STORE WIDE... 491 new balance Summer Sale! SALE STARTS... Tuesday, July 9th - Saturday, July at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield. The event, which was attended by more than 200 guests and officiated by the entire clergy staff, had all the trappings of a traditional Jewish wed- ding, including a ketubah (Jewish marriage contract). "I attended, but I could not walk down the aisle said Grossman. As a Conservative Jew, it was hard for me to accept at the time:' Ross and Alan, who live in Farmington Hills, were subsequently married in New York, where same- sex marriage is legal, although their union is not recognized here. Today Grossman wholeheartedly accepts her son and his husband, whom she jok- ingly calls her "son-un-law:' "I'm 13 years older and wiser now," said Grossman. "I've come a long way. I'm delighted they have each other. Everyone should have someone they love and who loves them:' Kutinsky said the climate has changed significantly since he and Neumann became a couple more than 20 years ago. At first, people didn't even know how to invite both of us to a wedding; now we are welcomed into the com- munity with open arms," he said, add- ing that having kids has had a positive effect on the attitudes of others. "Once you have children, people realize we're not so different anymore. We all want the same things:' Religious Reaction Representatives of the Reform move- ment, which has long supported gay rights and same-sex marriage, praised the Supreme Court for its rulings. An excerpt from a statement by the Rabbinical Assembly (RA), the New York-based umbrella organization for Conservative rabbis, said, "... Judaism views marriage as a sacred responsi- bility, not only between the partners, but also between the couple and the larger community. Our movement recognizes and celebrates marriages, whether between partners of the same sex or the opposite sex. We therefore celebrate today's decisions on gay mar- riage by the Supreme Court:' Rabbi Aaron Bergman of Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills, a Conservative congregation, reinforced the RAs response. "The Declaration of Independence means all people are created equal," Bergman said. "This is a step in the right direction. It's in the government's best interests to create stable families:' Not all members of the Jewish com- munity celebrated the court actions. The New York-based Orthodox Agudath Israel of America said the court's decision "grievously insulted" the sanctity of marriage, which they define as the union of a man and a woman. In a statement by the New York- based Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (OU), the organization affirmed its opposition to same-sex marriage while emphasizing the need to respect all views: ... we reiterate the historical posi- tion of the Jewish faith, enunciated unequivocally in our Bible, Talmud and Codes, which forbids homosexual relationships and condemns the insti- tutionalization of such relationships as marriages. Our religion is emphatic in defining marriage as a relation- ship between a man and a woman. Our beliefs in this regard are unalter- able. At the same time, we note that Judaism teaches respect for others and we condemn discrimination against individuals:' Kutinsky and Neumann's children, who were conceived using Neumann's sperm and Kutinsky's sister's eggs, were born and adopted in Illinois, which has more liberal adoption and surrogacy laws than Michigan. "A lot of effort went into making this family," he said. "We both really wanted to be parents:' Kutinsky and Neumann say they would definitely get married if same- sex unions are legalized in Michigan. "We are excited; we're very excited," said Jewish Gay Network of Michigan President Michael Phillips. "Now we're trying to figure out what we can do next to make positive changes and keep the momentum going:' Legislators and gay rights activists agree that it remains to be seen how the Supreme Court decisions will affect individual states. In a recent lawsuit brought by sev- eral same-sex couples, U. S. District Judge David Lawson for the Eastern District of Michigan issued a pre- liminary injunction against a state law barring public employers from providing benefits to individuals who live with, but are not related to, an employee. "The state constitution is the final word in Michigan, until it is chal- lenged," Lipton said. "Do I expect that to happen? Probably:' For many same-sex couples and their families, further legislative changes, especially in Michigan, are long overdue. "I don't understand the fuss," said Grossman. "I wish Michigan would accept it (same-sex marriage); it only helps to create better families. How can you deny people the right to have a normal family life?" ❑ trte. am ft3., MIR NEW BALANCE SHOES AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE WIDTHS Special Store Monday - July 8° Closed Tuesday - July 9" 8am-8pm SALE Wednesday- July 10th 10am-8pm Thursday - July 11th 10am-8pm Friday - July 12th 10am-6pm Hours Saturday - July 13" 10am-6pm newbalancedetrOit.com Locally Owned & Operated Since 2000 FARMINGTON HILLS TROY 37606 W. 12 Mile at 821 E. Big Beaver Rd. Halsted Rd. at Rochester Rd. 248.324.0506 248.740.9221 JEWELERS Turn your old GOLD into CASH! We will buy ALL of your precious metals, diamonds & watches. Come see us Today. 32940 Middlebelt Rd. 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