Gays, disabled, biracial Jews draw notice at session
By SHRUTI MATHUR DESAI • Courier-Post Staff • December 9, 2009 CHERRY HILL Baruch Mishaneh Habriot. Blessed is he who makes the creation different from one another. This was the theme of a keynote speech about being a welcoming, inclusive synagogue at the biennial convention of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism held this week at the Crowne Plaza. The very definition of Conservative Judaism includes a line about balancing tradition and modernity, but the reality of being inclusive can be much harder, said the five speakers at Tuesday’s panel. "Inclusion sounds like an easy thing because it is morally the right thing to do," said Rabbi Steven Greenberg, who was the first Orthodox rabbi to announce his homosexuality. "But its not just greeting people at the door, giving them a siddur (prayer book), and wishing them Shabbat shalom (good Sabbath)."