Can you be gay and jewish
The Diversity of the Jewish and LGBTQ Experience
For the month of June, the Jewish Museum invited author and activist Adam Eli to explore works of art in the Jewish Museum collection that observe Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month through four themes: persecution, empathy, activism, and the diversity of identity. The series kicks off with highlights of works by LGBTQ artists that celebrate all types of identities and expressions of gender.
I consider that one can be gay and Jewish without having to compromise on either of those identities. I decided to collaborate with the Jewish Museum for Pride Month because it is a room where I can love my Jewish heritage without feeling slighted for creature gay, and because it is an institution that embraces my LGBTQ family.
The Jewish Museum collection of nearly 30,000 objects tells the story of the Jewish people while discussing themes that are relevant to all of humanity. One can look at the Jewish Museum collection and see a series of objects that correspond to different chapters of Jewish history. For me, I see a story that is cohesive despite its many narrators: it is a story about community, smoked fis
The sources of Judaism’s traditional position on homosexuality and homosexual issues are good known. Two verses in Leviticus (Leviticus 18:23 and Leviticus 20:13) express unequivocal condemnation of male homosexual sex (although it is not clear whether what is referred to is intercourse or all sexual acts between men). According to Leviticus 20:13: “If a guy lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have devoted an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”
READ: Putting The Prohibition Against Homosexuality in Context
As evident by its language, the biblical prohibition does not extend to female homosexual acts, though later commentators disapproved of lesbianism. One rabbinic origin associates female homosexuality with the activities of the Egyptians and Canaanites, from which the Jews are supposed to abstain. Other authorities describe lesbianism as lewd or promiscuous, but do not consider it a capital offense. The Leviticus verses also imply that it is the act of homosexual sex, not the queer person, that is abhorred.
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Stances of Faiths on LGBTQ+ Issues: Orthodox Judaism
There is no pivotal governing body but despite the different forms it has taken they all share some common principles of faith and a deep loyalty to Halacha or Jewish law. Halacha is a code of behavior that covers a vast range of ethical rules, social mores, ritual practices and spiritual disciplines. A quarter of the medieval code, the Shulchan Aruch, which to this day guides Orthodox Jews, focuses on sexual rehearse and marriage. Judaism celebrates creation as an integral good. Consequently, Jewish commandment does not disparage sex. However, Orthodox tradition only supports heterosexual relations and only within the context of heterosexual marriage.
Orthodox tradition is religiously organized and socially structured by biblical and rabbinic teachings on fixed gender roles, creating separate religious duties and always separate spaces for men and women during worship. Orthodox Judaism believes that the Torah is of divine origin and represents the word of G-d. Jewish sacred texts, commonly understood in the Christian world as the Old Testament, include the Five Books of Moses, (referred to as the Torah), the Prophets (Nevi'im)
“Are there gay Jews?”
I’ve often been asked: do you have problems as a Jew in Germany? And I have to say: I’ve actually had more negative experiences related to my homosexuality. I always wear the Magen David, the Star of David, around my neck. In the summer at the pool, it’s clearly apparent. And I’ve never had problems with it. In Germany today, I can live my homosexuality as well as my faith, my Jewishness. So as a Jew I’ve made my peace with Germany.
I come from a secular family: we’re believers, and we’re part of a congregation, but we’re not strictly pious. Especially when you’re young, when you spend time partying and enjoying life, and then you go to synagogue, you can have difficulties. When I came out of the closet and started to live my homosexuality openly, I noticed that it disturbed people that I wasn’t as much a part of the congregation anymore. I no longer felt at home in my parents’ community, so I left. I have always felt like a bit of an alien there – like I didn’t really belong.
Stances of Faiths on LGBTQ+ Issues: Reform Judaism
BACKGROUND
According to the Union for Reform Judaism, “The great contribution of Reform Judaism is that it has enabled the Jewish people to introduce innovation while preserving tradition, to embrace diversity while asserting commonality, to affirm beliefs without rejecting those who doubt, and to bring faith to sacred texts without sacrificing critical scholarship.”
While synagogues operate as autonomous communities, the Reform Movement follows policies set by the Union of Reform Judaism and the Central Conference of American Rabbis and draws on the affiliated resources of such organizations as the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism or Institute for Judaism, Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity. (See Resources below.)
LGBTQ+ EQUALITY
ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION & GENDER IDENTITY
As prior as 1977, the Central Conference of American Rabbis passed a resolution that called for “legislation which decriminalizes gay acts between consenting adults, and prohibits discrimination against them as persons.” They further resolved to “undertake programs in cooperation with the total Jewish collective to implement the a