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e.:.

BREATHING

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members questioned whether he
should be allowed to work with
youth. That congregation eliminated
Kanter's positibn when his two-year
contract was up.
Several conference-attendees said
their families have been less than
accepting of them. In a keynote
-speech, Israel's Eden, 31, told how her
family threw her out of the house 11
years ago.

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A number of conference participants
— including the leader of France's gay
Jewish group — requested that their
last names not be used in an article.
However, they were far outnumbered
by those eager to be interviewed.
That rising comfort level is
spurring the formation of a network-
ing group for gay, lesbian and bisexual
Jewish communal professionals, 30 of
whom showed up for a planning
meeting.
Amid the growing openness, some
are questioning what role America's 41
gay and lesbian Jewish groups — most
of them congregations and chavurot
(friendship groups) — should play.
In a speech, Rabbi Elliot Dorff, rec-
tor of the Conservative movement's
University of Judaism, urged gay and
lesbian Jews not to segregate them-
selves from the larger Jewish commu-
nity.
Dorff, who is heterosexual but a
vocal advocate for the rights of gay
Jews, said later he fully understands
"why gays and lesbians would want
congregations of their own."
However, he suggested they join
both gay and mainstream congrega-
tions, since sticking to separate shuls
"isolates them from the heterosexual
community and makes their accep-
tance even harder."

Their Own Places

Others agreed, but emphasized the
ongoing need for gay and lesbian con-
gregations.
Nachum Golan, 58, of Pittsburgh's
80-member Bet Tikvah, said several of
his fellow congregants have dual affili-
ations.
The warmth radiating from the
conference, where all 260 participants
linked arms and chanted at Havdala
closing services, illustrated, however,
the emotional power of a predomi-
nantly gay and lesbian environment.
"This is rejuvenating for me,"
remarked Golan. "It truly fills my
heart with love." 0

Lois Haron
248-851-6989

Allied Member ASID

I

