ABSTRACT
Friedman writes how orthodox rabbis regularly encounter multiple opportunities for pastoral interaction with gay congregants around everyday matters and lifecycle milestones. Although these points of engagement may hinge more on social and communal sentiment than on points of Jewish law, rabbis need to be prepared to offer spiritual and practical guidance. These matters span all areas of Jewish life from public policy, such as synagogue membership for gay couples, to issues that come up in Jewish educational environments such as gay students coming out in school or camp, and struggles within families around gay members, as well as religious conflict experienced by gay Jews themselves. This chapter uses vignettes to depict the issues and also to demonstrate how rabbinic preparation needs to include an updated curriculum in rabbinical school as well as honest, personal discussion among students and clergy in the field.
