Editing Jewish views on homosexuality (section)

==Conservative Judaism==
{{Further|Conservative Judaism and sexual orientation}}
As a matter of both [[Jewish law]] and institutional policy, [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative ("Masorti") Judaism]] has wrestled with homosexuality issues since the 1980s.

Conservative Jewish writer Herschell Matt initially argued that homosexuals may be excused because Judaism does recognise 'constraint' as a valid excuse to disobey the law. However, Matt later shifted to outright support for homosexuality, viewing it as part of the natural order. Conservative Rabbi Robert Kirshchner states that Jews have historically adapted their laws to new circumstances, indicating accommodation for homosexuality.<ref>{{cite book|author=David L. Balch|title=Homosexuality, Science, and the "plain Sense" of Scripture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6pCEjNJexFYC&pg=PA293|year=2000|publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing|isbn=978-0-8028-4698-3|pages=293–|quote=Herschell Matt, a Conservative Jewish thinker, moved away from the category of 'illness' to speaking of 'sexual deviance, malfunctioning, or abnormality-usually unavoidable and often irredemediable. Matt recignized traditional reasons for condemning homosexuality, but argued that Halakah (traditional law) recognizes the category of 'constraint' (me'ones) excusing one in circumstances beyond one's control. Because there is no possibility of change to a hetereosexual preference, the homosexual should be considered to be acting under 'constraint'. A decade later, Matt went further and rejected his own suggestion that homosexuals should be tolerated because they are acting out of uncontrollable compulsion. Homosexuality is rather part of God's creation; therefore, gay men and lesbians may be ordained to the rabbinate. Matt went further than many other Conservative Jews, but virtually all Jewish writers support the decriminalization of private sexual acts. Another Conservative Rabbi, Robert Kirshchner, pointed out that 'in the interpretation of Jewish tradition, where there is a halachic will, there is a halachic way. In other words, if our understanding of a situation changes, we Jews have always found a way to make the law fit in with our new understanding.'}}</ref>

[[File:JTSA 122 Bway jeh.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Jewish Theological Seminary of America]], the main rabbinical seminary of Conservative Judaism]]
In Conservative Judaism, the [[Committee on Jewish Law and Standards]] (CJLS) of the [[Rabbinical Assembly]] makes the movement's decisions concerning Jewish law. In 1992, the CJLS action reaffirmed its traditional prohibition on homosexual conduct, blessing same-sex unions, and ordaining openly gay/lesbian/bisexual clergy.<ref name=":4" /> However, these prohibitions grew increasingly controversial within the Conservative movement.

In 2006, the CJLS shifted its position and paved the way for significant changes regarding the Conservative movement's policies toward homosexuality. On December 6, 2006, The CJLS adopted three distinct [[Responsum|responsa]] reflecting very different approaches to the subject. One responsum substantially liberalized Conservative Judaism's approach including lifting most (but not all) classical prohibitions on homosexual conduct and permitted the blessing of homosexual unions and the ordination of openly gay/lesbian/bisexual clergy.<ref name=":4" /> Two others completely retained traditional prohibitions. Under the rules of the Conservative movement, the adoption of multiple opinions permits individual Conservative rabbis, congregations, and rabbinical schools to select which opinion to accept, and hence to choose individually whether to maintain a traditional prohibition on homosexual conduct or to permit openly gay/lesbian/bisexual unions and clergy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Backgrounder What the Conservative Rulings on Homosexuality Really Mean |url=https://www.jta.org/archive/backgrounder-what-the-conservative-rulings-on-homosexuality-really-mean |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |language=en-US}}</ref>

The liberalizing responsum, adopted as a majority opinion by 13 of 25 votes, was authored by Rabbis [[Elliot N. Dorff]], Daniel Nevins, and Avram Reisner. It lifted most restrictions on homosexual conduct and opened the way to the ordination of openly gay/lesbian/bisexual rabbis and cantors and acceptance of homosexual unions, but stopped short of religiously recognizing same-sex marriage.<ref name=":4" /> The responsum invoked the [[Talmud|Talmudic principle]] of ''[[Kavod HaBriyot|kavod habriyot]]'', which the authors translated as "human dignity", as authority for this approach. The responsum maintained a prohibition on male-male anal sex, which it described as the sole Biblically prohibited homosexual act. This act remains a ''yehareg ve'al ya'avor'' ("[[Self-sacrifice under Jewish Law|die rather than transgress]]" offense) under the decision.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rabbinevins.org/HHH%20Dorff%20Nevins%20Reisner%20Final2.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413220855/http://www.rabbinevins.org/HHH%20Dorff%20Nevins%20Reisner%20Final2.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Elliott N. Dorff, Daniel Nevins, and Avram Reisner. ''Homosexuality, Human Dignity, and Halakha''. Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, Rabbinical Assembly, December 6, 2006|archive-date=April 13, 2008}}</ref>

