Homosexuality and Conservative Judaism - Aftermath of The 2006 Decisions

Aftermath of The 2006 Decisions

The consequences of the decision have been mixed, both in the U.S. and elsewhere.

On the one hand, four members of the Committee, Rabbis Joel Roth, Leonard Levy, Mayer Rabinowitz, and Joseph Prouser, resigned from the CJLS following adoption of the change. On the other hand, the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies of the University of Judaism (now the American Jewish University) in Los Angeles had previously stated that it will immediately begin admitting gay and lesbian students as soon as the law committee passes a policy that sanctions gay ordination. On March 26, 2007, the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York followed suit and began accepting gay candidates for admission for their Rabbinical program .

Meanwhile, many Masorti synagogues outside of the US, which have historically been somewhat more traditional than the American movement, continued to maintain a complete ban on homosexual conduct, clergy, and unions. The head of the Israeli Masorti movement's Vaad Halakha (equivalent to the CJLS), Rabbi David Golinkin, wrote the CJLS protesting its reconsideration of the traditional ban on homosexual conduct. The Masorti movements in Argentina, Hungary, and the United Kingdom have indicated that they will not admit or ordain homosexual rabbinical students.

The Masorti Movement's Israeli Seminary also rejected a change in its view of the status of homosexual conduct, stating that "Jewish law has traditionally prohibited homosexuality." However, the Seminary reversed its position in April 2012, when it approved the ordination of gay and lesbian rabbis in Israel.

On June 2012, the American branch of Conservative Judaism formally approved same-sex marriage ceremonies in a 13-0 vote.