Saturday, October 9, 2010
Major Jewish Groups Pledge to Help End Anti-Gay Bullying
http://www.jewishjournal.com/nation/article/major_jewish_groups_pledge_to_end_glbt_bullying_20101008/
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Let's Send a Message to New Jersey's Anti-Gay Jewish Journal
Avi Smolen and Justin Rosen submitted notice of their nuptials to New Jersey's Jewish Journal, which lists local simchas. This angered a couple of Orthodox rabbis, and--incredibly--the Jewish Journal backtracked like cowards. They apologized to anyone "hurt" by the mentioning of a same-sex wedding and vowed to never repeat this grave error.
The Journal claims to have made this apology after igniting a firestorm among Orthodox Jews; this is strange because, well. . . just take a look at the comments responding to the apology. So many Jews came out to support gay/straight equality and to bash the Jewish Journal for its bigotry that it makes one wonder just which group the JJ will end up giving the final apology to.
It reminds me of the early part of the last decade, when radio personality Laura Schlessinger converted to Orthodox Judaism upon marrying a Jew and immediately caught flack from Jewish people for her anti-gay views. She recieved so much hate mail and so much criticism from organzied Jewish life--including the Federation and an alliance of pro-gay rabbis--that she eventually abandoned Judaism, claiming that apparently Jews care more about gay people than about what the Torah says. (I would certainly hope so, Laura.) Jews successfully drove her out of the religion, and about a month ago she got fired for repeatedly using the "N" word with a black caller.
It's amazing what Jewish people can get accomplished as a community when they are really passionate about something, and gay civil rights seem to rival support for Israel as the issue most Jews can agree on.
This is not a small matter. The New Jersey Jewish Journal (not to be confused with any other Jewish Journal, all of whom are unconnected)is a non-denominational publication read by Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox Jews, as well as ethnic Jews with no religion. Orthodox is the SMALLEST branch of Judaism, and it's also the only anti-gay branch. The New Jersey Jewish Journal does not follow Orthodoxy in any other area; they print ads for non-kosher restaurants, clothing stores that mix wool and linen, bar/bat mitzvahs for kids with non-Jewish mothers, and they print marriage notices for Jews with Christian, Muslim, and Hindu spouses. ALL of that is against Orthodox rules, so discrimination against a male couple is not only bigoted,--it's hypocritical. Please let the New Jersey Jewish Journal know how disgusting you find their support for bigots and religious extremists. Even if you're not Jewish, please add your voice. Repairing the world is for everyone.
The Journal claims to have made this apology after igniting a firestorm among Orthodox Jews; this is strange because, well. . . just take a look at the comments responding to the apology. So many Jews came out to support gay/straight equality and to bash the Jewish Journal for its bigotry that it makes one wonder just which group the JJ will end up giving the final apology to.
It reminds me of the early part of the last decade, when radio personality Laura Schlessinger converted to Orthodox Judaism upon marrying a Jew and immediately caught flack from Jewish people for her anti-gay views. She recieved so much hate mail and so much criticism from organzied Jewish life--including the Federation and an alliance of pro-gay rabbis--that she eventually abandoned Judaism, claiming that apparently Jews care more about gay people than about what the Torah says. (I would certainly hope so, Laura.) Jews successfully drove her out of the religion, and about a month ago she got fired for repeatedly using the "N" word with a black caller.
It's amazing what Jewish people can get accomplished as a community when they are really passionate about something, and gay civil rights seem to rival support for Israel as the issue most Jews can agree on.
This is not a small matter. The New Jersey Jewish Journal (not to be confused with any other Jewish Journal, all of whom are unconnected)is a non-denominational publication read by Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox Jews, as well as ethnic Jews with no religion. Orthodox is the SMALLEST branch of Judaism, and it's also the only anti-gay branch. The New Jersey Jewish Journal does not follow Orthodoxy in any other area; they print ads for non-kosher restaurants, clothing stores that mix wool and linen, bar/bat mitzvahs for kids with non-Jewish mothers, and they print marriage notices for Jews with Christian, Muslim, and Hindu spouses. ALL of that is against Orthodox rules, so discrimination against a male couple is not only bigoted,--it's hypocritical. Please let the New Jersey Jewish Journal know how disgusting you find their support for bigots and religious extremists. Even if you're not Jewish, please add your voice. Repairing the world is for everyone.
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