Two traditionalist responsa were adopted. A responsum by Rabbi [[Joel Roth (rabbi)|Joel Roth]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Joel Roth, Homosexuality Revisited, Rabbinical Assembly, December 6, 2006 |url=http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/docs/Roth_Final.pdf |access-date=2007-01-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070422081604/http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/docs/Roth_Final.pdf |archive-date=April 22, 2007 }}</ref> adopted as a majority opinion by 13 votes, reaffirmed a general complete prohibition on homosexual conduct. A second responsum by Rabbi [[Leonard Levy (Rabbi)|Leonard Levy]], adopted as a minority opinion by 6 votes, delineated ways in which to ensure that gays and lesbians would be accorded human dignity and a respected place in Conservative communities and institutions while maintaining the authority of the traditional prohibitions against same-sex sexual activity.<ref>{{cite web|title=Conservative Halakhah and Homosexuality|url=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/conservative-halakhah-and-homosexuality/|quote="Rabbi Leonard Levy’s responsum, which accepts reparative therapy as a possibility and supports the same public policy as Rabbi Roth, attained the minimum threshold of 6 votes."}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Why the Conservative movement endorsed gays|date=14 December 2006 |url=https://jewishjournal.com/news/united-states/14149/}}</ref>

The Committee rejected the third paper by [[Gordon Tucker]] which would have lifted all restrictions on homosexual sexual practices.

The consequences of the decision have been mixed. On the one hand, four members of the Committee—Rabbis Joel Roth, Leonard Levy, [[Mayer Rabinowitz]], and [[Joseph Prouser]]—resigned from the CJLS following adoption of the change.<ref name="rothresigns">{{cite news|url=http://www.jta.org/page_view_story.asp?intarticleid=17355&intcategoryid=4 |title=Conflicting Conservative opinions expected to open the way for gays |access-date=2006-12-07 |author=Ben Harris |date=2006-12-06 |agency=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061211044018/http://www.jta.org/page_view_story.asp?intarticleid=17355&intcategoryid=4 |archive-date=11 December 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/page_view_story.asp?intarticleid=17372&intcategoryid=4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205030318/http://www.jta.org/page_view_story.asp?intarticleid=17372&intcategoryid=4|url-status=dead|title=Rabbi Joel Roth, "Op-Ed: Law committee in its gay ruling stepped outside halachic framework", JTS News, December 10, 2006|archive-date=February 5, 2012}}</ref> On the other hand, the [[Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies]] of the [[American Jewish University]] in Los Angeles had previously stated that it will immediately begin admitting gay/lesbian/bisexual students as soon as the law committee passes a policy that sanctions such ordination.<ref>{{cite news|author=Rebecca Spence |url=http://www.forward.com/articles/conservative-panel-votes-to-permit-gay-rabbis/ |title=Conservative Panel Votes To Permit Gay Rabbis |newspaper=The Jewish Daily Forward |date=December 8, 2006 |access-date=November 26, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061208205536/http://www.forward.com/articles/conservative-panel-votes-to-permit-gay-rabbis/ |archive-date=December 8, 2006 }}</ref> On March 26, 2007, the [[Jewish Theological Seminary of America]] in New York followed suit and began accepting openly gay/lesbian/bisexual candidates for admission for their Rabbinical program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jtsa.edu/Conservative_Judaism/The_Halakhic_Status_of_Homosexual_Behavior/Eisen_Letter_-_Ordination.xml |title=Chancellor-elect Eisen's Letter to the Community |publisher=The Jewish Theological Seminary |date=March 26, 2007 |access-date=November 26, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204152904/http://www.jtsa.edu/Conservative_Judaism/The_Halakhic_Status_of_Homosexual_Behavior/Eisen_Letter_-_Ordination.xml |archive-date=December 4, 2014 }}</ref>

In June 2012, the American branch of [[Conservative Judaism]] formally approved same-sex marriage ceremonies in a 13–0 vote.<ref name="SSM">{{Cite web|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/religion/20120601_ap_conservativejewsapprovegayweddingguidelines.html?c=r|title=Conservative Jews approve gay wedding guidelines}}</ref> In 2021, two Conservative Rabbis became the first known example of two Rabbis of the same sex marrying each other.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/11/06/conservative-judaism-same-sex-wedding-rabbis/ |title=Conservative Judaism has just celebrated its first same-sex wedding between rabbis |publisher=[[Pink News]] |date=November 6, 2021 |access-date=April 28, 2022}}</ref>

