“Same Sex Marriage in America: What Does Orthodox Judaism Say?” by Rabbi 
Shmuel Herzfeld of Ohev Sholom (D.C.)

“Same Sex Marriage in America: What Does Orthodox Judaism Say?” by Rabbi 
Shmuel Herzfeld of Ohev Sholom (D.C.).

Note: By Aleph Melbourne posting this article, it is not an endorsement of the views held by the author.

The ADC opposes discrimination against GLBTI | J-Wire

The ADC opposes discrimination against GLBTI | J-Wire.


Paul Winter says:

The ADC is right to oppose all forms of dicrimination.

With regard to same sex “marriage”, it would be well advised to adopt the historical Jewish perspective which regards homosexuality as an abomination.

Progressive Jews do not regard homosexuality as an abomination and, as I read in the Jewish press, even Orthodox Jews love homosexual people as fellow human beings.

However, for millenia, marriage has been the union of a man and a woman for the bringing forth and the raising of children and for being role models for them. And that’s what marriage should remain.

In Australia, unlike as in the USA, all forms of relationship are treated as equal for all privileges and entitlements. We have no inequalities. Homosexuals claim to seek equality only to compel us to accept any type of relationship as equal to normal and time-honoured marriage. It isn’t and never will be.

If homosexual people want to formalise a relationship, let them enter upon something, like say, a partnering pact. My marriage of nearly five decades and the marriage of my children is something I treasure and respect and it is not something that people who chose alternative life styles are entitled to, nor are they entitled to demean those just because they cannot reconcile themselves to their social and sexual differences.


Otto Waldmann says:

Cannot understand what is all this fuss about.
Those who belong to a certain life style , as described above, have acquired in Australia – at least – complete freedom of whatever they want to do with themselves privately.
Is there a prohibition or shortage of gay bars, brothels or any other social venues for their enjoyment !!
Is the gay and lesbian mardi gras suddenly not allowed to parade through the main CBD !!?? Are the same gay and lesbians not employed in public places and , in certain institutions of general function, don’t they even dominate the “scene” ??!! Are there any obstacles in the public domain for the same to proclaim their sexual prefferences, such as open statements in all kind of forums about one’s sexual profile ??!! Such groups state quite strongly that they are gay or lesbian whenever interviewed on any OTHER topic. A certain Federal Minister is practically cellebrated for her lesbian relationship, child with two mothers included, the recently departed Greens bloke leader has been introducing us to his husband, Paul – see I even know his/her name !! – without fear or reaction to that at all. Is anyone stopping not a perfectly shaven transgender lovely lady strolling on his high heels around unhindered and perfectly ignored ??!! Are partnerships of this kind not allowed to function leglly in terms of inheritance ??! Aren’t they treated equally in terms of welfare benefits as partners !!?? And so on and on and on and on…….
Not good enough !!?? Too bad.


ADC opposes discrimination against GLBTI Australians

[SOURCE]

B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission
PROMOTING DIVERSITY

CHAIRMAN: Dr Dvir Abramovich
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Geoffrey Zygier
PATRON: Greg Rosshandler, Yaniv Meydan
ASSOCIATE PATRON: Rosetta Bloom
COUNCIL OF ADVISORS:
The Hon RJL Hawke AC; The Hon JW Howard AC;
Professor Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE;
The Rt Hon Sir Ninian Stephen KG AK GCMG GCVO KBE;
Emeritus Professor Louis Waller AO, President

MEDIA RELEASE

ADC opposes discrimination against GLBTI Australians
17 December 2012

Chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich today expressed the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission’s opposition to discrimination against GLBTI Australians. He noted as follows:

“I recently wrote to Attorney General Nicola Roxon to express this organisation’s general support for the federal government’s proposed Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Bill 2012 [see media release, 06/12]. In doing so, I congratulated the government on the inclusion of discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people as grounds for complaint.”

“To further clarify the ADC’s views, the Commission has always opposed any form of bigotry, prejudice or hatred and will continue to fight for individual liberty and freedom from discrimination for all Australians on various grounds, including sexual orientation and/or gender identity.”

“Perhaps the most contentious and divisive of the ‘equal treatment’ issues in the Jewish and larger communities is same-sex marriage. While the ADC’s new Board has no position on marriage equality at this time, its management team will determine its policy on this and various other issues in 2013.”

“Local GLBTI media have circulated the ADC’s views; I draw your attention to the following link: http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2012/12/13/jewish-body-backs-lgbtiprotections/91482.”

Please address any enquiries to ADC Executive Director Geoffrey Zygier on 03 9272 5672.

MKs debate at Jerusalem Open House | JPost

MKs debate at Jerusalem Open House | JPost.

UK: Jewish Masorti movement hints it might endorse same-sex marriage in synagogues | PinkNews.co.uk

UK: Jewish Masorti movement hints it might endorse same-sex marriage in synagogues | PinkNews.co.uk.

Maine Voices: At Hanukkah, rejoicing over peaceful victory for same-sex marriage | The Portland Press Herald

Maine Voices: At Hanukkah, rejoicing over peaceful victory for same-sex marriage | The Portland Press Herald.

Jewish Groups Back Gay Marriage at Top Court | Forward.com

Jewish Groups Back Gay Marriage at Top Court | Forward.com.

AJN Letters: Marriage Equality – a response to Rabbi Gutnick, another from Rabbi Ingram – November 2 2012

2 November 2012
The Australian Jewish News Melbourne edition

Letters to the editor should be no more than 250 words and may be edited for length and content. Only letters sent to letters@jewishnews.net.au will be considered for publication. Please supply an address and daytime phone number for verification.


Time to update view on marriage

IN response to the opinion piece by Rabbi Moshe Gutnick in The AJN (26/10), I find it remarkably ironic that he should enjoy the freedoms and rights that come with the laws of Australia, and yet he lectures on what marriage should and should not be, based on reasoning that originated elsewhere and from a very different historical and time context.

It is time that people like him updated their views, aligned themselves with basic human rights and embraced the idea of a fair go for all, as is the supposed Australian ideal.  As usual, gay rights are being misconstrued and twisted into taking away from or devaluing heterosexual rights, when in fact we simply want what our parents, siblings and friends enjoy – the right to get married, the right to have a fabulous party and the right to be left alone and not dictated to by some stranger who thinks their values can somehow inform what I may or may not do.

DAVID REID
Brisbane, QLD


Standing up to political correctness

THE predictable flood of emotive and irrational invective (AJN 26/10) against my sober refutation based on Torah outlook (19/10) of Justice Rothman’s views on homosexual marriage (12/10) graphically illustrates why the courageous public stand against the rising tide of political correctness of 150 prominent Australian doctors opposing same-sex marriage speaks far more loudly than the fact that 1000 other doctors endorsed it.

After all, it isn’t everybody in professional life who wants to take an unpopular public stance on an issue and risk insult, vitriol and ostracism from a vociferous interest group, as well as from those preferring to espouse the popular “wisdom” of the day.

Of the five letters published, not one dealt with the points I raised.  Three were rude and insulting and one expressed the intolerant desire to silence me as well as all those who disagree with them.  Sadly, they reveal more about their authors than the subject of their criticism.  But thank God free speech is still alive and well in The Australian Jewish News.

RABBI CHAIM INGRAM
Bondi Junction, NSW