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The program was titled "Bringing Jewish Values to Same-sex Relationships," but the discussion held Saturday night at Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco quickly evolved into a call to arms for the No on Knight movement.

The so-called Knight Initiative, a March 2000 ballot measure, would ban same-sex marriages in California. The initiative is also known as Proposition 22.

Tracy Salkowitz, executive director of the American Jewish Congress, Northern Pacific region, and Esperanza Macias, Northern California field coordinator for the No on Knight campaign, addressed the initiative at the event during a celebration of the two-year anniversary of Beth Sholom's Gay and Lesbian Chavurah/Outreach program.

Although the initiative consists of just a single statement — "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California" — Macias and Salkowitz said the apparent simplicity of the initiative is what makes it so dangerous.

"This is an anti-gay proposition in sheep's clothing," Macias said. If the initiative is passed, she added, right-wing politicians will twist its meaning, claiming that Californians have spoken.

Salkowitz also expressed concern. "Look at similar initiatives that have passed in other states," she said. "They have been used to strike down all benefits and rights for same-sex couples."

Salkowitz ran through a list of benefits and rights that could be affected by the Knight Initiative. These include hospital visitation rights, inheritance rights, custody rights and domestic partnership laws.

But she said that even though such rights could be curtailed, some people in the gay community may vote yes on Knight. The reason: They don't want anything to do with a heterosexual society that they believe has repressed them for so long.

A large part of the Knight Initiative campaign is being funded by the Mormon Church and in part by the Catholic Church, according to Macias. "They are outspending us 4 to 1," she said. "BYU [the Mormon-affiliated Brigham Young University] students are getting a semester of credit for volunteering in California to work for this initiative."

Macias and Salkowitz said that in order for the initiative to be defeated, a large percentage of those outside the gay and lesbian community must vote against it.

Tactics include making political conservatives aware that the initiative is an opening for the state to come into their homes and pointing out to ethnic minorities that the initiative is a discrimination issue, Macias said. In addition, she said, even those who are opposed to same-sex marriage should be shown that the vote against Knight isn't a vote for same-sex marriage.

Salkowitz encouraged attendees to have parties to raise money for the No on Knight campaign.

"I think I would get involved in this," said Ruthy Talansky, who attended the discussion because "I want to get married to a woman."

Ann Aptaker, who was also at the event, said, "I think for Jews this is a very important issue. The best way to demonize people is to not allow them to be part of the mainstream."

Aptaker compared the initiative to the law in Nazi Germany prohibiting marriage between Jews and non-Jews. "For me, the Knight Initiative smacks of the same thing."

Aptaker was hopeful about the success of the No on Knight campaign.

"Traditionally, the Jewish community anywhere in the country has taken a position on social justice," she said. "Now that there is a movement in the same-sex community to have the marriages sanctified, it's a very important justice issue for Jews."

Many others at the event talked about the increased acceptance of gays and lesbians in the local Jewish community. The program was co-sponsored by Congregation Sha'ar Zahav, a San Francisco synagogue founded in 1977 to reach out to gays and lesbians.

Kenny Altman, mediator of the discussion, said that in the first three years of Sha'ar Zahav's existence, the Jewish Bulletin, then under previous management, didn't list its events or accept ad money. Today, some rabbis of Conservative congregations such as Beth Sholom are willing to perform same-sex commitment ceremonies.

"I think we've come far in 20 years," he said. "But there's more ground to cover."

However, not everyone at the event was pleased. "Where are the heterosexuals from this congregation?" asked Marshall Feldman, alluding to the 18 attendees, most of them gay and lesbian. "They may not hate us, but we're second-class citizens.

"Gay and lesbian Jews may have a place at the table," he said, "but it's the kiddies' table."