Lesbian Rabbi announces gay marriage

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • March 10, 2006 - 0:00

Rabbi Sarah helped Liberal Judaism draw up the marriage liturgy, called Covenant of Love, for Jewish same-sex couples

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A homosexual rabbi is to become one of the first lesbians to marry in a synagogue

Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah, of the Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue, will marry her partner of three years Jess Wood on Saturday, March 24 followed by a traditional Jewish wedding at her synagogue.

Rabbi Sarah helped Liberal Judaism draw up the marriage liturgy, called Covenant of Love, for Jewish same-sex couples.

She told the Argus, "When I started out as a rabbi I was put on five years' probation instead of one year, along with another lesbian rabbi. That's how scared of us they were."

"Things have changed completely now, I didn't know what the congregation would say about the marriage but people have been incredibly supportive and we have had so many people congratulating us."

Ms Wood praised Liberal Judaism for being the first mainstream religion to hold same sex marriage ceremonies.

She said: "This is not just a personal thing for us, it's the culmination of our lives' work. It will be a wonderful day. We have had so much support from the community."

There have been 203 civil partnership ceremonies in Brighton since the Civil Partnerships Act came into force last December, and 712 more have been booked.

Meanwhile couples in Brighton Hove will now be able to register there civil partnerships online from this week.

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