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03 04 05 13 Tishrei 5777 TISHREI 5777 Searching for Sanctity: 03 Reflecting on the Challenges of "Religious and LGBT" Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash Should the LGBT question be discussed publicly? 04 Rav Yoni Rosensweig The Community and People with Homosexual Tendencies - 05 Halachic Position Paper Elaboration and Sources The Divine Kingship 13 on Rosh Hashanah 1 Rav Avraham Walfish Attentive Spiritual Leadership Rav Meir Nehorai || Chairman of the Board Beit Hillel strives to raise awareness not the same as a single rabbi offering a surrounding topics which are significant halakhic psak. But, after what was truly a for society in general, and for the religious tremendous investment of effort, we have community in particular. Since its founding, succeeded in publicizing a single statement. we knew that it would be impossible for When we presented the psak regarding the organization to have a single, unified the LGBT community to the membership, voice. It is very difficult to formulate a we succeeded in reaching consent on our uniform voice for an organization which articulation, despite the significant range of numbers 130 men and women in positions opinions regarding this issue. In this booklet, of spiritual leadership. To articulate and in order to give a place to our members and refine a final statement about which most the variety of their voices, we wish to offer members agree is an exhausting process, two articles which differ significantly in their which demands tremendous effort. A approach and substance, to give a taste of group of rabbis expressing an opinion is the range of members' opinions. Boaz Ordman || Executive Director of Beit Hillel “A land whose stones are iron and out of Beit Hillel members – rabbanim and rabbaniot, whose mountains you will dig bronze” (Deuter- young and old – in an effort to find the best way onomy 8:9) to apply our commitment to eternal Torah values Chazal teach us (Taanit 4b): Do not read to the changing reality in which we live. These “stones” but rather “builders.” The Kli Yakar ex- deliberations enable our members to “sharpen plains that these are the scholars who work to each other like iron.” build the world and sharpen each other like iron. As we prepare for the coming year, our plans Over the past few months, as the new execu- are to focus on three main issues: (1) “Ha’ger tive director of Beit Hillel, I have been privileged Yatom & Almanah” – reaching out to the unfor- to get an inside look at the people and accom- tunate in our communities, (2) Advancement of plishments of Beit Hillel. Every day, each and women as spiritual leaders, and (3) Reinforcing every one of the more than 130 rabbanim and the modern orthodox liberal views in the educa- rabbaniot who are members of Beit Hillel are tional system. busy “building the world” by making significant We look to our friends and supporters to join contributions to religious life in Israel. Their in- us in our journey to bring moderate and attentive fluence is increasingly being felt throughout Isra- rabbinical leadership to the forefront of the pub- el in the educational system, the community, the lic discourse in Israel and to address the grow- Knesset, and the general public discourse. ing need of Israelis for a more tolerant Judaism. However, before our members take on these I urge you to contact me with any questions, challenges, it is critical that they are well-in- ideas, or suggestions that you might have in or- formed and well-prepared. That is why we also der to help us achieve our goals. place such a great emphasis on internal educa- tion and conversation. It is here that the issues Best wishes for a Shana Tova, of the day are presented, discussed, and de- bated. Different experiences and perspectives Boaz are shared and examined among the different 2 Searching for Sanctity: Reflecting on the Challenges of Religious and LGBT Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash || Teacher of Halacha and Rabbinic Literature at Pardes and at Matan in Jerusalem. Several years ago, a student of mine from complex questions: Where do laws of yichud and Pardes sent me an email. She was engaged to negiah come in when they are in same sex en- be married and wanted to know if I would be her vironments? What side of the mechitza do they Kallah teacher. The catch: She was marrying a sit on if they are transgender? Gay men want woman and wanted to know if I was comfortable to know how and where to draw completely un- teaching them both about the laws of sexual precedented red lines in their sexual behaviour. intimacy and mikva that heterosexual couples They are not asking if they can be religious and learn before they marry. At that moment I had a gay. They are religious and gay. decision to make: Do I, an educator committed This is not a simple challenge for the religious to halacha and Torah, have the right to withhold