Bruce Feiler - Where God Was Born, Abraham, Walking The Bible

Jews: The New Episcopolians
Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Following up on another story we've been following here on Feiler Faster, the main Conservative Jewish seminary announced on Monday that they would begin admitting homosexuals, dissolving another major difference between the Conservative and Reform movements.

The seminary considered the flagship institution of Conservative Judaism said Monday it will start accepting gay and lesbian applicants, after scholars who guide the movement lifted the ban on gay ordination.

Arnold Eisen, incoming chancellor for the Jewish Theological Seminary, said the decision was made after extensive discussion with faculty and students, a survey on views of the issue within the movement and a meeting of the school's trustees.

"The larger issue has been how we can remain true to our tradition in general and to halakah (Jewish law) in particular while staying fully responsive to and immersed in our society and culture," Eisen said in a statement distributed to the school community and its supporters.

The Conservative branch holds the middle ground in American Judaism, adhering to tradition while allowing some change for modern circumstances.

The larger and more liberal Reform Jewish movement, as well as the smaller Reconstructionist wing, allow gays to become rabbis; the Orthodox branch bars gays and women from ordination.

In December, the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards voted to allow the seminaries to decide on their own whether to admit openly gay students. However, their decision also left leeway for synagogues to reject gay and lesbian clergy if the congregations believe that same-sex relationships violate Scripture.

Yet another step toward what I believe will be the end of the tripartite division among American Jews in my lifetime.

Labels: Judaism

Posted by B Feiler at 8:01 AM
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