Discussing homosextiali
and Judaism, rabbis
offer the views of their
individual movements.

Clockwise from top
Rabbi Aaron Ber
Rabbi David Castigl
Rabbi Debrah C
Rabbi Tamara Ko
Rabbi Joseph Kra
Rabbi E.B. "Bunny" Freed

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN

StaffWriter

111

ore unusual than having
rabbis from five streams
share a bima was their
joint topic of discus-
sion: "Judaism and Homosexuality."
The rabbis representing the
Conservative, Orthodox,
Reconstructionist, Reform and Secular
Humanistic movements comprised a
panel speaking Tuesday, April 11, in
the sanctuary of Temple Emanu-El in
Oak Park. A sixth rabbi moderated.
Sponsored by the Southfield-based
Michigan Jewish AIDS Coalition's
(MJAC's) Echo program, nearly 100
guests sat as groups, singles, same-sex
pairs, heterosexual couples and grown
children with supportive parents. Some
leaned close together and most were
reluctant to share their names with the

Jewish News.
As expected, the Secular
Humanistic rabbi called the punish-
ment for being gay or lesbian a carry-
over from biblical times, with a
change needed in the ancient text.
The Orthodox and Conservative rab-
bis urged keeping Halacha (Jewish
law) as written in the Torah.
Yet none of the rabbis spoke against

4/14

2000

16

homosexuality. During the two-hour
discussion, they acknowledged the need
to respect the dignity of all people.
Rabbi Aaron Bergman of
Congregation Beth Ahm was the mod-
erator. He began by asking the rabbis
about the function of sexuality in a
marriage. This led to more controversial
discussions about the level of inclusivity
in each movement for gays and lesbians.
Presenting their movements' views
on the issues, the rabbis basically
agreed with Reform Rabbi David
Castiglione's description of marriage.
"The function of consecrated love is
an enhancement of human nature,
bringing one closer to the level of-
God," said the Temple Beth El rabbi.
Reconstructionist Rabbi Debrah
Cohen of the Jewish Association for
Residential Care said she would
replace the name of God with "the
divine." Secular Humanistic Rabbi
Tamara Kolton of Birmingham
Temple spoke of marriage as being a
vital bond that brings happiness, mak-
ing the world a better place.
Rabbi Cohen rebutted Orthodox
Rabbi E.B. "Bunny" Freedman's defin-
ition of marriage as sexual relations
between a man and a woman for the
benefit of procreation. She spoke of
adoption and pointed out the 14-

month-old child of two women in the
audience, saying, "There is a progeny
here today."
Rabbi Joseph Krakoff of
Congregation Shaitey Zedek read the
words of a four-year-old Conservative
movement resolution that essentially
offers support and understanding for
gays and lesbians. Yet Conservative
Judaism does not ordain homosexuals
into the rabbinate, and does not
accept them into its rabbinical
schools.
Rabbi Freedman surprised some in
the group by announcing that
although "homosexuality is impermis-
sible in the Torah, it is no more
impermissible than not keeping kosher
or not observing Shabbat in a tradi-
tional way."
The Reconstructionist movement,
said Rabbi Cohen, "supports the
rights of rabbis to conduct commit-
ment ceremonies and weddings, using
the term 'covenant of love.'"
The panel was asked to interpret
the biblical words of Leviticus that
states "A man shall not lie down with
a malea.s he would a woman. To do so
would be an abomination." Rabbi
Freedman pointed out that the term
"abomination" is also used in reference
to "idolatry, heresy, a denier of God,

someone who is fraudulent in b
and also someone whol.eats non-
.kosher food." The Tatd calls
improprieties, he said, "for some
who is making a mistake.".
Some presented alternative in
pretations, including Rabbi
Castiglione's suggestion that the
phrase was a way to keep the Je
biblical times "from following t
practices of the Egyptians or th
Canaanities, a prohibition to k
distinct and separate, like keepi
kosher."
Rabbi Cohen described the
in terms of Jewish mysticism,
explaining the difference betwe
black words of the Torah that s
out "abomination" and the whi
spaces between the letters that
"two gays who love and commi
have mutual respect."
Rabbi Kolton, referring to t
Torah, said: "To give any docu
that much power is a surrende
dignity. The text is wrong and
it is wrong, it needs to be chan

Inclusivity Discussed

The rabbis spoke of inclusio
in their own movements' congr

RABBIS INTERPRET

on page 19

