from marc:

Is it true that many Reform rabbis will now perform and recognize same-sex mariages? Also, do the Conservative and Orthodox denominations have any 'official' stand on homosexulaity?

I knew this question would arise and had thought of answering it earlier but decided to wait. Here goes:

Judaism can recognize marriages the legal system doesn't. While Orthodox and most Conservative rabbis consider same-sex marriages against Jewish Law, an increasing number of Reform, Reconstructionist, and Renewalist rabbis are willing to officiate at same-sex committment ceremonies. The Reconstructionist movement (of which I am a member) welcomed gays/lesbians in either 1984 or '85 (sorry, don't remember which, exactly) and in '92 issued a statement that read: "Lesbians and gay men should be welcomed to full participation in all aspects of Jewish community life as individuals, couples, and families. " The Reform movement passed a similar resolution in 2001 but gave individuals rabbis the right to refuse to perform the ceremony.

Some books on Jews in Great Britain:

WANDERINGS by Chaim Potok
ESSAYS & PORTRAITS IN ANGLO-JEWISH HISTORY by Cecil Roth
BUT THERE ARE NO JEWS IN ENGLAND by Aris
ANTI-SEMITIC STEREOTYPES IN ENGLISH POPULAR CULTURE, 1660-1830 by Felsenstein
TRIUMPH OF SURVIVAL by Wein

~Adam

Thanks!

In response to my question,'Is it true that many Reform rabbis will now perform and recognize same-sex mariages?'

Adam replied:

I knew this question would arise and had thought of answering it earlier but decided to wait.

Are Outsporters really that predictable, Adam?

Thanks for the information. I think others here will agree you have been most helpful with your knowledge of the Jewish faith, history and culture. Although I'm a bit confused by the terms Reconstructionist and Renewalist...are these separate from the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform divisions, or are they 'sub-categories' within these main three? Earlier I think you said you follow the Conservative branch, but you are also a Reconstructionist? From what you've described, the latter seems to be more liberal in its views.

Thanks also to Jim Allen's link to the Jewish athletes website. There were a lot of names (mostly unfamiliar, from the past, and from college level sports) but I was especially interested in finding Jewish athletes currently active in pro sports. I already knew about baseball players Gabe Kapler and Shawn Green, as well as NFL QB Jay Fiedler, but was not aware that Josh Miller (Steelers) is Jewish nor that the late Lyle Alzado (Raiders) was Jewish too. Didn't see any reference to Jewish hockey players.

Marc: The three main branches in Judaism are Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform but each have subsets within them. Reconstructists, like me, can fall under the Conservative or Reform umbrella (my synagogue is Conservative) and Renewalists are almost exclusively found in the Reform movement. I've been to services at a Renewalist congregation and felt like a stranger in town--some of the prayers, melodies, and customs were faintly recognizable but others left me baffled. I'm sure a member from that synagogue would feel similar feelings at my synagogue or at an Orthodox service.

~Adam

Thanks, Adam. Makes more sense to me now. It looks like Judaism has almost as many denominations and different viewpoints as the Protestant churches.

I got hazed severely for making a comment to this effect a few years ago. the only thing that made me question the validity of such of statement was that I was teased by a young jewish girl around the same time for the same comment. what gives? Is it entirely dependent on who you are and how you were raised, or is it the general consensus?

I want to echo AGAIN, how great this is of you to share these facts with us Adam - maybe you should get your own column a la Ump25 -- "ask the jew"? wink (FYI to all: I'm really, really kidding!)

My guess (and I'm not Jewish, so that's all it is) is that the terms get confused because:

• The religion of Judaism historically is associated mainly with members of one ethnic group, which was of Middle Eastern origin but was displaced my invaders and again by hostile \"neighbors\" through the centuries ... and was persecuted more on the basis of \"foreign\" ancestry than of religious doctrine.
• Some individuals of Jewish ancestry/ethnicity are not active followers of any of the various branches of the religion but consider themselves Jewish because of their heritage (and that's an observation, not a value judgment).
• Some followers of the religion are adult converts (and I won't touch the \"Who is a Jew?\" conversion debate with a 10-foot pole).

In short, terms like "the Jewish people" can mean different things to different people ... whereas, for example, "Indian" and "Hindu" (or "Japanese" and "Shinto") are clearly not synonymous terms, even though both terms apply to many of the same people.

I'm merely acknowledging the confusion, not discounting the importance of trying to understand.