With rockets raining down on Sderot, uncertainty on the Northern front, poverty, lawlessness, corruption, and a litany of issues facing Israel, it is surprising that this issue finds its way to the headlines. Is this issue so important that it warrants Mr. Mazuz's undivided attention?

Kol Hakavod! Jewish gays and lesbians are not exempt from the Mitzvah "Pru U'rVu". This law will enable Jews in this situation to fulfill their halachic obligation. You might not agree with their lifestyle, but you cannot deny their Torah obligation to bring children into the world.

how can this not go though knesset? when will the government listen to the people?

You know as well and I do that, yes while Pru U'revu refers to every man and woman, it is mean in the sense of pro-creation as via sex. I dont think you could lock 2 women in one room or 2 men in another room and somehow magically produce a baby. Don't be dishonest. It's noble that they want to take care of kids, but dont lie to justify your position. If the lesbian would find a man and the gay man a woman, then you could make your argument. Yes, there are IVF and other adoptions for people that legitimately for a medical reason not have kids. And yes some gays fall under this. The majority do not. It's a lifestyle choice. If you are going to justify this, at least you a real argument, not junk.

SEX, IT'S A PITY IT'S ANATOMICALLY IMPOSSIBLE, THEN HE COULD DO IT TO HIMSELF !

they do not represent torah they do not represent the wishes of the majority they prove over and over they serve another

How do you know it is impossible? You made a point to look and measure Mazuz's business? Good for you!

Gay and lesbian couples have proven to be excellent parents! You can read all about it at www.familyequality.org/. One of my daughter's best friends is the adopted daughter of a lesbian couple. They are exemplary parents and exemplary Jews. It's hard to find love and even harder to raise kids. It's wrong to thwart people who try with all their heart.

stupid, foolish, pathetic, hollow man who looks for his morals to the fad and fashion of london or new york.

Dear Andras, for those of us living in the real world and not the occupeid terotories. we have a choice its called democracy. It is a persons right to religious freedom which also includes the right not to believe. Israel is a democratic state and not a state based and run on Halacha. Im sorry if it offends you that as a jew i am also Gay. But i have the right to have a family as much as you do. We do not accept the Torah and neither do we live by its rules. Im glad you have found your happiness by living accoriding to the Torah, but do not judge, slander others who do not.

Israel will hopefully become and enlightened state with civil liberties for all, It is too baed that so called religious politicians are ignoring the misery in their own comunities and are trying to inflict the same misery on others.

It's about time the divide between straight and gay couples is removed. Gay couples are just as capable as any straight couple of giving a child a warm and loving home. It's their nature!!!! So Yishai can go and stick his caustic views where the sun doesn't shine. He's an evil sick man.

Eli Yishai needs to take a cold shower and relax. He does not have the right to tell any Jew if they do or don't have the right to be a parent. Countless studies have shown that sexual orientation has nothing to do with the quality of parenting or the mental/emotional/physical health of the child. Most of these parents are actually great parents and have worked extremely hard to have the opportunity to raise a family - something that some heterosexual couples take for granted.

unbelievable that ppl still don't see reality as it is. Having this right is human for everybody, let alone lesbians and gays. The happiness of having a child is a bliss, therefore , for us, parents of this unique and amazing group , this is like justice has come at last.

What about us straight couples that can't get married by the rabbinate? When will we get a civil marriage law past?

Mike, you ae correct : It's too bad ! However, this is one thing that characterizes religious extremism and zealotisme, regardless if in Israel , Persia or Saoudi arabia. Any form of extremism , such as the one we do have in Israel, can bring nothing else but despair, intolerance and obscurantism. I Sincerely approve of anything allowing more civil liberties- especially for homosexuals- I simply question however the feelings of the children when , once grown up ( 6or 7 ) they will have to tell their buddies that they have two fathers or two mothers....but again, why not ? and kol Ha Kavod the the folks who made this possible in a country which needs a lot of enlightments to eradicate religious extremism !

But this action, does it mean follow the laws of Mosè or rather don't follow the laws of Sodoma and Gomorra?

There is one thing you have to understand about Israeli people. Most support gay rights, and those who don't have a pretty neutral stand, a very small group is against it, mostly the ortho-jews, but even then, it is the majority of the country that supports LGBT rights, even though we are a relgious country. and I am proud to call myself a part of this kind of country (a democratic country- by the way- so it really goes with the trend, you know, equal human rights and all) By the way... in the bible, it says rape, male rape, as in the crime, RAPE, they never said anything about love... and it is kind of a tredition to tell the story of David and Johnathan as a love story. (not brotherly love- romantic love) at least in most public schools it is.