Rabbis delay over Jewish gay marriage rights

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The Conservative Judaism movement in America has delayed its decision on lifting a ban on homosexual rabbis and gay marriage.

The organisation was expected to debate a removal of the prohibition this week but the Rabbinical Assembly has instead decided to wait until December to vote on the controversial issue.

Rabbi Joel H. Meyers, a nonvoting member of the committee , which represents 1,600 Conservative rabbis, was unsurprised by the delay, he told the Baltimore Sun, It is important for them to work in a “very good, thoughtful and deliberate way.”

The UK Masorti movement told PinkNews.co.uk it would never consider Jewish same sex unions, in reaction to its US equivalent considering allowing gay marriage and gay rabbis this week.

Michael Gluckman, executive director of the UK group, said: “You can never say never but at the moment we are not considering this. It is way outside halakhah.”