Today, following statements by NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer that he intends in the coming weeks to introduce a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (UOJCA) reiterated its opposition to legal recognition of same sex marriage with the following statement:
As the Torah portion this week reminds us, the Jewish tradition has always recognized the sanctity of the institution of marriage, and that only the relationship between a man and a woman can be considered marriage. Moreover, Judaism teaches that the institution of marriage is central to the formation of a healthy society. The UOJCA believes that the law, which currently embodies the traditional and normative definition of the institution of marriage, should not be changed.
Further perspective on the Orthodox Jewish position on this topic can be found in a published essay authored by UOJCA Executive Vice President Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb accessible at
http://www.ou.org/public_affairs/article/ou_resp_same_sex_marriage/.