community. For many years the topic of LGBT information from Jews who seek a relationship Jews in the religious community was met with si- that halacha does not condone? Was this dif- lence or with tremendous animosity. How could it ferent than the many heterosexual couples I be thinkable to synthesize prohibited behaviour teach who are not going to observe the law of with a religious lifestyle? Nonetheless, as edu- nidda? The driving mission of Pardes is that the cators, parents and rabbis began to personally Torah belongs to all Jews who seek it. I strong- encounter religious LGBT Jews, the conversa- ly subscribe to that philosophy, and the Pardes tion began to diversify. I often find that there is Beit Midrash has brought me into contact with a tremendous difference when conversing with Jews from across many spectrums of religious rabbinic figures who have family members or observance, halachic status and sexual identi- students who are LGBT and those for whom it ty. The common thread between all of them is a remains a theoretical conversation. The last ten true thirst to connect to and deepen their Jew- years has brought me in contact with many won- ish identity through study of Jewish texts. Could derful and committed LGBT Jews so that my I refuse to teach these young women? The whole perspective changed as I listened to their couple, who today cover their hair and use the voices. mikva, told me at our last class, when I finally Four years ago, Beit Hillel began to engage asked them “why?,” that the reason they wanted in the very complex religious conversation sur- to study with me is because they were seeking rounding gay and lesbian religious men and kedusha and the Torah had no model to infuse women. When I look back on the four years of spiritual and religious meaning into their relation- emails, meetings, discussions, protocols and ship. They felt compelled to implement the ritu- finally, the position paper, I am amazed that it als of nidda and mikva in order to distinguish it took so long to put together something so vital- from casual, non-marital intimacy. ly important. Beit Hillel published a paper that The lesbian couple that I taught is but one does not compromise on Torah centred Judaism example of the uncounted numbers of religious but shows utmost compassion for those caught gay and trans Jews who are defying traditional in a tenuous, almost impossible crisis of identi- convention that religious and LGBT cannot go ty, and urges families and communities to show together. The religious LGBT community, both the same compassion. It is clear to me that we in Israel and internationally, has grown expo- must create educational and religious platforms nentially in the last decade. Its members have for the LGBT community that reflect our religious formed communities, support groups, and or- values and halachic commitment to a life spent ganizations. Gay and trans Jews maintain ko- serving God, as a contrast to the hedonistic, sher homes, keep Shabbat, daven in traditional promiscuous alternatives that lie outside the re- prayer services and seek a relationship with God. ligious structure. There is much ground yet to As they begin to raise children within committed cover and continuously new and changing chal- relationships, it is clear they will send them to re- lenges to address, but we dare not shirk from ligious schools. And they actively challenge the accepting the challenge. rabbinic institution for halachic solutions to their 3 Should the LGBT question be discussed publicly? Rav Yoni Rosensweig One of the major issues being discussed in the and as such is a discussion “about” rather than a Orthodox community today is the question of the discussion “with.” LGBTs are still objects of debate, place of LGBTs within that community. The reason rather than subjects within a debate. This situation this has become a major issue is due to the fact cannot be easy for them (to put it mildly), and I am that it raises questions of more than one kind. This not sure we are doing any of them any favors by is not just a halachic issue; it is also a philosophi- continuing to insist on a public debate. cal one, an ethical one, and a social one. Since it I believe that any person going through a difficult spans many different spheres, and demands the personal challenge does not need that challenge development of a complex and nuanced approach, splashed over the morning and evening news, it is a potentially hurtful and explosive subject. week in and week out. Perhaps a quieter atmo- Certainly we must all be careful in how we treat sphere would be more conducive to dealing with the issues at hand, especially as their subject mat- such things, and I think this is true whether or not ter is not an idea, but rather real flesh-and-blood the individual has already announced his tenden- people, many of whom are part of our community, cies to the world or not.
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