Equalities Minister Nick Boles commends Jewish Masorti approval of same-sex marriage
PinkNews Exclusive
The Minister for Skills and Equalities Nick Boles has commended the Jewish Masorti for its announcement that it will now approve of same-sex marriages.
The conservative Masorti movement is considered more progressive than Orthodox Judaism – allowing men and women to sit together, and believing the Torah to be divinely inspired instead of the literal word of God.
Nick Boles, Minister for Skills and Equalities, told PinkNews: “I send my best wishes to all of those couples who will now be able to get married by Masorti congregations.”
“We have been clear from the outset that it is a decision for individual faith groups and ministers to decide whether they wish to perform same-sex marriages and this move confirms that process is working well.”
The Masorti board of trustees said: “After much learning and discussion, the Masorti rabbis have ruled that communities may carry out ceremonies for gay and lesbian couples based on a ‘shutafut’, or partnership, ceremony.
“We recognise that our movement encompasses diverse views on this important subject. Each Masorti community, together with its rabbi, will be free to decide whether to carry out these ceremonies and, if so, whether the relationships sanctified by them should be registered under English law as same-sex marriages or civil partnerships.
“Masorti Judaism is proud to be taking this opportunity to make our communities ever more welcoming and to realise our values of inclusion, equality and diversity within the framework of halacha (Jewish law).”
