A few weeks ago, Elana and I went to shul at Kehillat Kol HaNeshama, a prominent Reform congregation in our area. We went twice: on Friday evening and again on Shabbat morning. The occasion? "Shabbat Ga'avah," or "(Gay) Pride Shabbat." It's an annual event promoting the congregation's inclusivity. It's a way for the shul to take a stand and make clear that gay, lesbian, trans and bisexual Jews are all welcome within the shul.
Such a gesture is much more unusual, and much more significant, than it would be in the States.
In Israel, virtually all Jewish religious institutions are Orthodox, and many gay Jews understandably feel alienated from them. Not only might they be shunned, but they might find themselves the victims of vicious condemnation grounded in religious rhetoric. Conservative and Reform congregations are very welcoming -- but there are relatively few of them.
In Israeli society at large, it's different. Although it is undoubtedly still very difficult to come out of the closet, there have been great strides in secular Israeli society's approach to gay rights. In this regard, Israel has long been the most progressive nation in the Middle East. Indeed, it is on par with most Western countries. Business, academia, government and the army are fully open to gays and lesbians. It's already been ten years since the making of Yossi and Jagger, the groundbreaking Israeli film about two gay soldiers. (In fact, a sequel, starring the still handsome and still popular actor, Ohad Knoller, has just been issued. Click here for a New York Times article about the film.) Two weeks ago, there was the annual national gay pride parade in Tel Aviv, and gay pride parades were also recently held in Ashdod and in Haifa. There were no disturbances. And last year, Tel Aviv was voted the world's best gay travel destination by American Airlines. (See here for details.)
Back to Pride Shabbat: The guest speaker that Shabbat morning was Amichai Lau-Lavie. Amichai Lau-Lavie is a fascinating person. He has pristine rabbinic yichus ("pedigree"): he is the nephew of the former chief rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, and the younger brother of Rabbi Benny Lau, a liberal Orthodox rabbi highly popular among Anglos here in Israel, whose weekly shiurim (Torah seminars) attract hundreds. Amichai is following in his illustrious relatives' footsteps. He is studying to become a rabbi.
Amichai is also gay.
Amichai told his story on that Shabbat morning in shul, and it was gripping. He talked about the fear of isolation and rejection from his family and community. He talked about how, before coming out of the closet, he had felt as though he was hovering between life and death. He also talked about how his approach to the Orthodox religious establishment today is different from that of Rabbi Steven Greenberg. Rabbi Greenberg, a gay Orthodox rabbi, is willing to be patient, and to wait for the Orthodox community to come around to his point of view. But Amichai does not want to be patient. He thinks that there is too much at stake: too much suffering, and too many lives that could be destroyed, while waiting for the religious community to come around.
Instead, he is seeking religious approval now. He has chosen to study for the rabbinate at the Jewish Theological Seminary, my alma mater, and to become a Conservative rabbi. He believes that it is necessary to speak clearly and loudly -- today, not decades from now -- in favor of inclusivity.
Amichai is a creative person. You may have heard of one of his endeavors: Storahtelling. (Click here for the story of Storahtelling.) I hope one day to invite Amichai to our shul to teach and share his unique talents.
In the meantime, there's a very important "takeaway" from Amichai's talk: We may be living in the United States--indeed, in the trailblazing state of Massachusetts where gay marriage has been legal for almost ten years--but it can be tough even in our own community.
We mustn't remain silent. In the face of vulnerability, isolation, threats and fears, we must speak out and assure the gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans Jews among us that they are not alone, and that our community will always be open to them. I spoke about this a number of years ago (in a sermon that is accessible here) and I reaffirm that message now.
All of us deserve to feel pride in being created in the image of God -- whatever our gender identity or sexual orientation. And all of us should do whatever we can to further that goal.
