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March 25, 2004
Union Of
Orthodox Jewish Congregations Opposes
Legal Recognition Of Same Sex Marriage;
Supports Constitutional Amendment
As Recourse
Today, the
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America – the nation’s
largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization representing nearly
1,000 congregations expressed its opposition to the legal
recognition of same sex marriage and its support for a federal
constitutional amendment as a recourse for addressing this issue.
The UOJCA issued the following statement:
The Jewish tradition has always recognized the sanctity and
special nature of the institution of marriage, and that only the
relationship between a man and a woman can be considered marriage.
Moreover, Judaism teaches that the institution of marriage is
central to the formation of a healthy society and the raising of
children.
The recent decision by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
and the declared intentions of certain activist organizations
clearly indicate that the definition of marriage will be
increasingly subjected to court challenges in the coming months.
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America supports a
constitutional amendment limiting marriage to the union of a man
and a woman. We believe that this proposal is an appropriate
response to recent decisions by America’s courts and unauthorized
actions by elected officials in a critical arena of social policy.
The current amendment pending in Congress does not sanction
discrimination against homosexuals and it will not deprive them of
certain civil benefits that state or local legislatures might
afford to homosexuals. It will, however, enshrine in law the
traditional and normative definition of the institution of
marriage.
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For
a detailed statement of the moral perspective of Orthodox Judaism
on same-sex marriage, please see the opinion essay of UOJCA
Executive Vice President, Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, at
http://www.thejewishweek.com/top/editletcontent.php3?artid=3346
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