June 16, 1950
From editorial “A Triumph of Justice”
The wheels of progress move — too slowly, perhaps, but they do go forward.
We refer to the historic decisions of the Unites States Supreme Court last week striking hard at the segregation of the Negroes in two state universities and on dining cars in the South.
Again, by these decisions, the fundamental American principle of quality has been upheld. While the rulings have not been as broad in their interpretation as many would have liked, they do, nevertheless, reaffirm the guarantee of equal rights to all citizens, regardless of race, creed or color.
Consistently we have contended that the rights of all Americans are in jeopardy so long as one single group suffers discrimination in any area of community life. Liberties are interdependent. The freedoms of all are weakened when the rights of any single individual or group of individuals are violated.
On that broad basis, we must continue the struggle for equal rights and equal opportunities for all Americans, regardless of race, creed, color or national origin. We must dedicate ourselves to these objectives again and again, giving no cover to those who tolerate discrimination and its companion, prejudice.
The latest Supreme Court decisions will stand as historic milestones in the campaign for justice and equality. But they must not lull us into a decreased activity or any degree of complacency.
Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.
June 15, 1990
From “Little opposition here to idea of gay Reform rabbis”
While not openly endorsing the proposal, Bay Area Orthodox and Conservative rabbis are conciliatory about the Reform movement’s plan to ordain gay and lesbian rabbis.
Some of those Conservative rabbis, in fact, see the proposal as a breakthrough that will spread to their own movement.
The Reform recommendation emanates from a panel of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. It promotes the notion that the Reform rabbinical body welcome gay and lesbian rabbis without discrimination or restrictions.
The 1,557-member CCAR is expected to pass the panel’s recommendations at its Seattle convention June 24-28.
Orthodox Rabbi Malcolm Sparer, president of the Northern California Board of Rabbis, offers the conciliatory viewpoint: “It’s a matter for Reform rabbis to determine who they wish their colleagues to be. I don’t think any other group has the right to interfere.”
He contends, moreover, that the issue is not one that directly affects traditional Jews because gay and lesbian rabbis “are not going to take Conservative and Orthodox pulpits.”
Meanwhile, Conservative Rabbi H. David Teitelbaum of Temple Beth Jacob in Redwood City says, “Of course, it’s a controversial issues but [that] shouldn’t be a reason to abandon the principle of complete equality. In the end, I don’t believe this issue will divide Jews any more than they already are.”
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