This statement by these rabbis goes too far. Yes, Orthodox communities need to be accepting of gay members of the community. Yes, Orthodox communities need to be accepting of children who have been adopted by gay members, who have done these children a chesed by taking them in when no one else would. These acceptances will come in time, as gay community activists show Orthodox communities the research that shows stuff like children who grow up in gay families don't become gay themselves, gay-ness isn't a choice, etc. What is NOT going to be accepted in Orthodoxy at large is going to be gay couples. The way gay-ness works and has worked for hundreds if not thousands of years in Orthodox communities is simple: you don't get married. You don't accept "practicing" gay people because then it's clear that they are flouting the Torah. You don't accept biological offspring of two people of the same sex because that's the whole reason why gay acts are an abomination in the Torah - because gay acts cannot lead to reproduction, because children need a biological component from a mother and from a father. There is a place for these people at Chabad when they are just getting started becoming more religious. But you cannot be religious and commit gay acts - everyone has their challenges from God, everyone has their tests, and you cannot just flip God the bird in a religious community and keep a straight face on.

Sorry, but comparing the Torah with Shakespeare or mathematical formulas are the same thing to compare watermelon with banana. The correct would be to compare it with the constitutions of other countries (as in the end they want a religious state based on Halacha). Now imagine if in the U.S. Constitution was written we have to stone adulterers (as of this writing the constitution of Iran which is the Sharia). Or maybe we have to stone who make fire on Shabbat (or riding in a car, like they do in Mea Shearim ). These are only a few exemples , but remember : everytime you think that someone is not following the Tora according to your interpretation go and have some days at Mea Shearim or Beit Shemesh , and be stoned because you are no following the Tora according to their interpretation

It wasn't good then and it isn't good now. Get a clue. The Orthodox religion does not allow a man to lay with another man the way he would a woman. Don't bring your nonsense up anymore, it's starting to annoy me.

Ynet, once again you successfully mis-portrayed the article. But it comes with the trade so I don't blame you. Allowing "gay couples" was not what happened as that would be a blatant disregard of the Torah; i.e. a man laying with another man as he would a woman. However, gay sexual orientation was to be allowed into synagogues as their is no prohibition against a man's yetzar hara. (In short, animalistic desires. Pulls in the wrong directions)

Wow does this mean we can cancel The Pride March in Jerusalem tomorrow now Homosexuality is excepted by none other than US Rabbis. Agreed we live in the 21st Century but the Torah can not be updated or changed Where are gay couples going to sit when they go to Synagogue we know that men can not sit next to their spouse so how can we allow a gay couple to sit next to each other, may be a new section will have to be added. What going to happen with all those young men who have under gone change therapy from gay to straight, should they now change back to being gay. At the panel held at Yeshiva University did they bother to listen to anyone who did therapy to change and changed. I think its sad that it came to this after going through change therapy myself I think its sad when they say it can harm you, it can only harm you if you let it. I am sorry for those who tried to change and then speak badly about it in public. At least some people are happy now, I would like to see if those same people will be happy in another thirty years.

Perhaps, as you say, the three "omnis" are not written in the Torah. But the implication is evident in almost every verse. I may not believe in God but I know the Torah. " In one way your enemies will approach you but in seven ways they will be dispersed". No other "God" but the one of Israel could have parted the waves or made the Nile run red with blood. I could add a few other "omnis" to his name.

My question as to God erring was put to those who believe in an all powerful God who knows all and does all correctly. They believe this so it follows that they would be inconsistent in condemning homosexuals. My question was not rhetorical. I do not need the answer. These believers have to turn to introspection when they are confronted with their own inconsistency.

Man oh man, does this ever take the cake! Suddenly, observant Jews want to make amends with gay people. What's the matter, are they feeling guilty? Lemme tell you something. I worked my butt off to make sure there were settlements in the territories. This was years ago - before there was a such a thing as gay rights. Heck, this was even before HIV. I had to deal with all kinds of insults and threats of all sorts - even the threat of psychiatric care. They even took my sidearm away. I thought, gosh, you know of all people to be afraid of some gay guy, it's them - the so called 'hard liners'... Of course, this was before the Intifada. I literally adored Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon, and even though they were the farthest thing from being gay, I knew officers who were, and they were stationed in the territories - something nobody else apparently seemed to want to have to do back then. You know, the proverbial dirty work... Then I discovered that in Tel Aviv there was a whole other world. I didn't fit in. To me, the gay community there was just the same old, same old. I could've gotten that in any American city - the stereotypical gay behavior and all that comes with it. Lemme tell y'all something. There is nobody more patriotic than myself. I would rather die fighting than live without Israel. I thought everybody thought the same thing, but apparently it just wasn't so. Patriotism is not something to be taken for granted. It isn't about a label or words, but rather it is about what is in someone's heart. To the religious community I have but one thing to say. God have mercy on your soul. I hope this move makes you feel better about yourselves. Who knows. Maybe it will, and then again maybe it won't. Maybe all of this is just about not feeling guilty about the past. Trust me on one thing though, I don't. I have no regrets, and if I had to do it all over again, I would do it in a heartbeat...

Pray tell me why it is permissible for a normal female to flaunt her sexuality with impunity and likewise for a normal male, but for the not so normal it is forbidden and termed a sin and an abomination and they are at worst punished and at best made to be outcasts by believers in God.

