Teaneck, NJ – A Jewish newspaper won’t publish wedding or engagement announcements from same-gender couples any longer after receiving complaints, according to a statement from the editor on the newspaper’s website.
The following are excerpts of the message posted by the Jewish Standard editor, Rebecca Kaplan Boroson:
“We set off a firestorm last week by publishing a same-gender couple’s announcement of their intent to marry. Given the tenor of the times, we did not expect the volume of comments we have received, many of them against our decision to run the announcement, but many supportive as well.
A group of rabbis has reached out to us and conveyed the deep sensitivities within the traditional/Orthodox community to this issue. Our subsequent discussions with representatives from that community have made us aware that publication of the announcement caused pain and consternation, and we apologize for any pain we may have caused.
The Jewish Standard has always striven to draw the community together, rather than drive its many segments apart. We have decided, therefore, since this is such a divisive issue, not to run such announcements in the future.”
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7 Responses
That’s nice. Now wait for the outcry from the gay community. This will become a big issue for Jewish newspapers across the country & the lawsuits for discrimination will inevitably start. We live in a very sad world.
A “Jewish” newspaper didn’t realize that printing announcements of same gender “marriages” was a problem?!?
That ITSELF is a problem!
Unfortunately, bestbubby, we don’t have to wait for the outcry from the gay community. R”L It has already begun. You can see it if you Google “Jewish Standard newspaper gay.”
A self proclaimed Jewish newpaper should only publish annoucements of Jewish marriages. That, by definition would exclude so-called same-sex marriages.
This simply is not the case. They will still print marriage announcements for a divorcee or a convert marrying a Kohen. They will print announcements for people converted contrary to halacha. They will print announcements for anything BUT a gay couple, no matter what type of forbidden arrangement it is by Torah standards.
Unless they are going to send a rabbinic team out to anyone that submits a request, I fail to see how they can ever satisfy the desire to only print “kosher” marriage announcements.
#5 divorcee, giyores marrying a cohen (doubt the latter happens),how should the news paper know, but toaivah is obvious.Anyway this news paper is not run by yidden bnei maminim if they ran such ad to begin with…
I give the Jewish Standard a certain amount of credit. Although they made a grave error, they have accepted the words of the Rabbi’s. They have also apologized and made a public statement not to repeat such actions.
A good piece of advice for the “Jewish Standard” would be to be in touch with a specific Rabbi, who you could pose such dilemmas to in the future. I’m sure there are many stories or issues that you’re not sure whether or not you should publish. You’d be able to clarify before, rather than after.