CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Israeli orthodox rabbi Mordechai Elon allegedly can't keep his hands off young men. That inability is not only at the heart of a national sex scandal, but some are arguing it could push the needle forward for gay people within the modern Orthodox sect of Judaism, which condemns gay relations.
Takana, an association of rabbis and other leaders of Israel's Orthodox Jews that investigates sexual harassment in religious settings, issued a statement in February accusing Elon of engaging in "sexual exploitation" involving other men. In 2006, amid similar allegations, Elon retired from teaching and agreed to limit his contact with male students, but Takana officials said he had breached those terms, leading to the statement on the group's website. Elon has called the charge "blood libel." Israeli news sources indicate the students were largely of age, but police intend to investigate further. Meanwhile, a Takana member claims to have received a death threat after the latest accusations against Elon were publicized, and the modern Orthodox establishment is considering drafting a formal ethics code for rabbis.
If the allegations are true, this is certainly a case of "a man in a position of power who abused his power in a hurtful way," says Steve Greenberg, a New York-based Orthodox rabbi who came out as gay in 1999. But he says it may also help force the Orthodox movement to confront the reality "that being homosexual is not a lifestyle choice," as Elon had much to lose by acting on same-sex desires. "People must be thinking, This must not be something that Rabbi Elon chose," adds Greenberg, who says he is the only openly gay Orthodox rabbi in the United States.
In Israel, Hana Kehat, a feminist and pro-gay activist who was once a member of Takana, expressed similar views. "From now on it will be possible to say that it is legitimate to be a religious homosexual," she told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Also, she said the situation of Elon, who has been outspokenly antigay, bolsters the argument made by some gays that "homophobia is proof of hidden homosexuality."
While there is still a long journey to acceptance of gays by the Orthodox movement, Greenberg says there is progress. A few months ago, 200 gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews, meeting in Israel to discuss the issues affecting them, invited the head of one of the nation's modern Orthodox yeshivas to attend, and he did so--something that would have been unthinkable just a few years earlier. "A growing empathy is appearing," Greenberg says.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Here Are Our 2024 Election Predictions. Will They Come True?
November 07 2023 1:46 PM
17 Celebs Who Are Out & Proud of Their Trans & Nonbinary Kids
November 30 2023 10:41 AM
Here Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.
November 01 2023 5:09 PM
Which State Is the Queerest? These Are the States With the Most LGBTQ+ People
December 11 2023 10:00 AM
These 27 Senate Hearing Room Gay Sex Jokes Are Truly Exquisite
December 17 2023 3:33 PM
10 Cheeky and Homoerotic Photos From Bob Mizer's Nude Films
November 18 2023 10:05 PM
30 Steamy Photos of Folsom Street Fair 2023 Debauchery
October 15 2023 11:06 PM
42 Flaming Hot Photos From 2024's Australian Firefighters Calendar
November 10 2023 6:08 PM
These Are the 5 States With the Smallest Percentage of LGBTQ+ People
December 13 2023 9:15 AM
60 Burly Pics from Bearrison Street Fair 2022
October 08 2023 8:30 PM
Watch Now: Advocate Channel
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Latest Stories
Plus
Yahoo FeedInjectable HIV treatment, prevention: Everything you need to know
March 26 2024 10:45 PM
Ronna McDaniel, tied up by her Trump lies, drowns in an aquarium of her own making
March 26 2024 9:00 PM
The ultimate guide to cannabis in Provincetown
March 26 2024 6:40 PM
New York Times fails to include trans voices in coverage, say GLAAD, Media Matters
March 26 2024 6:31 PM
Pete Buttigieg commits federal resources to Baltimore bridge collapse recovery
March 26 2024 5:47 PM
The horrific reality of transgender individuals in Texas prisons
March 26 2024 4:30 PM
Three more arrested in murder of queer Brazilian politician Marielle Franco
March 26 2024 3:41 PM
New Hampshire advances trans-exclusionary sports bill
March 26 2024 3:24 PM
Pride
Yahoo FeedFind your perfect fit with gender-inclusive fashion from The Pride Store
March 26 2024 2:16 PM