The Defeat of DOMA and the Jewish Response

A few weeks ago, two days after my birthday, the Defense of Marriage Act which permitted federal discrimination against LGBT individuals, denying hundreds of rights, was repealed. For anyone emotionally invested in this decision and on the edges of their seats for months, they will always remember where they were when they heard that Wednesday morning.

There is much work still to be done. There are too many states where discrimination against same-sex individuals and couples is still legally sanctioned. But it is HUGE that we are now federally protected. This ensures safety for us in so many arenas that were previously denied. Disturbingly, soooo many people I know had not even heard of DOMA and thought the state legalization had solved everything.

At that Friday's Shabbat service, Rabbi worked this into her sermon. She spoke about that week's Torah portion, which just happened to be about four sisters who stood up to a law that would deny them their deceased father's inheritance since there were no sons. They didn't meekly plead, but they also didn't create a ruckus. They just said, "we should get this, and this is why." They defended their case. They were assertive and wanted justice. Moses appealed directly to God, who said that the sisters were right and the law should be changed.

Rabbi expounded on this to say that God WANTS us to challenge laws if they are unfair. (Oh look, a basis for Reform Judaism in the Torah!!) Laws were created for a certain purpose, with intentions to be protective and just, but if they ever become unjust as circumstances and times change, we have a right and a responsibility to amend them. This is much of what I love about Reform Judaism (along with, among other things, wanting people to keep ritual observance meaningful rather than just doing what is proscribed by religious law even when it is habitual and unmeaningful).

Rabbi related this to the ordination of women, and then in the end brought up DOMA. She said, "Some say same-sex relationships are wrong because of what is written in the Torah. I say God has been waiting for us to make it right."

This is not just unique to our amazing rabbi. In synagogues across the country, communities celebrated and rabbis addressed this in their sermons with joy and satisfaction. It wasn't just gay people celebrating, but Jews. For Jews, any gain in social justice is a communal gain.

Do you understand why I feel so in love and at home?

<3