It is all
done on an individual basis."
Similarly, Rabbi Dannel
Schwartz of Temple Shir Shalom
has "refused to marry a hetero-
sexual couple (because it was an
abusive relationship) and I would
refuse to bless a homosexual cou-
ple for the same reason." He has
performed two commitment cer-
emonies and has booked a third.
Another consideration is the
couple's Jewish identity at home
and with children, either adopt-
ed or conceived through artificial
insemination.
"They have to agree to keep a
Jewish home, and if they are
blessed with children they have
to raise the children as Jews,"
said Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg of
Congregation Shir Tikvah.
Both the Orthodox and
Conservative movements are op-
posed to commitment ceremonies
because they say there is no place
in Judaism for homosexual mar-
riage or homosexual sex. Leviticus
18:22 states: "Thou shall not lie
with mankind, as with wom-
ankind; it is an abomination."
Some homosexual
couples shy away
from the
ceremonies.
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"Jewish law through the ages
has not recognized the relation-
ship between gay men or lesbian
women," said Rabbi Kassel
Abelson, chairman of the
Committee on Jewish Law and
Standards for the Rabbinical
Assembly of the International
Association of Conservative
Rabbis. 'It is simple. We will not
perform commitment ceremonies
for gays or lesbians."
While the Reform movement
recognizes the Leviticus passage,
it takes a different read on it.
"When it comes to homosexu-
ality, we have an altogether dif-
ferent interpretation," Rabbi
Stevens said. "The Reform move-
ment tries to chart a responsible
position that follows a tradition
but relies on its own principles."
"We don't pretend to be ha-
lachic in our orientation," he said.
The Humanist and Recon-
structionist movements agree.
Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, exec-
utive director of the Federation
of Reconstructionist Con-
gregations and Havurot in
Philadelphia, said his movement
passed a position paper support-
ing same-sex commitments three
years ago.
"We recognize that people are
generally happier in healthy re-
lationships — all people, not just
heterosexuals," he said.
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