Weddings/Celebrations Section
Rabbi Abraham BenZion and Beryl Yoshua Wedding
On 11 Kislev 5771 (November 18, 2010) in Westbrook, CT;Rabbi Abraham BenZion ben Avraham Avenu vaSarah Emanu HaIsrael Jernigan of Hope Mills, NC, wed his husband, Beryl Yoshua ben Avraham Avenu vaSarah Emanu HaIsrael Walter in the home of Westbrook JP Nancy S. Carlson. Both were dressed informally and were attended by Avigdor and Rivkah Catigano of Lititz, PA. Also in attendance was a friend from the Prop 8 Trial Tracker representing the entire P8TT community that the Jernigans have come to regard as extended family. Beryl cried not only during the ceremony, but also at the Town Clerk’s office while obtaining the marriage license. The tears were the result of finally seeing a dream come true that he had been told growing up would NEVER be allowed to come true--the dream of marrying someone he truly loved, rather than a marriage merely for tax breaks and other conveniences and benefits. As a result of their own wedding, the Rabbi and Rebbitizen of the loosely connected Congregation Beth David (LGBT Jews and straight ally Jews as well as other Jews who feel pushed aside by many other congregations) feel strengthened even more in their resolve to continue fighting for full equality in the US, and will continue to work wherever and whenever possible to insure that other couples do not have to leave home to get married unless they desire a destination wedding. They will also continue to work toward helping to get a fully inclusive ENDA brought up again and again until it passes, as well as the DREAM Act, UAFA, and the repeal of DOMA, including replacing DOMA with full recognition of marriages and a Respect for Marriage Act which states that any marriage between two consenting adults who meet all other requirements for marriage shall be recognized at all levels of the civil government whether they be two men, two women, or a man and a woman. No marriage shall be considered any less than any other simply because the couple is two adults of the same gender or gender identity.