Religion, Sex & Gender

P'tach Lanu Sha'ar: Open a Gate for Us

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On December 5th and 6th, the Conservative movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS) will be poised to issue a potentially historic decision on the equality of lesbian and gay Jews in Conservative Judaism. Because Jewish tradition teaches us to study, pray, and engage in healthy dialogue about issues that are dear to us, Keshet JTS invites the community to a learning program designed to coincide with the CJLS deliberation process. It is our hope the conversations that take place at this event, called P’tach Lanu Sha’ar: Open a Gate for Us, will create a strengthened, more inclusive Conservative movement.
All events will be held in the Alperin Lobby at the Jewish Theological Seminary in NYC. JTS is located at 3080 Broadway, on the northeast corner of 122nd Street. For more information, contact [email protected]

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5

10:15-11:15 Standing at the Feet of Your Rabbis: Lobbying in the Jewish Tradition (Matt Carl)
11:15-12:15 Dancing with Dybbuks: Models of Gay Jewish Identity (Daniel Stein)
12:15-1:15 Visioning a Renewed Conservative Movement (Rabbi Menachem Creditor)
1:20-2:00 Student-Led Discussion: What is Our Vision for the Future of Conservative Judaism?
2:00-3:10 Storahtelling
3:15-3:30 Minhah in the Women’s League Seminary Synagogue & Stein Chapel
3:30-4:30 The Vessel God Created (Rabbi Burton Visotzky)
5:35-5:45 Maariv in the Women’s League Seminary Synagogue & Stein Chapel
5:45-6:45 A Personal Experience of Queer Jewish Ritual (Rabbi Jill Hammer)
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6
10:20-12:10 Rabbis May Uproot the Torah? (Rabbi Judith Hauptman)
*Keshet JTS is an independent organization of Jewish Theological Seminary community members advocating for the equality of Jews of all sexual orientations in the Conservative movement, including rabbinic ordination and cantorial investiture.

5 thoughts on “P'tach Lanu Sha'ar: Open a Gate for Us

  1. The Judith Hauptman class sounds halachically interesting, because it deals with the crux point, doesn’t it?
    Like, how can gays be angry at religious jewish communities? The bible cannot be unwritten, so why get riled at the people who hold by it?
    Only if the bible can be over turned, and all it;s laws up for ratification or veto in every generation, which I remember being alot of What R’ Hauptman as arguing was what the tanaaim and amoraiim were doing, making loopholes and lifting stringencies as wisdom and compassion would allow. Is it true? Is legalizing homosexuality really that easy?

  2. Any news yet on the CJLS’s decision? I haven’t heard any reports of white smoke coming forth from the Vatican of 122nd street.

  3. The CJLS meeting is two days. They’re announcing the decision tomorrow afternoon.
    (And they’re not on 122nd St — they’re hiding out at Park Avenue Synagogue.)

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