Marriage Equality and Passover: "From Degradation to Praise"
This Passover, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) will hear two cases that have enormous impact on equality and liberty in our country. On the first two days of Pesach, oral arguments in California's Prop 8 case and the Defense of Marriage Act case will be heard.
Marriage is Becoming a Better Deal for Men
Let My People Go... Forth to the Wedding Chapel!
As a rabbi and president-elect of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, I come here to be with you this morning at the Supreme Court on the very first day of Passover to say: Our nation is ready for marriage equality. This is one of the holiest days of the Jewish calendar. It marks the day in Jewish tradition when we mark the Exodus from slavery in ancient Egypt; it marks the beginning of a journey to freedom. Today is our day to march toward that freedom, the freedom to marry. I represent more than 2,500 Reform rabbis. We support marriage equality and have filed Friends of the Court briefs in both today's Prop 8 case and tomorrow's DOMA case. Do not let others tell you that all religions oppose LGBT equality rights. We Reform Jews welcome, support, include, and, yes, advocate full rights and equality, including the right to marry the ones we love.
Interfaith Sign-on Letter in Opposition of First Amendment Defense Act
In advance of tomorrow’s hearings on Religious Liberty and H.R. 2802, the ‘First Amendment Defense Act’ (FADA), the undersigned organizations, representing a diverse group of beliefs and faith traditions, write to express our opposition to this measure, (S. 1598/H.R. 2802), introduced by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Representative Raúl Labrador (R-ID). We would ask that this letter be included as part of the official hearings record.
Taking Action from 7256 Miles Away
New York State has banned discrimination against the transgender community in the workplace and the District of Columbia legalized same-sex marriage in the past few weeks. But in Uganda, proposed legislation would make homosexuality punishable by life imprisonment or death.
The Good Book: Writers Reflect on Favorite Bible Passages
The Bible continues to be the best-selling book in history, perhaps because each reader can identify with some aspect of its ancient text. It is this notion that informs the essays of the 24 novelists, poets, scholars, and journalists who answered Andrew Blauner’s call to write an essay centered on a Biblical book or passage with personal meaning to them.
Reform Wedding at the Knesset Pt. 2
Today there was a Reform wedding outside the Knesset. Lin and her new husband exchanged vows in a ceremony officiated by Rabbi Gilad Kariv and Rabbi Kinneret Shiryon. Friends, family, members of the Israeli Reform Movement and its youth group, rabbinical students, and five members of the Knesset (known as MKs) attended the wedding.
Reform Rabbi Testifies for Equality in Utah State Legislature
Rabbi Schwartzman: "We know how it is to feel that you have to hide that true identity in public life in order to seek the same opportunities that others have.