Letter sent on behalf of the better treatment of LGBT+ clergy, 1987
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Letter sent on behalf of the better treatment of LGBT+ clergy, 1987
Source
CBST Archives
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Rabbi Balfour Brickner
Rabbi Hershel J. Matt
Dear Colleague and Friend:
April, 1987
Nisan, 5747
As rabbis, we have long been troubled by the widespread negative attitudes toward homosexuals, including the thousands upon thousands of Jewish homosexuals. Many of these Jewish gays and lesbians - though they are our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters - have felt rejected by the Jewish community and unwelcome in our synagogues and organizations. Sometimes indeed they have felt that their legitimacy as Jews and even their very existence is being denied. We therefore commend to your attention the enclosed materials from The World Congress of Gay and Lesbian Jewish Organizations.
We hope that from a careful reading of these materials you will be led, as we have been,
to commit yourself -
• to correcting the common misunderstandings of the nature and causes of homosexuality;
• in the light of this new understanding, to re-examine and hopefully revise the blanket condemnation of homosexuality that has evidently been the traditional position on this subject;
• to eliminate, as far as you are able, any hostility, prejudice, and discrimination against gay men and lesbians within both the Jewish and general communities.
We look upon this as an important issue of both rachclmanut and yosber, compassion and justice; we hope you do as well.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Balfour Brickner Rabbi Hershel J. Matt
P.S. Share the enclosed brochure with friends and family; discuss it with colleagues. Consider planning an educational program for your organization - return the enclosed card for further information.
Post Office Box 8812 72 San Francisco, CA 94188
Rabbi Hershel J. Matt
Dear Colleague and Friend:
April, 1987
Nisan, 5747
As rabbis, we have long been troubled by the widespread negative attitudes toward homosexuals, including the thousands upon thousands of Jewish homosexuals. Many of these Jewish gays and lesbians - though they are our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters - have felt rejected by the Jewish community and unwelcome in our synagogues and organizations. Sometimes indeed they have felt that their legitimacy as Jews and even their very existence is being denied. We therefore commend to your attention the enclosed materials from The World Congress of Gay and Lesbian Jewish Organizations.
We hope that from a careful reading of these materials you will be led, as we have been,
to commit yourself -
• to correcting the common misunderstandings of the nature and causes of homosexuality;
• in the light of this new understanding, to re-examine and hopefully revise the blanket condemnation of homosexuality that has evidently been the traditional position on this subject;
• to eliminate, as far as you are able, any hostility, prejudice, and discrimination against gay men and lesbians within both the Jewish and general communities.
We look upon this as an important issue of both rachclmanut and yosber, compassion and justice; we hope you do as well.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Balfour Brickner Rabbi Hershel J. Matt
P.S. Share the enclosed brochure with friends and family; discuss it with colleagues. Consider planning an educational program for your organization - return the enclosed card for further information.
Post Office Box 8812 72 San Francisco, CA 94188
Citation
“Letter sent on behalf of the better treatment of LGBT+ clergy, 1987”, Congregation Sim Beit Torah, LGBTQ Religious Archives Network, accessed December 21, 2024, https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/cbst/item/1902.
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