Prayer to be recited before the reading of acharei mot rabbi steve greenberg. Homosexuality in the jewish tradition, which is now available also in hebrew. Reflections on a whirlwind tour of the jewish community in the former soviet union mishpatim 5772 rav steven exler. The koret awards are the most prestigious in jewish prose. Rabbi steven greenberg winner of the koret jewish book award for philosophythought, awarded by the koret foundations. Saundra sterling epstein welcoming shuls project director meira. His lecture, titled gayness and god, at the wolfond centre for jewish campus life, sponsored by groups. With his groundbreaking book on homosexuals in orthodox judaism now out in hebrew, rabbi steven greenberg talks to haaretz. Arizona daily wildcat gay rabbi visits campus, talks. Rabbi steve greenberg to lead series of events on issues in. Nov 14, 2011 greenberg has also written on the topic in his book wresting with gd and men. Discover book depositorys huge selection of rabbi steven greenberg books online. Greenberg had been hiding his true sexuality since the time he was a teen.
Greenberg traveled to tucson from new york city to speak as part of temple emanuel. Homosexuality and the human condition steven greenberg. Contact us torah in motion 3910 bathurst street, suite 307 toronto, on m3h 5z3 canada tel. Rabbi steven greenberg is an orthodox ordained educator, writer, and speaker who has led the call for lgbtq inclusion in the orthodox world.
Homosexuality in the jewish tradition university of wisconsin press. Rabbi steve greenberg 2005 rabbi greenberg gives his take on homosexuality within the orthodox tradition in this book, offering spiritual and practical advice for traditional jews and a thorough discussion of several of the biblical passages that have been the most troubling for lgbt people. Judaisms vision rabbi steve greenberg, the first out of the closet gay orthodox rabbi in history, on gayness and god gidi grinstein, a member of prime minister baraks peace negotiating team and executive director. Ive received quite a few calls from people who want to belong to the orthodox community but dont want to do so at the cost of selfrejection, said greenberg, a senior fellow at the new yorkbased clal, the national jewish center for learning and leadership. Among the topics that rabbi greenberg spoke about at limmud, and throughout the community over the weekend, were his views on homosexuality and jewish law. Arizona daily wildcat gay rabbi visits campus, talks about. Nov 11, 2011 for the first time in history, steve greenberg, an openlygay american rabbi ordained by the orthodox movement, has officiated at a samesex wedding ceremony. Dec 12, 2011 when rabbi steve greenberg was a young rabbinical student at an orthodox yeshiva near jerusalem in the mid1970s, he was attracted to a fellow male student.
Homosexuality in the jewish tradition which was awarded the 2005 koret jewish book. Rabbi steve greenberg to lead series of events on issues. Steven greenberg profiles lgbtq religious archives network. Rabbi steven greenberg will lecture on friday, april 1 at 8. Rabbi greenberg was one of the activistfounders of the student struggle for soviet jewry in the movement to liberate russian jewry. May 27, 2020 in 2004 rabbi steve greenbergs groundbreaking book appeared on shelves in the us and created a new starting point for exploring the jewish traditions engagement with samesex love and relationship. May 25, 2011 in his groundbreaking book, wrestling with god and men, rabbi steve greenberg, the first selfidentified gay orthodox rabbi, writes about a response he got from another orthodox rabbinic scholar asked to comment on his coming out and continuing to identify as orthodox. Homosexuality in the jewish tradition, a book that is not only an new look at depictions of samesex relationships in jewish sacred texts, but also examines these relationships in jewish poetry and case law. The first reason for rejecting rabbi greenbergs approach as orthodox appears in one of the most compelling and telling sections of wrestling, as rabbi greenberg speaks openly about his struggle with being orthodox and gay.
Tuesday 12015 homosexuality panel discussion with rabbi steve greenberg, dr. In 2004 rabbi greenberg finished a book, the product of his tenyear struggle to reconcile his two wrestling identities, entitled wrestling with god and men. Aug 29, 2012 in 1999, rabbi steve greenberg became the first out orthodox rabbi. Apr 30, 2004 gay orthodox rabbi steve greenberg is unsatisfied with these alternatives. Toronto rabbi steve greenberg, left, the first openly gay orthodox rabbi, was in toronto last week to discuss the conflict between homosexuality and judaism and to offer a poetic way to interpret the biblical texts that are understood to condemn samesex relationships. That embattled young man is now rabbi steven greenberg, the worlds first openly gay orthodox rabbi. Orthodox rabbi steven greenberg talks to pasadena shul. Her parents, orthodox rabbi steven greenberg, 57, and actor and opera singer steven goldstein, wed last year in a civil ceremony in new york, while holding the toddler in their arms. Rabbi steve greenberg as an orthodox rabbi through this book. Steven greenberg born 1956 is an american rabbi with a rabbinic ordination from the orthodox rabbinical seminary of yeshiva university.
