About two-thirds of Conservative rabbis and cantors support rabbinic ordination of gays and lesbians, a study released yesterday showed. Most Jewish Theological Seminary students, and Conservative Jewish professionals and lay leaders also favor opening up clergy positions to homosexuals. Most respondents said they favor allowing Conservative clergy to preside over same-sex commitment ceremonies.
More than 5,500 Conservative Jews participated in the study, conducted by a sociologist, Steven M. Cohen. The seminary, which is debating lifting its ban on accepting gay rabbinic and cantorial students, commissioned the study with other Conservative groups.
