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Share(כז) וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹקִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃
"We are guided by the belief that all human beings are created b’tzelem Elohim (in the Divine image). As it says in Genesis 1:27,
“And God created humans in God’s own image, in the image of God, God created them; male and female God created them.”
Rabbi David Saperstein, director emeritus of the RAC, has said,
“[R]egardless of context, discrimination against any person arising from apathy, insensitivity, ignorance, fear, or hatred is inconsistent with this fundamental belief. We oppose discrimination against all [LGBTQ+ individuals], for the stamp of the Divine is present in each and every one of us.”
In 2015, the Reform Jewish Movement led the religious community in affirming the rights of transgender and gender expansive people. The Reform Movement stated that it:
"Affirms its commitment to the full equality, inclusion, and acceptance of people of all gender identities and gender expressions."
Today, in addition to several congregations whose primary outreach is to the LGBTQ+ community, LGBTQ+ Jews and their families are present and essential in all Reform congregations and communities. LGBTQ+ Jews may be ordained as rabbis and cantors and serve throughout the Reform Movement. Most Reform rabbis and cantors gladly officiate at same-sex and LGBTQ+
(כב) וְאֶ֨ת־זָכָ֔ר לֹ֥א תִשְׁכַּ֖ב מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אִשָּׁ֑ה תּוֹעֵבָ֖ה הִֽוא׃
(22) [God says:]And with a male you shall not lie the lyings of a woman, it is a to'evah (abomination)
(יח) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ ה׳ אֱ' לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂהּ־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃
(18) And the LORD God said: ‘It is not good that Adam should be alone; I will make the human a partner.’
All laws are repressive to some extent -they repress illegal activities- and all morality is concerned with changing man and improving him and his society.
“The verse (in Leviticus) prohibits the kind of sex between men that is designed to effect the power and mastery of the penetrator. Sex for the conquest, for shoring up the ego, for self-aggrandizement, or worse, for the perverse pleasure of demeaning another man is prohibited.
ת"שגדול כבוד הבריות שדוחה [את] לא תעשה שבתורה
Come and learn: So great is human dignity that it supersedes a negative commandment of the Torah.
Dor dor v’doroshav—each generation demands its own interpretations of Jewish law. As the Torah says, “When a matter shall arise that confounds you…you shall go and inquire of the judge who shall be in that day, and they will tell you the law.”
1. The explicit biblical ban on anal sex between men remains in effect. Gay men are instructed to refrain from anal sex.
2. gay and lesbian Jews are to be welcomed into our synagogues and other institutions as full members with no restrictions... and those who desire to serve as rabbis, cantors and educators shall be welcomed to apply to our professional schools and associations.
