Nisan 8, 5767, 3/27/2007
Why is the JTS Discriminating against Necrophiliacs?
by Steven Plaut
The Jewish Theological Seminary is the New York school in which rabbis serving in the Conservative synagogue movement are trained. This week the media headlines are about the decision by the school to admit homosexual men and women as rabbinic students. That would preseumably mean they would become ordained rabbis in a few years, at least as far as the "Conservative" synagogues are concerned, in a few years.
JTS
The initiative seems to be that of the new JTS chancellor, Dr. Arnold Eisen. Eisen is not an ordained rabbi. Before coming to JTS he was a professor at Standord. And long LONG before that, he was an undergrad in Philadelphia. While I really doubt he remembers this, he and I were among the founders in the late 60s of the Philadelphia Union of Jewish Students. I was a little PC twerp back then, while he was not. How the times have changed. Today I am an anti-PC twerp. He however is acting as a Grand Master of Political Correctness at JTS.
Recruiting practicing homosexuals as rabbinic students was one of the banners Eisen brought to JTS. To his credit, it should be noted that he is not infected with most other symptoms of PC whackiness, and he is decidedly not anti-Israel.
Nevertheless, as someone raised in the Conservative movement, I find it terribly sad that the Conservative synagogue movement has decided to follow the Reformies and the Deconstructionists down the slippery slope of PC silliness. Evidently the JTS thinks that the 11th Commandment reads, "Thou Shalt be Trendy".
Dr. Eisen
It is also entirely arbitrary and inconsistent. It is one thing to suggest that homosexuals be treated with civility and politeness, protected from most forms of job discrimination and the like. It is quite another to suggest that practicing homosexuals are qualified to serve as rabbis. Is the JTS intent upon emptying the position of "rabbi" of all moral stature and authority, as defined by Judaism? Homosexual acts (as opposed to urges and feelings) are unambiguously defined by the Torah as abominations, morally equivalent to bestiality, and even can be capital offenses (never mind that such punishments were never applied). If the JTS is to admit as rabbinic students practicing homosexuals, why not also practicing drug addicts, kleptomaniacs, alcoholics, incarcerated criminals, pedaphiliacs?
And if homosexuality is suddenly regarded by the JTS as irrelevant to being a rabbi, why the arbitrary discrimination in favor of homosexuals? Why not also pass a new JTS policy admitting as rabbinic students those practicing bestiality, incest and necrophilia? After all, really - why should THEY not be admitted? Necrophiliacs do not hurt anyone and are simply expressing their love! How are we to insist that they only marry the living until death do them part?
