October 1st, 1997 to October 7th, 1997

Or Chadash, at 21, hires its first rabbi

by Sarah Hendershot

Congregation Or Chadash, a 21-year-old predominantly gay and lesbian Jewish congregation in Chicago, has hired its first rabbi. After a long history of grassroots self-management, the congregation's rabbinical search led to Rabbi Suzanne Griffel.

Griffel is up front about her role as a straight rabbi in a congregation that is well over 90% gay.

"There are always experiences and circumstances that people have in common and experiences and circumstances that they don't have in common. ... There are experiences I haven't had. I haven't had to face the discrimination in society and the challenge of coming out," she said. She recalls that in rabbinical school it was questioned if a single rabbi could effectively counsel a married couple. She found she could. "I hope someone who needs counseling or services is [not] reluctant to ask for it because I'm not gay. I'd be sad about that," she said.

Rabbi Griffel was formally installed as the congregation's new rabbi on Sept. 26, but she has worked with the congregation since July. "So far it's working out real well. It's a great congregation. [I like] how participatory the congregation is. My style is more cooperative." Griffel explains that most congregations expect rabbis to preach and do everything for them. At Or Chadash congregation members lead services. Griffel says she prefers being with the people instead of just preaching to them. "This really seemed like a congregation that was open to that."

Griffel left her position as Associate Director, Interim Director, and Rabbi of the Hillel Foundation at the University of Chicago to work for Or Chadash. She says there are similarities and differences between the two jobs. At U of C "we served people who weren't members. Our client base, if you will, was different from our funding base, whereas in a congregation you need to strongly encourage people to become members." Also, participants at U of C, being students, had more time. "It's a little more of a challenge here because people are working full-time," she said.

The process of Or Chadash's rabbinical search impressed Griffel. Or Chadash began as a support group in 1975 and still operates out of its original location at the Second Unitarian Church, 656 W. Barry. The Congregation was lay led for 21 years, she explains, and they had to decide if they really wanted a rabbi. A task force spent more than a year trying to determine its needs, then another 1-1/2 years to do the rabbinical search. Or Chadash decided time wasn't a factor-they would take the time needed to find the right rabbi.

Fifteen people were interviewed for the position. Griffel had also applied to a suburban congregation, but found that congregation wanted a rabbi to preach to them and they wanted to expose their children to Judaism. They didn't want to be more involved than that. Griffel said she never wanted to join a congregation because most members are passive and want a rabbi to just preach. Griffel prefers equality and interaction.

"This was the congregation that I though best suited my personality and my skills and my talents," she said. At Or Chadash, members are "looking for Judaism for themselves, not their children," and Griffel clearly prefers this.

"Or Chadash functions a lot more like a synagogue than I might have thought. It definitely is more grassroots oriented, but it is not a support group. It is a highly developed center for a variety of expressions for Jewish social, religious, and educational life," said Griffel. Still, it is "not as highly developed as a congregation with its own building and staff. Having a rabbi is definitely a very important step."

Finally having a rabbi is also a "practical thing because the vast majority [work full-time and they don't have time for] forming relationships with the gay community and the Jewish community. It's nice to have someone whose day job is to forge these relationships," she said.

In November Griffel will begin teaching classes to congregation members. The first will be designed for members who are less comfortable with leading services. She calls it "service leading skills" and plans to provide knowledge of Jewish liturgy, themes of prayers, and guidance about which prayers need to be traditional and which are open to adaptation. She also wants to do a session on the important Jewish mitzvah (commandment) of visiting the sick. This command is intended to apply to everybody, but, says Griffel, in America it is usually left to the rabbi.

She also would like to see more children in the congregation. She says that as adoption and insemination become easier for gay and lesbian couples to access, Or Chadash will see more children in its ranks. "We fantasize about having a preschool [someday]."

Also, Or Chadash in conjunction with the Jewish Community Center on Melrose will sponsor a program on marriage in the '90s. It will address alternate approaches to Jewish marriage, and will be inclusive of gay couples and interfaith couples.

Griffel feels marriage and commitment are important in her congregation. "I want to encourage people in this congregation to formalize their relationships," and she will happily officiate at same-sex union ceremonies as long as both members are Jewish. Though it might seem conservative, in reality interfaith unions are very controversial and most rabbis will not perform them. Griffel says that although she won't officiate at their unions, she welcomes interfaith couples.

Gay marriage in any religion seems to require a bit of manipulation. "According to Halacha (Jewish law) a marriage can only be contracted between one man and one woman. In traditional Judaism, homosexual unions were anathema both for Halachic reasons and because traditional Judaism built up over time a very strong aversion to homosexual conduct," explained Griffel.

Griffel says that despite tradition, Jewish law, and passages from the Torah that label homosexuality as an "abomination," liberal Jews feel a lot of laws in the Torah are no longer valid because they do not reflect present day society. "We have to acknowledge reality. There are many gays and lesbians in our society in committed, caring relationships. ... To me it's empirical. If you look it's true. We have to acknowledge that the verse in the bible is true. We have to deal with [the verses] and struggle with [them]. I don't think anyone should be denied a full life because of the texts," asserted Griffel.

Griffel discusses the subtle aspects of being gay, in society as well as Judaism, proving that it does not take one to know one. But did the congregation hope for a gay rabbi? Will they accept her? Will her presence attract a new straight majority? Griffel has clearly considered these questions. Not surprisingly, she did find out that some members were hoping for a gay rabbi, but "more than any thing they were looking for a candidate who would click best with the congregation."

Rabbi Griffel thinks she's clicking.

As far as the other concern, there's not much chance of the congregation turning straight. Certainly, a straight rabbi will attract a few straight members, but not many. Griffel's take on the impact of a straight rabbi on a gay congregation? "I think it will become a little more diverse."

"I get along well with the congregation. It's really a privilege to work with this congregation," said the rabbi.

Or Chadash, 656 W. Barry, (773) 248-9456.

Send us your feedback!

Site development donated by Benchmark Online Productions.
Web space provided by SUBA.