He is generally described as the first openly gay orthodox jewish rabbi, since he publicly disclosed he was gay in an article in the israeli newspaper maariv in 1999 and participated in a 2001 documentary film about homosexual men and women raised in the. Rabbi greenberg was recently featured in the landmark documentary, trembling before gd, which examines homosexuality and the orthodoxy. He was a pioneer in the development of holocaust education and commemoration. Wrestling with god and men is the product of rabbi steven greenbergs tenyear struggle to reconcile his homosexuality with orthodox judaism. Bishop gene robinson will join rabbi steve greenberg, the first and only out, gay orthodox rabbi, to speak about lgbtq realities within their own traditions, their thoughts on marriage equality, and their personal, spiritual journeys. Homosexuality in the jewish tradition which received the koret jewish book award for philosophy and thought in 2005.
In 1999, rabbi steve greenberg became the first out orthodox rabbi. Jeremy lin and essentializing the stranger tetzaveh 5776 rabbinic intern bracha jaffe. John gray on his book why mars and venus collide rabbi irving yitz greenberg on the triumph of life. The resolution of the civil war was accomplished by moderates on both sides, moderate traditionalists and moderate assimilationists who abandonned their radicals comfreres and joined together to rebuild the fractured community. When rabbi joel roth wrote his paper for the committee on jewish law and standards. He is a senior teaching fellow and director of diversity project at clal the national jewish center for learning and leadership, and the author of the book. Orthodox rabbi steven greenberg talks to pasadena shul about. Homosexuality in the jewish tradition, a book that is not only an. A selection of university synagogue speakers over the years. Michelle friedman, rabbi shmuel goldin moderated by rabbi steven exler.
Homosexuality and the human condition steven greenberg the. A dialogue between jay michaelson and rabbi steve greenberg, noted gay orthodox rabbi, together with a discussion of his book, wrestling with god and men. While it achieved some success, a number of people in the orthodox community felt that his views strayed too far from orthodox interpretations of halakhah jewish law. He appeared in the groundbreaking film, trembling before gd, in 2001 and accompanied filmmaker, sandi simcha dubowski, all over the world in over 500 postscreening dialogues. Rabbi greenberg is also a founder of the jerusalem open house, jerusalems first gay and lesbian community center, and currently a faculty member of the hartman institute of north. This book discusses steven greenbergs tenyear journey as an orthodox jewish gay rabbi, and how he tries to reconcile those different aspects of himself. The jewish perspective, with dennis prager, rabbi elliot dorff, rabbi josef kanefsky and professor marcy straus. In february 2004, greenberg published his first book titled wrestling with god and men. He is the author of the book, wrestling with god and men. May 01, 2004 a dialogue between jay michaelson and rabbi steve greenberg, noted gay orthodox rabbi, together with a discussion of his book, wrestling with god and men. He is a senior teaching fellow and director of diversity project at clal the national. A series of interviews between rabbi greenberg and shalom freedman,an americanisraeli writer, thinker, poet, and public intellectual, this book is a very personal account, addressing greenberg s views on issues ranging from the holocaust to israel, tikkun olam, and the role of women in orthodox jewish life. Like peeling an onion, rabbi steven greenberg said, about the process of coming. This year, rabbi steve greenberg looks for ways to honor the silenced voices of his gay.
Greenberg institute for the advancement of jewish life, senior scholar in residence at the hadar institute, leading jewish. Moshe, buddha and harry potter the unique power of sefer shemot yitro 5774 rav steven exler. Greenberg is a senior teaching fellow and director of diversity project at clal the national jewish center for learning and leadership, and the author of the book wrestling with god and men. Wrestling with god and men uw press books home page. Greenberg is an awardwinning author, noted teacher and religious iconoclast who has led the fight to make orthodox judaism more open and inclusive and accepting of. Gay orthodox rabbi peels back his life jewish journal. Homosexuality in the jewish tradition, university of wisconsin press for which he won the koret jewish book award for philosophy and thought in 2005. Gay orthodox rabbi grapples with torahs gray areas j. Steven greenberg born june 19, 1956 is an american rabbi with a rabbinic ordination from the orthodox rabbinical seminary of yeshiva university riets. Shabbat 11212015 agunah shiur with rabbi steven exler and rabbinic intern dan margulies. Homosexuality in the jewish tradition university of wisconsin press, 2004.
