24 April 11 • 2019 jn Liberal Orthodox Yeshivah Won’t Ordain Gay Student S ignaling a red line on how far Modern Orthodoxy is prepared to bend to adjust to societal changes, a liberal New York City sem- inary will not ordain an openly gay student who is engaged to be married and completing his fourth year of rab- binical studies this spring, The Jewish Week has learned. In a statement to The Jewish Week, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (YCT) stu- dent Daniel Atwood, 27, wrote: “Four years ago I came out as gay during my first year … and it was decided that I would receive semicha [ordination] as their first openly gay student. After four years of study and my completing almost all of the program’ s require- ments, YCT decided not to give me semicha, news delivered to me only a few weeks ago, three months before my graduation, without any prior con- versation on the matter. ” Atwood became engaged in the fall and is living with his partner. Rabbi Asher Lopatin, who was pres- ident of YCT at the time of Atwood’ s acceptance into the school, is currently the spiritual leader of Kehillat Etz Chayim in suburban Detroit. He is also the founder of the Center for Civil Discourse here. He was dismayed by the school’ s decision. The decision marks a turning point for the school, which has served for nearly 20 years as the flagship insti- tution for a subgroup of Modern Orthodoxy often dubbed “Open Orthodoxy. ” Founded in 2004 by Rabbi Avi Weiss as an alternative to the more right-leaning Yeshiva University, the school has ordained more than 100 rabbis. The decision on Atwood is being perceived by some as an attempt by the yeshivah to more firmly ground itself in the traditional Orthodox world, which maintains that Jewish law prohibits homosexual relations. “I always knew that being in the position that I am in would be a dif- ficult process, ” Atwood wrote. “I was always willing to navigate those chal- lenges and work with YCT through- out this process. And I have always been fully committed to living my life according to Orthodox Halachah [Jewish law]. At the same time, I refuse to live anything but a dignified life, something I was always transparent about, including not being closeted or secret about my Torah, my identity, my beliefs or my relationship. In his statement, Atwood said he is pursuing an independent ordination. Rabbi Dov Linzer, YCT’ s president and rosh yeshiva, declined to com- ment on the specifics of the case. “We accept all students regardless of sexual orientation, provided they are fully committed to Orthodox halachic observance, ” he wrote in an email. “There have been students in the past who did not receive semicha, each one for reasons specific to his case. Out of respect for all our students, the jews d in the SHIRA HANAU/JTA “I’ ve never been more disappointed in Modern Orthodoxy and its institutions.” — RABBI ASHER LOPATIN continued on page 26 HONORARY CHAIRPERSON Neal Rubin Detroit News Columnist HONORARY CHANCELLOR Alycia Meriweather Detroit Public Schools Community District Deputy Superintendent 2019 SPONSORS 2019 PRESENTING SPONSOR 2019 BOOKSTOCK BOOSTER @BookstockMI facebook.com/BookstockMI bookstockmi.org 248-645-7840 ext. 365 #BookstockMI A community service project. Proceeds benefit education and literacy programs. APRIL 7-14, 2019 SHOP THE SALE! 6 Mile and Newburgh Road, Livonia ADMISSION FREE: Monday - Saturday: 10 am - 9 pm, Sundays: 11 am - 6 pm BOOKBUSTER SPECIAL DAYS Thursday, April 11 & Friday, April 12 3 - 9 pm BUY 3, GET 4TH FREE* (least expensive item) Spend $25 or more and your name will be entered in a special sports drawing. COOKSTOCK Saturday, April 13 – 10 am - 9 pm 50% off all cookbooks, plus hourly gift cards and prizes! FINAL DAY OF SALE BOOKS AND MEDIA 1/2 PRICE Sunday, April 14 Supervised by the Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater Detroit 855.543.EPIC TheEpicureanGroup.com REFINED NEIGHBORHOOD CAFE, GREAT ATMOSPHERE, WONDERFUL FRIENDSHIPS Thursday April 18th 5-8pm adults . . . . . . . . . . . . 28++ children . . . . . . . . . . . 13++ children 3 and under eat free 248.788.7400 Make your reservations today!