Editing Jewish views on homosexuality (section)

===Prominent Gay Orthodox Jews===

American Orthodox rabbi [[Steven Greenberg (rabbi)|Steven Greenberg]] came out as gay in 1999 to a significant response from rabbis of all denominations. Rabbi [[Moshe Tendler]], a leading rabbi at [[Yeshiva University]], stated, "It is very sad that an individual who attended our yeshiva sunk to the depths of what we consider a depraved society."<ref>{{cite news |title=Rabbi Ordained by Yeshiva University Announces He is Gay |publisher=Israel Wire |date=May 18, 1999 |url=http://www.israelwire.com/New/990518/99051844.html |access-date=April 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000306064752/http://www.israelwire.com/New/990518/99051844.html |archive-date=March 6, 2000 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> As Greenberg has a [[semichah|rabbinic ordination]] from the Orthodox rabbinical seminary of Yeshiva University ([[RIETS]]), he is often described as the first openly gay Orthodox Jewish rabbi.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/11/national/11bishop.html?scp=4&sq=Rabbi%20Steven%20Greenberg&st=cse| title=Bishop Says Conflict on Gays Distracts From Vital Issues| work=[[The New York Times]] | date=11 September 2004| access-date=18 November 2011 | author=Goodstein, Laurie}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/comment/story/0,,1425657,00.html | title=Judaism and the gay dilemma | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=26 February 2005 | access-date=16 November 2011 | author=Rocker, Simon | location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/07/an-interview-with-rabbi-s_n_638679.html| title= An Interview With Rabbi Steven Greenberg: Orthodox And Gay | work=[[Huffington Post]]| date=7 July 2010| access-date=16 November 2011 | author=Neroulias, Nicole}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/07/an-interview-with-rabbi-s_n_638679.html
| title= Gay And Orthodox, According To Jon Marans | work=[[The Jewish Week]]| date=19 July 2011 | access-date=16 November 2011 | author=Merwin, Ted}}</ref> Greenberg faced backlash in 2011 for officiating a same-sex wedding. The civil ceremony was not a [[Kiddushin (Talmud)|kiddushin]], which is not permitted for same-sex couples, and therefore not recognized under Jewish law. In response, a group of Orthodox Rabbis issued an open letter denouncing the ceremony and Greenberg's ordination. Greenberg's ordination remains valid.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.algemeiner.com/2011/12/05/100-orthodox-rabbis-issue-same-sex-marriage-declaration/ |title=100 Orthodox Rabbis Issue Same Sex Marriage Declaration |publisher=algemeiner.com |date=5 December 2011 |access-date=19 April 2013}}</ref>

Orthodox Israeli rabbi [[Ron Yosef]] became in 2009 the first Israeli Orthodox Rabbi to come out, by appearing in [[Uvda (TV program)|Uvda]] ("Fact"), Israel's leading investigative television program, in an episode regarding [[conversion therapies]] in Israel.<ref>{{cite video|author=Yermi Brenner |date=2009 |title=Gay Rabbi Comes Out of His Orthodox Closet |publisher=VJ Movement |url=http://www.vjmovement.com/truth/537 |access-date=November 26, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112130252/http://www.vjmovement.com/truth/537 |archive-date=November 12, 2013 }}</ref> Yosef remains in his position as a pulpit Rabbi.<ref name="yn">{{cite news |author=Nissan Strauchler |date=February 16, 2010 |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3849500,00.html |title=Gay with perfect faith |publisher=[[Ynetnews]] |access-date=November 26, 2014}}</ref> Yosef testified that his Yemenite congregation did not accept him being a homosexual very easily and it took them a while to accept it. Yosef received death threats in the year leading up to the [[2009 Tel Aviv gay centre shooting]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Kobi Nahshoni |date=August 2, 2009 |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3755595,00.html |title=Rabbis condemn anti-gay shooting |publisher=[[Ynetnews]] |access-date=November 26, 2014}}</ref> In 2013, he stated he was in a relationship with a man.<ref>minute 00:39 in a radio interview with Razi Barkay here [https://web.archive.org/web/20131219122839/http://player.glz.co.il/Player.aspx?FixedPoster=true&FixedPosterName=GLZAOD.jpg&ClipID=131218-10&Type=aod&Width=300&Height=200])</ref> Yosef has stated his approach to the issue of homosexuality in Judaism as follows: "It is clear to me that lying with another man is forbidden, and our starting point is commitment to [[halacha]] and Torah. The goal is not to seek permission. But you need to give us a shoulder and support."<ref name="yn" />

In 2019 Daniel Atwood became the first openly gay Orthodox person to be ordained as a rabbi; he was ordained by the rabbi Daniel Landes, in Jerusalem.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forward.com/opinion/425242/this-was-a-week-of-jewish-blessings-gay-orthodox-ordination-an-80-person/?gamp|title = This Was a Week of Jewish Blessings: Gay, Orthodox Ordination, an 80-Person B'nei Mitzvah, and a Spelling Bee| date=31 May 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/first-openly-gay-orthodox-rabbi-ordained-in-jerusalem-1.7300255 |title=First openly gay Orthodox rabbi ordained in Jerusalem - Israel News |publisher=Haaretz.com |date=2019-05-28 |access-date=2019-06-03}}</ref> In October 2023, ''[[The Forward]]'' reported about Shua Brick, "experts say that Brick is the first openly gay rabbi to serve on the clergy of an Orthodox synagogue in the U.S.",<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://forward.com/news/563113/shua-brick-gay-orthodox-rabbi-oakland/|title=Orthodox Judaism has its first openly gay congregational rabbi. This is his story.|date=October 5, 2023|website=The Forward}}</ref> explaining that Brick "runs the youth program, leads Torah study for adults, and fills in when the senior rabbi is out of town" at Beth Jacob Congregation in Oakland, California, where he started coming out as gay to members of the congregation over a year prior to October 2023. He was ordained by Yeshiva University.<ref name="auto"/>