With Eye on Jewish Continuity, Maverick Spiritual Leader Goes Mainstream

“Unlike his relatives, Lau-Lavie has not become an Orthodox rabbi. Instead, he will be ordained by the Conservative Movement after completing a five-year course of study at the Jewish Theological Seminary.

There are practical reasons for his choosing the Conservative Movement: As an openly gay man, he cannot serve as an Orthodox rabbi.

But there are other aspects of the Conservative Movement (which changed its stance on the ordination of gays and lesbians in 2006) that make him feel it is the right fit.

‘I believe in following halacha [Jewish law], but I also believe that it evolves,’ Lau-Lavie told The Times of Israel by phone Sunday from the Salt Lake City, Utah airport as he flew home to New York from a Reboot meetup. The network of young Jewish movers and shakers, of which he has been a longstanding member, works towards re-envisioning Jewish life for contemporary times.

‘I like how Conservative Judaism straddles halacha and innovation. Jewish law has a vote, but not a veto,’ he said.”

Continue reading “With Eye on Jewish Continuity, Maverick Spiritual Leader Goes Mainstream“ in The Times of Israel.