(Jewish Group) The dam is breaking for LGBT acceptance in the Orthodox world
A few days ago, I saw a headline that read: “This Orthodox Jewish rabbi just performed his first-ever ‘joyous’ same-sex wedding.” As a gay Jew, this piqued my interest, but for the rest of the world, it seemed that this news went over with a yawn. It was covered dryly by the Times of Israel, Pink News, and the Jewish News of Northern California.
Where was the celebration? The condemnation? The excitement? The fear?
With stories like these breaking every few months, it seems that the issue of LGBT acceptance and Modern Orthodoxy is at last becoming boring.
Early in September, for instance, an Orthodox Jew — a Yeshiva University professor, no less — penned an op-ed in which he stated that Orthodox halacha, by continuing to forbid homosexual relationships, is violating the dignity, autonomy, and quality of life of queer Jews. In other words, on the issue of LGBT acceptance, halacha is in the wrong. “Jewish law ought to be consonant with our values,” wrote Dr. Aaron J. Koller. “In a clash between humanity and halacha, opt for humanity, and have enough faith in halacha that the problem will be solved.”
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