G-d want us to rise above the narrowness of our humanity, and at the same time remain trapped within it. He wants us to touch Truth, and at the same time remain enmeshed in the needs and macninations of our selfhood. G-d wants to be one.. G-d wants to be everywhere. As such Orthodox jew must open up to accept People as they are, but not segregate them. Enough of partisan politics in the synagogues ! i KNOW I AM GOING TO BE BLASTED AT THE SYNAGOGUE. I AM GOING TO OPEN THE DOORS- DAVID BROKE THE SILO'S TO FEED THE POOR-THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE IS A NATURAL OBSESSION, A GOOD DEED JEWS MUST NOT FORGET! FOR WE WERE STRANGERS IN STARAGE LAND ONCE. WE ATE THE MANNA THAT FELL FROM HEAVEN, IT RUN IN OUR BLODD AND VEINS TO DATE AND WILL CONTINUE EVER. SO JUST LIVE JUDGEMENT TO HASHEM AND BE NICE TO PEOPEL AND HUMANITY. I HAVE A FEELING RABBI MORDECHAI GOING TO KICK ME, NEVER MIND IT IS ALSO NICE, IT IS NOT THAT I WAS NEVER KICKED BEFORE ! WE JEWs KICK EACH OTHER :-) BENJAMIN SINGAPORE

Try to pass some days at Mea Shearim , or try to read Haredi News Papers , or their Fashkvillim. Then you can have a clue of what is waiting for you in a Country where Halacha is law. Then , and only then , you will know how much you can miss Laura Shlessinger.

I think it was wrong to include Rabbi Blau's name in this article, especially to call him the panel's "spiritual supervisor" when he probably did not want to be associated with this statement, because if he did - he would have signed it.

viva israel

First of all, the article sufferes from a serious language barrier problem. For example, Rabbi Lookstein is the Rabbi of the Kehillath Jeshurun synagogue, not the non-existent "Jeshurun community." Also, "roshei yeshiva" ARE the "ramim", and the statement says that homosexuals are free "to reject therapeutic approaches they reasonably see as useless or dangerous", not that they themselves feel so, as the article states. More importantly, the article says that the statement asks synagogues to welcome homosexual couples, whereas the statement actually says the opposite: "We do not here address what synagogues should do about accepting members who are openly practicing homosexuals and/or living with a same-sex partner. Each synagogue together with its rabbi must establish its own standard with regard to membership for open violators of halakha. " The only part of the article which is faithful to the truth (and to the English language) is the link to the statement of principles.

3) Halakhah sees heterosexual marriage as the ideal model and sole legitimate outlet for human sexual expression 4) Halakhic Judaism cannot give its blessing and imprimatur to Jewish religious same-sex commitment ceremonies and weddings, and halakhic values proscribe individuals and communities from encouraging practices that grant religious legitimacy to gay marriage and couplehood 11) Halakhic Judaism cannot give its blessing and imprimatur to Jewish religious same-sex commitment ceremonies and weddings, and halakhic values proscribe individuals and communities from encouraging practices that grant religious legitimacy to gay marriage and couplehood

It's about time.

King David was gay. So what?

because many of the homosexuals are big money players in the congregation or simply to regain a few bodies (but not nephashot) even toeivah is not addressed. You may not call yourselves orthodox any more. You are now apostate.

You're wrong. The most important thing in Judaism is to "love your neighbor as you love yourself" (Rabbi Akiva). Or as Hillel said "Do not unto others what you don't want done to yourself." The Prophet Micha put it another way. He said: "You have been told oh man all that the Lord requires of you, only justice, loving kindness, and humility."

follow a script to make a shame of the jewish people. The writing is on the wall.

no animal commits neither homophily neither incest nor pedophily. Only man can perpetrate horrors because ha has free will and uses it since 'eons' -as say satanists - to challenge the Creator's good laws. Think twice before putting yourself between 2 chairs !

I don't know if you can consider yourself very patriotic when your living outside of Israel. but that doesn't matter. Jews tend to forget that it's not about them but about the One that created them. Ha shem said in different places in the torah that being gay is something he hates. the people who say they keep his torah apperantly live in an elution. the state of Israel will fall one day because of this herasy. we can see that america is already on its way down.

I defend the right of the gays to live , in the same way as i defend the right of charidim [ as long as they don't try to impose their lifestyle or demostrate violently ] This does not mean that i'm gay , the contrary , women can be so beautyfull .

You , a paqid follower , are not the person to judge Orthodox Rabbanim .

Matthew 7:12 12 "In everything, do to others what you would want them to do to you. This is what is written in the Law and in the Prophets." to the max thereis also Luck phrase, who say the same things, by that it means people should be kind toward all mankind and be accepting, they might return you a favore one day, for god or his son. to be a good smaraton always get salvation, even when someone do not agree with their life style, this is the only way to blessing and enlightment.

the internet justice system has handed down its sacred verdict. and i sense the writer has a disapproving frown on his face.

People familiar with Judaism would even say that this is not orthodox or Jewish.

front row and centre for every two bit liberal cause(usually antisemitic as well) suddenly has this urge to participate in an 'old antiquated' religion thats clearly rejects their way of life. Seems to me they have a certain agenda which is best to be ignored. I suggest they go along and build their own playground and play 'lets pretend we are nice Jewish loving people'.