Religious Perspectives: Jewish

Within Judiasm, there is a wide spectrum of belief regarding same-sex marriage. The Orthodox tradition opposes same-sex marriage, and the Orthodox Union recently issued a statement supporting the Federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The moral perspective underlying this statement is explained in an opinion essay by Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, the Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union.

At the other end of the spectrum, in 1993 the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association and the Federation of Reconstructionist Congregations and Havurot (now the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation), officially welcomed gay men and lesbians into their communities and supported rabbis who officiated at same-sex wedding ceremonies. This history is explained in a 2004 endorsement of civil marriage for same-sex couples by the Resconstructionist movement.

The Reform tradition has supported civil marriage rights for same-sex couples since 1996. In 2000, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, representing the Reform tradition, adopted a resolution supporting Rabbis who officiate at same-sex unions. An open question is whether same-sex unions may be recognized as kiddushin, or Jewish legal marriage.