I am so proud of our Temple Beth El Board for passing a resolution protesting the passage of HB2. I am grateful to the Tzedek Council and its Chair, Annie Lord, to Keshet (our group committed to supporting the LGBT community), LIBERTY (our Senior Youth Group), and to SPICE (our vibrant organization for Temple members 50+) for showing leadership on this important issue and bringing it to our Board.
Rabbi Judith Schindler
TEMPLE BETH EL RESOLUTION
North Carolina House Bill 2
Approved June 27, 2016
WHEREAS, justice and human dignity are cherished Jewish values;
WHEREAS, our Reform Jewish tradition teaches us that all human beings — man, woman, gay, straight, bisexual, transgender — are made in the image of God;
WHEREAS, Temple Beth El’s mission is to be a welcoming and spiritual Reform congregation, providing opportunities for all those who wish to engage in Jewish life through prayer, study, and social action, while supporting each other in times of joy and sorrow;
WHEREAS, the LGBT members of Temple Beth El are an integral part of our congregation, and that Keshet[1]and its predecessor Chavurah Keshet have been active for over 18 years;
WHEREAS, the Union for Reform Judaism unanimously passed a resolution at the 2015 Biennial encouraging Reform congregations and clergy to advocate for the rights of people of all gender identities and gender expressions so that individuals are treated equally under the law as the gender by which they identify;
WHEREAS, the passage of North Carolina House Bill 2 on March 23, 2016 (HB2) discriminates against and oppresses transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, requiring the use of restrooms that may be inconsistent with their gender identity;
WHEREAS, the passage of HB2 nullifies the LGBT nondiscrimination ordinance that was previously in place in Charlotte and prevents similar ones from being passed in the future;
WHEREAS, 45 North Carolina rabbis, Carolina Jews for Justice, seven North Carolina synagogues, the Durham Chapel Hill Federation, the North American Federation of Temple Youth-Southern Area Region (NFTY-SAR), as well as leaders of other faith organizations such as North Carolina’s United Methodist Church, Episcopal Church, and Presbyterian Church, have all made public statements condemning HB2;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Temple Beth El and its clergy protest the passage of HB2.
