Conservative Jews at a crossroads. (Judaism).Leaders of America's second-largest branch of Judaism are set to consider a potentially contentious issue within the movement: whether gay sex breaks Jewish law. Conservative Judaism Conservative Judaism Form of Judaism that mediates between Reform Judaism and Orthodox Judaism. Founded in 19th-century Germany as the Historical School, it arose among German-Jewish theologians who advocated change but found Reform positions extreme. welcomes gay congregants but does not allow gay people to be ordained or·dain tr.v. or·dained, or·dain·ing, or·dains 1. a. To invest with ministerial or priestly authority; confer holy orders on. b. To authorize as a rabbi. 2. as clergy and doesn't officially recognize same-sex unions. Judy Yudof, lay president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ) is the primary organization of synagogues practicing Conservative Judaism in North America. It closely works with the Rabbinical Assembly, the international body of Conservative Rabbis, the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, , broached the subject to the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards is the central authority on halakha (Jewish law and tradition) within Conservative Judaism; it is one of the most active and widely known committees on the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly. of the Rabbinical Assembly, which will consider it in March. Conservative Judaism is seen as the middle ground between larger Reform Judaism, which allows gay people to serve as rabbis and blesses same-sex unions, and smaller and stricter Orthodox Judaism, which forbids homosexuality. The Conservative committee considered the question in 1992, but the debate ended with a controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gay people in rabbinical rab·bin·i·cal also rab·bin·ic adj. Of, relating to, or characteristic of rabbis. [From obsolete rabbin, rabbi, from French, from Old French rabain, probably from Aramaic school. Yudof hopes a a return to the debate will help iron out inconsistencies in the movement, telling the Austin-American Stain that there is "sometimes embarrassment about our treatment of homosexuals." |
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