D.C.'s Most Gay-Friendly Orthodox Rabbi

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        D.C.&#39;s Most Gay-Friendly Orthodox Rabbi
    
 Advocate.com Editors
          
          Aug 25, 2009
          
        
Advocate.com Editors
 See Full Bio 
An Orthodox rabbi in Washington, D.C., is making waves by welcoming not only non-kosher Jews but gay followers as well. 

Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld leads Ohev Sholom: The National Synagogue, the oldest continuously operating Orthodox synagogue in the capital, and has taken steps to welcome more followers who may not subscribe to all of the traditions. This includes stopping harsh language against LGBT members. 

"Homosexuality is an 'abomination'?" he asks rhetorically in a profile by Advocate contributor James Kirchick for Tablet Magazine. "We don't use that language for eating pork, yet it's described in the same way as homosexuality."

        
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D.C.'s Most Gay-Friendly Orthodox Rabbi

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D.C.&#39;s Most Gay-Friendly Orthodox Rabbi

FROM OUR SPONSORS

The Latest

The unsolved murder, dubbed the “gay Black Dahlia,” was cracked wide open by filmmaker Rachel Mason.

In Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, the legendary performer details descending into an impassioned, drug-fueled affair with the filmmaker during the filming of the 1977 movie musical New York, New York.

The award-winning journalist isn't backing down despite what the current administration throws at him.

A civil rights group claims that backlash to the show's popularity has caused an uptick in anti-LGBTQ+ hate from fellow players and coaches.

LGBTQ+ stories deserve to betold.

More For You

Most Popular

Jill Collen Jefferson, the founder of JULIAN, explains what happens when a transgender woman’s death is ruled a suicide and a community calls it something else.

These are some of his worst comments about LGBTQ+ people made by Charlie Kirk.

The Republican-led legislation places the state increasingly out of step with the rest of New England on trans rights.

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The Texas Republican championed a federal ban on Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care for minors.

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D.C.'s Most Gay-Friendly Orthodox Rabbi