Friday, March 06, 2009
Technion rabbi: Remove mezuzot from gay couples' rooms
The study routine at the Technion, Haifa's Institute of Technology, has been disrupted in recent days over a decision allowing homosexual and lesbian couples to live in dorms designed for married couples.
Following the decision, the Technion's rabbi demanded that demanded that the mezuzot (piece of parchment affixed to the doorframe of Jewish homes) be removed from the rooms where the gay couples are slated to reside.
The decision to allow homosexual and lesbian couples to live in dorms designed for married couples was approved several days ago by Technion's management, together with its legal advisor and the Student Union.
"Excluding Bar-Ilan University, gay couples are given the option of lodging everywhere, and the Technion helped us solve this problem," said Uri Avinoam, a biology student who headed the battle to change the current situation.
Activists of the Technion's religious students' organization, Achvat Aharon, led by the Technion's rabbi, Eliyahu Rachamim Zini, refused to accept the decision. Under the title "Sodomy sponsored and financed by the Technion", they wrote a protest letter to Technion President Yitzhak Apeloig.
"They are trying to force us to acknowledge that if a person was born with a sexual abnormality he can live with it, and that there is no need to overcome it. This immoral saying has no room in a society which cherishes the future of the Israeli family," the letter said.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3682162,00.html
Following the decision, the Technion's rabbi demanded that demanded that the mezuzot (piece of parchment affixed to the doorframe of Jewish homes) be removed from the rooms where the gay couples are slated to reside.
The decision to allow homosexual and lesbian couples to live in dorms designed for married couples was approved several days ago by Technion's management, together with its legal advisor and the Student Union.
"Excluding Bar-Ilan University, gay couples are given the option of lodging everywhere, and the Technion helped us solve this problem," said Uri Avinoam, a biology student who headed the battle to change the current situation.
Activists of the Technion's religious students' organization, Achvat Aharon, led by the Technion's rabbi, Eliyahu Rachamim Zini, refused to accept the decision. Under the title "Sodomy sponsored and financed by the Technion", they wrote a protest letter to Technion President Yitzhak Apeloig.
"They are trying to force us to acknowledge that if a person was born with a sexual abnormality he can live with it, and that there is no need to overcome it. This immoral saying has no room in a society which cherishes the future of the Israeli family," the letter said.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3682162,00.html
Comments:
Why? Even a gay person is required to have a mezuzah. Just because he is committing one sin doesn't mean that he's free to violate the requirement to have a mezuzah.
The Wolf
The Wolf
The Wolf is correct, even if we can udnerstand that rabbi's reasoning. Nonetheless, sometimes we can make certain decrees, even if they appear counter to halachah (e.g. applying capital punishment where it would not be ordained by Torah-law) to make a point re law and order in society.
Comment Credit ---This article posted by 
: March 06, 2009 3:43 PM
: March 06, 2009 3:43 PM
Does the rabbi think that removing mezuzot is going to somehow dissuade gay couples from co-habiting? That's just silly. Or does he want to "mark" the rooms of sinners? How about people who use the lights on Shabbat etc? Are these school mezuzot? What would stop the couples from putting up their own?
Comment Credit ---This article posted by : March 07, 2009 2:42 PM
: March 07, 2009 2:42 PM
lo said: "re:law and order in society"
look, as much as haredim despise gays, that has nothing to do with "law and order" they aren't robbing frickin banks.
look, as much as haredim despise gays, that has nothing to do with "law and order" they aren't robbing frickin banks.
Rabbi Swift in Pittsburgh held strongly that a gay person is still required to observe all of the commandments.
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Comment Credit ---This article posted by : March 09, 2009 1:14 PM
: March 09, 2009 1:14 PM
