Habo in the Media
Habonim Dror – Marching for Gay Rights: Hayim Dar, Habonim Dror Sydney
Bald Chutzpah: Rabbi chayim Ingram
NO ‘BALD CHUTZPAH’:
On behalf of all Melbourne bogrim
Cartoon by: Zev Landes, Habonim Dror, Melbourne
David Borowski, Habonim Dror, Melbourne
Habonim Dror – Marching for Gay Rights
It may seem problematic at first. How can a Jewish youth movement support a cause which, likely, some of its members may object to, and on the basis of the very religious identity we claim? It’s no secret. Many in the Jewish community find homosexuality unequivocally discouraged by traditional Judaism. After all, homosexual intercourse is one of several to’hevot – forbidden acts referred to as ‘abominations’.Aren’t the Bogrim of Habonim Dror being hypocritical?
A simple answer might be to say that we are a democratic movement, and so any issue supported by the majority a priori is supported by the movement. But this is a weak answer, and somewhat immature. A movement has an ideology, and this can’t be cast aside without a thought. The fact of the matter is that if the Bogrim of Habonim Dror Sydney support gay rights, it is because we believe that it is encompassed in our ideology; the set of beliefs and principles which we have adopted and developed, and so (by majority) believe ourselves. So what is the connection to our ideology, and what indeed do we mean by gay rights? We marched in the Mardi Gras parade, as part of Dayenu, with two purposes. First, as people, citizens of Australia and the world, marching for the right of homosexual people to be equal before the entire law, from the right to attorney to the right to civil marriage. But we also marched as members of the Jewish community and people, for the rights of Jewish gays to equal status and participation in all facets of Jewish life. Black or white, blue eyes or brown, a Jew’s rights in the community are not discriminated – we want to add hetero and homosexual to that equality.
Though it is a simplistic separation, we normally view our ideology in terms of four themes, Judaism, socialism, Zionism and Hagshama Atzmit (self realisation). As for socialism, the inherent equality of homosexuality should be evident, while Zionism has little to say here, so long as gay parents are allowed to raise their children Jewish. Habonim Dror believes every person should be encouraged and given the opportunity to realise themselves fully in every way. This includes beliefs, practices, identities, affiliations and life choices and without question, sexuality. After all, a persons sexual orientation is rarely, if ever, in their control – it is something bestowed upon us from without. Which brings us to Judaism. There’s a saying, ‘Two Jews, three opinions’, but in this case it seems you either believe homosexuality is really an ‘abomination’, an aberration which should be ignored or suppressed (or oppressed), or you don’t. We don’t. We can point to many examples, propose several arguments, though we are no great scholars. For instance Rambam’s suggestion that in the Third Temple animal sacrifice would not resume because society, and the world, had changed. Such as how children are no longer stoned to death, if they ever were, for disobeying their parents, another to’heva – though kids’ll tell you the guilt trip was a suitable replacement. Or even the plain sense that tells you G-d would not intend the harassment of people for a physiological attribute they do not control. No, the point is, as we make it, that though the words of the Torah may be timeless, they are not at least to be understood without context. The Torah was given us in a form in which the children of Israel could receive it, and not all was revealed at once. The stigma of homosexuality is a social one, and not a religious one, and the religion and halacha have advanced in other areas since.
This then is our better answer. Not only is the issue of gay rights in line with our ideology, but it is also in keeping with what we see as a fundamental tenet of Judaism. Equality
Kol Yisrael yesh la-hem chelek l’olam ha-ba. And in this one too.
Hayim Dar, Habonim Dror Sydney
NO ‘BALD CHUTZPAH’
RABBI Chaim Ingram’s offensive and incorrect analysis of Habonim Dror’s ideology following our decision to support the Jewish float at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (AJN 19/3) highlights his unwillingness to accept varying interpretations of the Jewish religion.
Rabbi Ingram erroneously claims that we rank Judaism pitifully last of our “three planks”. Instead, our ideology consists of four platforms: Judaism, Zionism, socialism and hagshamah atzmit (self-realisation). All are of equal importance.
Rabbi Ingram questions whether we are really a Jewish movement, or whether we are merely “a movement espoused by young Jews”. It seems, what he is really asking is whether Habonim Dror, or other secular associations, can be considered truly Jewish if they do not accept an Orthodox perspective on halacha.
Members of Habonim Dror do not purport to be Orthodox Jews. Instead we maintain that we are culturally Jewish, we derive our own meaning and interpretations from Jewish texts and traditions. While still respecting the past, we are prepared to adapt Judaism to the modern world.
This includes the term “tikkum olam” (repairing the world). Such a phrase cannot be claimed as being solely religious — we believe it means “the preservation of life and our planet by caring for our environment and all of its inhabitants, and striving towards equal opportunity for all mankind”. We believe that striving for equal rights for Jews and human beings is not “bald chutzpah”, but rather an acceptable Jewish approach to tikkun olam.
On behalf of all Melbourne bogrim
Cartoon by: Zev Landes, Habonim Dror, Melbourne
Rabbi Ingram, I won’t indulge in the Jewish-homosexuality debate, because the orthodox stance is clear and unwavering. What I cannot listen to idly though, is that you insinuated that Habonim Dror is a movement simply “espoused by some young Jews” rather than a proud, practicing Jewish youth movement.
You say that our ideology places Judaism “a pitiful last”, yet nowhere do we claim to rank our beliefs, instead they are inter-twined and no one can exist without the other. You maintain that we refer to ourselves as “self-styled experts”, yet no chaver (member) of the movement that I have ever talked to claims to be an expert on the tradition. I doubt whether even you, Rabbi, would call yourself an expert. I find it insulting, as a boger of Habonim Dror, that you would suggest that the movement is not Jewish at heart, soul and body.
During my 14 years with Habonim, I have witnessed a love of Jewish texts, rituals, peoplehood, culture, language and history being imparted on to chanichim. I have witnessed the chaggim being celebrated with enthusiasm, joy and sincerity. And I have witnessed the nurturing of a belief so fundamental to Judaism – creating a strong, Jewish society in Israel. Habonim strives to instil a strong sense of Jewish identity in every chaver, and we view every Jew as an integral part of the Jewish narrative, beginning with Avraham and continuing on to us today. Rabbi, that is Habonim Dror’s Cultural Judaism. That is what makes us a proud, dynamic Jewish youth movement.
David Borowski, Habonim Dror, Melbourne
