U.S. Jewish Groups Urge Israel To Give Equal Adoption Rights To LGBT Couples
WASHINGTON (JTA) — Some 200 North American Jewish leaders and institutions urged the Israeli government to end discrimination against same-sex couples who want to adopt children.
The call came in a letter coordinated by A Wider Bridge, a San Francisco-based organization that focuses on ties between U.S. and Israeli LGBTQ communities. Signatories included Hillel International, leaders of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Union of Reform Judaism, prominent Jewish LGBT leaders and over 60 U.S. rabbis.
Last week, Israel notified the High Court of Justice that it would not lift discriminatory practices against same-sex couples, as they “load additional baggage” on their children. Same-sex couples are legally allowed to be approved for adoption, but they typically must wait longer and can only receive children if no heterosexual couple is available.
“The government’s brief and position have created a justifiable uproar throughout Israeli society,” according to the letter. “LGBTQ Israelis, their families, and allies across the country are speaking out with unparalleled unity at both the callousness and ignorance of the government’s position.”
The letter noted that while Israel has provided the LGBTQ community with public benefits and the ability to serve in the Israeli army, the issue of “adoption by same-sex families has been one of the glaring exceptions” to its reputation as gay friendly.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we need 500 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Our Goal: 500 gifts during our Passover Pledge Drive!