Do they really have to do this in Jerusalem?!

I hope you will succeed in preventing such an embarassing event. I am really happy that people like you still exist amid our extremely (by this I mean exaggerated) liberal time. If someone is gay, fine, be proud of it, but there´s no need to show it off! There are still many many people who are very skeptical about and opposed to homosexuality. Holding such an event in Jerusalem will truly provoke unrest! One should also prohibit such parades in all civilised countries. Think of some ethics and morals. This is definitely not the best example for the youth!

Homosexualism is condemned in the Torah. Is there a "Hillul Shabbos Pride" parade, a "Child Molestor Pride" parade, a "Pork Eaters Pride" parade? Why is this sin something to be "proud" of?

How would you like to incest pride parades to be held in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem? If you find this proposition to be somewhat disturbing, how do you differentiate the social stigma attached to incest from the stigma Israel's religious communities attach to homosexuality? Please enlighten me!

This is not an issue of human rights, freedom, or anything of the sort. The gays who want to march in Jerusalem do it specifically to rub their perversity in the faces of people who find it immoral, detestable, and difficult to watch. They get a perverse pleasure out of the anger and discomfort of their opponents. If they simply want the freedom to do what they do, as pathetic and twisted as it is, they have it. Nebach, Israel is one of the most tolerant countries in the world in this regard. It shouldn't be so, but it is. Israel should throughout, not just in Jerusalem, be a beacon of the morality that Judaism stands for and for which its derivative religions, Christianity and Islam, also stand. But at least this should be the case in the holy city of Jerusalem.

It is the city's responsibility to allocate public soil. Where is the mayor of Yerushalaim to veto such a use? Doesn't he care about meeting his Creator one day?

These religious fanatics are intolerant and out of touch.

He was full of pride and thought that he would wage a war, defeat God, and be above him. He too, did not want to follow what he was told to do. So when they march in a so called pride parade, they are just identifying and enforcing their union with the devil. They don't like to hear that part of it, but truth is truth no matter who it upsets!!

Its simple. If gay behavior makes you uncomfortable don't attend the parade. If you like this type of thing, then attend. Same with gay weddings. If you don't like the idea, don't attend. If you are fine with it go and have a good time. "Different strokes for different strokes" is a formula for peaceful coexistence. "My way or the highway" is the formula for strife and war. As a liberal American Jew (which puts me in the majority of U.S. Jews), I am glad that most folks are OK with "different strokes". After all, most people prefer peace over conflict". Too bad, it wasn't the dominant philosophy in central Europe in the 1930s. It would have saved a lot of Jewish and Gay lives.

Children born of incestuous relationships are known to suffer from genetic defects as a result. Thus, incest causes actual, physical damage to human beings, and is immoral. Homosexuality harms nobody, except the holier than thou egos of the Haredim.

Welcome to the FREE WORLD, where ANYBODY can parade and protest as long as they aren't harming others or inciting hatred. Yes, me extreme friends, this applies to gay people too. You will all say 'the gays are being intolerant! Why should they march in J-lem! Go to Tel-Aviv!' So I ask you, WHY should we be tolerant of intolerance? If Jews wanted to protest against Nazim in a well known Nazi area in Germany, would you ban them because it might offend the Nazis and show our intolerance towards them? Hypocrites.

The God of Our fathers such as King David,Solomon,Abreham,Mosses and many nation has condemed this kind of sin so many times. Infact the Thora teach all of us How Great Sin is. I do not understand how these homosexual poeple dare to march in the city of David and at the land of Solomon temple. Let me guess, they are probably claiming that it is their right because of Democracy. I do not understand why we as a people are failing everyday to regognize and respect the law of God. But instead we fear the law of men. Please stop this devil march and let's work on praying so that the God of ourfathers will be beside of Israel as he always has been Great leader, Great General and the most High God. I am an Ethiopian Orthodox Chirtian religion follower who livied in israel morethan ten years. Jerusalem is my home and will always be. May God of Israel Help us all.

