03/27/2007
Conservative Jewish Seminary to Accept Gay Students
Taking into account opinions of a conservative Jewish panel which ended a ban on gay rabbis and same-sex unions, the Jewish Theological Seminary has decided to allow gays and lesbians into its rabbinical and cantorial schools.
Said Chancellor-elect Arnold M. Eisen: "The decision to ordain gay and lesbian clergy at J.T.S. is in keeping with the longstanding commitment of the Jewish tradition to pluralism. Pluralism means that we recognize more than one way to be a good Conservative Jew, more than one way of walking authentically in the path of our tradition and of carrying that tradition forward."
Despite criticism from some Jewish leaders that the decision goes against Jewish law, the move was hailed by many and seen by some, like Jonathan D. Sarna, a professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University, as a way to "attract a younger generation of disaffected Jews" to the movement.
The Seminary is located in upper Manhattan.
Posted 9:10 AM EST by Andy Towle in New York, News, Religion | Permalink
Like it?
Subscribe to FREE Towleroad daily headlines with our RSS feed!
RECENT STORIES:
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
When orthedox jews come around, then I will have a parade.
The orthedox jews are just as bad as xtian fundies. Stupid men chasing a fairytale and hating on us gays.
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 27, 2007 9:41:43 AM
This is a good step in the right direction. And, of course, the right thing to do.
Posted by: David | Mar 27, 2007 10:57:34 AM
The conservative movement hasn't actually ended the ban on Gay marriage. There were three separate rulings approved: one supportive, one against and one that went even further to support reparative therapy. What is does is allow individual congregations to choose whichever ruling they are most comfortable with. Not the greatest result, but still something, I guess.
Posted by: David | Mar 27, 2007 10:58:08 AM
reparative therapy
wow, sounds like conservatives are also just as bad as fundie xtians....
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 27, 2007 7:43:03 PM