Encounter was founded in 2005 by two visionary rabbinical students now rabbis melissa weintraub and miriam margles who foresaw the need for jewish communal leadership to have access to both a diversity of palestinian voices and fellow jewish voices to be effective leaders on this issue upon their return to the united states. It is, overtly, a plea for orthodox jews to take a more inclusive attitude toward their gay and lesbian members. Master of the universe, to whom all secrets are known. Homosexuality in the jewish tradition, on a tour which is cosponsored by a wider bridge. Jun 23, 2000 when orthodox rabbi steve greenberg came out of the closet, he opened more doors than just his own. Five years later, rabbi greenberg published wrestling with god and men. Join rabbi greenberg in may and june as he lays out in six sessions the key insights of his book, along with an interview with joy ladin on her new book. Orthodox rabbi marries gay couple in historic wedding in dc. Homosexuality in the jewish tradition, which won the koret jewish book award for philosophy and thought. Rabbi steven greenberg is an awardwinning author, noted teacher, and religious iconoclast. Rabbi steve greenberg is a former faculty member at the shalom hartman institute of north america, and senior teaching fellow at clalthe national jewish center for learning and leadership.
Rabbi steve greenberg will participate in a panel discussion, gay marriage. Rabbi steven greenberg is a senior teaching fellow at clal, a faculty member of the shalom hartman institute of north america and a founder and director of. Jun 01, 20 amalia, two and a half years old, has an abundance of selfconfidence and a winning smile. When elie wiesel served as chairman of the presidents commission on the holocaust, rabbi greenberg served as its executive director. Rabbi steven greenberg profile profiles lgbtq religious. Or would people regard him merely as a serious jewish thinker who happens to have ordination from an orthodox institution yeshiva universitys riets, but who is not acting in the orthodox world. He is the author of the awardwinning book, wrestling with god and men. Rabbi steven greenberg jfs lecture inclusion gay jews. Rabbi steven greenberg clal discusses the commandment of hachnassat orchim welcoming guests, and how it needs to extend to the gay community as well. Rabbi greenberg is also a founder of the jerusalem open house, jerusalems first gay and lesbian community center, and currently a faculty member of the hartman institute of north america. Winner of the koret jewish book award for philosophythought, awarded by the koret foundations. Thats coming from someone who knows rabbi steve greenberg, the first openly gay orthodox rabbi, who spoke to about 70 students and other tucsonans last thursday night in the ua hillel center. To be an orthodox gay rabbi is to be a duckbilled platypus. Orthodox gay rabbi speaks about religion, homosexuality.
By cassie tomlin arizona daily wildcat tuesday, february 8, 2005 print this. Rabbi steven greenberg clal discusses the commandment of hachnassat orchim welcoming guests, and how it needs to extend to. Steve has broken boundaries and led the fight to make orthodox judaism more open and inclusive and accepting of homosexual members. Dec 18, 2014 perhaps, as rabbi yitz greenberg has suggested, we need to celebrate the success of the middle way. He wrote this prayer to recite before reading this verse leviticus 18. Orthodox rabbi marries gay couple in historic wedding in. Our staff miryam kabakov executive director rabbi steven greenberg founding director dr. May 01, 2015 i end by sharing part of a moving prayer, written by rabbi steve greenberg, the only openly gay orthodox rabbi in the country. Rabbi steve greenberg has rabbinic ordination from yeshiva university. An orthodox rabbi walks into a gay wedding klal yisrael. For millennia, two biblical verses have been understood to condemn sex between men as an act so abominable that it is punishable by death. There are questions we can ask now that we have not been able to ask before.
Mar 18, 20 earlier this month we had the honour of welcoming rabbi steve greenberg, author of wrestling with god and men, to limmud, our communitywide festival of jewish learning. Greenbergs book is an apology for so many different ideologies that its sometimes hard to know where the rabbi himself stands. This book will definitely add to your understanding of the struggle involved in being an orthodox jew on the lgbtq spectrum. Rabbi steven greenberg is a senior teaching fellow at clal, a faculty member of the shalom hartman institute of north america and a. Wrestling with steve greenberg jay michaelson i believe we are living in an age in which the shechinah is becoming visible, rabbi steve greenberg says. Mar 15, 2012 rabbi steven greenberg is a senior teaching fellow at clal, the national jewish center for learning and leadership and the director of the clal diversity project.
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