Although the American example was initially an outlier in the global Conservative movement, it is now the case that "all Masorti seminaries, except for the one in Argentina, now accept openly gay students".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.keshetuk.org/uploads/1/3/8/6/13861493/keshetuk_factsheet_denominations.pdf |author=Keshet UK |title=Denominational perspectives on LGBT inclusion |access-date=April 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222195444/https://www.keshetuk.org/uploads/1/3/8/6/13861493/keshetuk_factsheet_denominations.pdf |archive-date=December 22, 2016 }}</ref>  Since 2014 in the United Kingdom the Masorti movement offers a ''Shutafut'' ("partnership") ceremony to same-gender couples wishing to marry in a Conservative religious ceremony. The ''Shutafut'' contains many of the iconic elements of a traditional Jewish wedding service - the ''chupah'', the seven blessings, the wine, the glass breaking, but without the symbolic act of acquisition in a traditional Jewish wedding.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thejc.com/judaism/all/birth-of-a-new-tradition-masorti-ceremonies-for-same-sex-couples-1.63798 |title=Birth of a new tradition: Masorti ceremonies for same-sex couples |publisher=[[The Jewish Chronicle]] |date=September 1, 2016 |access-date=April 28, 2022}}</ref>

In Israel, the head of the Masorti's Vaad Halakha (equivalent to the CJLS), Rabbi [[David Golinkin]], wrote to the CJLS protesting its reconsideration of the traditional ban on homosexual conduct.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uscj.org/images/prouser.pdf |author=Rabbi Joseph Prouser |title=The Conservative Movement and Homosexuality: Settled Law in Unsettling Times |access-date=November 26, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207161228/http://www.uscj.org/images/prouser.pdf |archive-date=February 7, 2012 }}</ref> Despite the contention within the Israeli movement however in the same year, Israel's Schechter Rabbinical Seminary sanctioned the training of openly gay Rabbis.<ref>{{cite news |author=Marcy Oster |date=April 19, 2012 |title=Israel's Masorti movement to ordain gays and lesbians as rabbis |url=https://www.jta.org/2012/04/19/lifestyle/israels-masorti-movement-to-ordain-gays-and-lesbians-as-rabbis |publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |access-date=April 28, 2022}}</ref>

Hungary's [[Neolog]] movement - distinct from but seen as a fraternal counterpart and in some ways spiritual ancestor of the modern Masorti movement - has been more divided. Although not embracing and providing for same-gender marriage or full inclusion in Jewish life, Mazsihisz, the main representative umbrella body for Neolog Judaism, has affirmed its opposition to exclusion by homophobia and in 2013 dismissed the director of its youth movement for making comments about excluding gay people from all religious life for their sexual orientation.<ref>{{cite news |author=Cnaan Liphshiz |date=July 6, 2014 |title=Young Hungarian Jews angle for slice of communal pie |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/young-hungarian-jews-angle-for-slice-of-communal-pie/ |publisher=Times of Israel |access-date=April 28, 2022}}</ref> In 2021 the President of Mazsihisz was made to apologise for signing a ''Joint Declaration of the Churches on the Holiness of Marriage'' that held "the sanctification of the woman-man relationship by marriage is the foundation of human dignity". His critics included Mazsihisz's Chief Rabbi and earlier that same year the movement made a statement widely seen as condemning new Hungarian laws limiting the exposure of children to content referencing homosexuality.<ref>{{cite news |author=Cnaan Liphshiz |date=December 24, 2021 |title=Hungarian Jewish group backpedals after coming out against gay marriage |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/hungarian-jewish-group-backpedals-after-coming-out-against-gay-marriage/ |publisher=Times of Israel |access-date=April 28, 2022}}</ref>

Rabbi [[Bradley Artson]], Dean of the Rabbinic School at American Jewish University, claims to have studied every reference he could find to homosexual activity mentioned in ancient Greek and Latin writers. Every citation he found described an encounter between males where one party, the master, physically abused another, the slave. Rabbi Artson could not find a single example where one partner was not subservient to the other. "Homosexual relationships today", Rabbi Artson says, "should not be compared to the ancient world. I know too many homosexual individuals, including close friends and relatives, who are committed to one another in loving long-term monogamous relationships. I know too many same-sex couples that are loving parents raising good descent {{sic}} ethical children. Who's to say their family relationships are less sanctified in the eyes of God than mine is with my wife and our children?"<ref>{{cite news |author=Elliot Fein |date=October 28, 2008 |title=Religious "No!" to Proposition 8 |url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/opinion/article/religious_no_to_proposition_8_20081028/ |publisher=Jewish Journal |access-date=November 26, 2014 |archive-date=October 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015144217/http://www.jewishjournal.com/opinion/article/religious_no_to_proposition_8_20081028/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>