Consrvative Judaism and Homosexuality: By Rabbi Denise L. Eger

This week the Jewish stage was taken by the Conservative movement. No doubt you have heard of the confusing vote of the Rabbinical Assembly’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards that took place on Wednesday. For some time the Conservative movement of Judaism has been trying to figure out its position on the issues of gay men and lesbians in their branch of Judaism. Are gays welcome? Can they serve as rabbis and educators? Can Conservative rabbis officiate at weddings and commitment ceremonies?

The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards sets halakhic or Jewish legal policy for Rabbinical Assembly rabbis and for the Conservative movement as a whole. Its membership consists of twenty-five rabbis who are voting-members, as well as five non-voting lay representatives of the United Synagogue and one non-voting cantor representing the Cantors' Assembly. In 1992 this committee of 25 of the conservative movement took up the issue and voted to welcome gays and lesbians to their congregations. However, they did not allow ordination as rabbis and cantors. They forbid their rabbis from officiating at ceremonies of commitment and they would not recognize gay partners as a family in their shuls. Truth be told some