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February 14, 2003
Struggle for acceptance
Rabbis discuss the issue of homosexuality after film.
ARIEL ZELLMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
David is a middle-aged, observant and knowledgeable Jew. He wears
a yarmulke and lays tefillin every morning. At first glance, David
seems typical of an Orthodox Jew. But he is gay. And he has spent
the last 20 years attempting to change his sexual orientation and
become the kind of person he has been taught G-d expects him to
be.
David's story is one of many told in the film Trembling Before
G-d, which was shown to a sold-out theatre at Tinseltown Feb.
2. The screening was followed by a panel discussion with four local
rabbis – Charles Feinberg of Beth Israel, Barry Leff of Beth
Tikvah, Ross Singer of Shaarey Tefilah and Hillel Goelman of Or
Shalom – and the film's producer and director Sandi DuBowski.
Singer, whose synagogue is affiliated with the Union for Traditional
Judaism, opened the discussion by saying that, while he finds great
beauty in the Torah as a whole, there are certain parts of it that
cause great pain to individuals. Expressing his personal thoughts,
Singer said that, to him, the Torah seems to prohibit homosexual
acts, but that does not mean that homosexuals should be isolated
and alienated.
"I'll struggle with a homosexual having an aliyah the same
way I'll struggle with someone who violates Shabbat having an aliyah,
the same way I will struggle with myself having an aliyah, knowing
the sins that I do," said Singer.
Goelman said he was concerned that people would walk away from the
theatre imagining that only Orthodox Judaism is struggling with
homophobia and that the rest of the Jewish world has already resolved
its issues in this matter. He said this couldn't be further from
the truth.
Both Beth Tikvah and Beth Israel are affiliated with the Conservative
movement. Pointing to problems within that movement, Leff said that
in the seminary, there is a don't ask, don't tell policy that forces
gay and lesbian rabbinical students to remain in the closet for
fear of being kicked out.
Feinberg was the most direct, claiming that if we do not respond
to homophobia and acts of violence against homosexuals, "we
become collaborators with others who exclude and discriminate and
even do violence against those who are different."
All four rabbis expressed their openness to Vancouver's Jewish homosexual
community, saying that the doors of their synagogues are open and
all are welcome.
The point that aroused the most discussion was DuBowski's condemnation
of Conservatism, calling the movement "a little rotten to the
core around this issue," saying that while some rabbis allow
driving to shul on Shabbat, it is still not OK to be gay.
Feinberg acknowledged that there is a gap between some of the leadership
and the people. He said the greatest changes will come with pressure
from the congregations and communities, not from the rabbinate.
Leff followed this point, saying that the problem is not that the
doors of the shul are not open but that the doors of the seminary
are closed.
Goelman said that the difficult part is changing patterns of thought
in people's minds and hearts. But, he added, he does not believe
in going through the prayer books with white-out: "We need
to be sensitive to the individuals and sensitive to ... the liturgical
genius of our tradition and to be honest with both."
Related to the liturgy, DuBowski explained why he opened the film
with a verse generally interpreted as prohibiting homosexuality
–"If a man lie with mankind as with womankind, both of
them have committed an abomination...." (Leviticus 20:13) –
and ended it with a blessing affirming that G-d knows our secrets.
"The film arcs from prohibition to blessing," said DuBowski,
"from the answer that we assume we have to the questions that
remain."
There are faithful gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews, he said, who must
struggle with these two extremes every day of their lives.
For more information on Trembling Before G-d, visit www.tremblingbeforeg-d.com.
Ariel Zellman is a third-year student at the University of
British Columbia studying politics and international relations.
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