Every year the same story...!!! How boring...!

religious MKs and citizens would be opposed to a huge public display parading heterosexuality also. It is true the religious population disapproves of homosexuality and considers it a sin, but parading it in front of them will never get them to accept it. The religious community is offended by the immodesty of the parade as well as the lifestyle it promotes. I personally have no problem with homosexuals and believe that they should be left to live normal lives like everyone else. And I believe that the best way for them to achieve that is to go ahead and live normal lives like everyone else. They should continue lobbying for equal rights, but at this point the parade does nothing to further their cause. General ignorance of homosexuality in society is no longer an issue. Everyone knows homosexuality exists. At this point, the parade simply reinforces the negative stereotypes held by those who are prejudiced against gays. Homosexuals will never convince religious Jews, Christians or Muslims to accept their lifestyle, just as the religious will never convince homosexuals to abandon their lifestyle. So why provoke each other?

May I remind you that talkbacks are designed for making comments about the article and not for blabbering.

You also have a responsibility to be tolerant of the religious. It is a two way street. So, be tolerant of the one place that is considered sacred and dont go there. Go to TA, New York, Sanfran, Londonistan etc. It is okay there...please be kind and loving of others and dont go to Yerushalayim. That is just incitement.

Learn English. The word is homosexualiTY, not homosexualiSM. Why is Orthodox Judaism of the Mea Shearim variety something to be proud of?

Look at the child abusers in your midst first .

that you wonder how any of them could ever fancy another one of whatever sex: arrogant, ignorant, aggressive, abusive, selfish, stupid ...

The parades are not about acceptance or rights. They are for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community to commemorate a significant event in their history, the Stonewall riots: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_riots The parades are about a tradition, and it's important to many of them. In a democratic society, that should be reason enough to hold it, given that its an event of only a few hours once a year.

Well Ed in LA , as an Israeli and as a jew and as a gay man Jerusalem is our capital. In the year 2008 we are still denied basic human rights and we are also the subject of a hate campaign by the Shas party , which only makes us more determine to march. There seems to be some misunderstanding that you get a load of scanatly dressed queens parading past the kotel. Fact is most people are in jeans and Tshirts, so i really dont think that is offending anyone. There can not be a situaltion in Israel where one monority (harideem) who incidently dont work, pay tax or serve in the army, can deny another group its democratic right. So my friend were here were queer and untill we get our rights we will become more vocal and more visable.

MK Uri Ariel all of a sudden cares about arab feelings? This is a joke and a pathetic exscuse and he knows it. Because of Mr Benizri from Shas and his hate campaign we are more determind to march this year. What is happening in Tehran where they execute gay people will not happen here.

First of all i have never heard of "Homosexualism" as yo uso put, which just goes to show how much you know about the subject. We live in a democratic society where all elements of society have the right to protest and to demonstrate. In Iran they execute people for their sexuality here we can celebrate that people are free. We are marching for our rights which in the year 2008 we are still denied. Proud ? you bet i am

Look chaim, a parade is exactly that, Showing to the public. Something that per polls 99% of the people here don't want. Now that is exacltly cohersion: a 1% of the public forcing the other 99% to put up with their demands. Tel Avivians sould not come here to tell us what to think and what to SEE. And shove anti Torah behaviour down our thoats. What about authorities closing every nite-club, non kosher stablishment in Tel Aviv ???? May be we can swap.... Aren't you content that we don't give a S##t of what you do in bed? and couldn't care any less? We do not force you to live normally, so don't push us to see your lifestyle (there are very many kids in Jerusalem, and at least they should be protected). We (or at least I) have homo neighbors / co workers and love them equally. Point being that some seem to need a little perspective/balance and keep it (as any relation) private. Good luck to you THANKS

I'm trying to understand this level of hatred and intolerance that is so manifest in Israeli culture. It seems you are permitted to openly denigrate and be malicious towards others based solely on the justification that it is written in a book . The fact that the negative affects of hatred and intolerance are well documented in other books appears irrelevant. Perhaps if you hold opinions expressed like Rabbi Schiffer in #9 the world would be better served if you treated such a god as you would the military...and just refuse service.

You state that, "General ignorance of homosexuality in society is no longer an issue" Have you read the posts here? Have you seen the violence committed by young men indoctrinated by these religious terrorists against the gay community? These so called "religious people" are recognized as idolators by any rational people of faith. You are whitewashing reality.