Jerusalem’s Recent Gay Pride Parade

by Joseph on June 29, 2008

Jerusalem’s Gay community held their now annual Gay pride parade on Thursday afternoon in Jerusalem, perhaps the holiest city in the world and a city central to three major religions. Israel’s Gay community has already held demonstrations in many major cities – including Tel Aviv – but none of these parades have been met with as much criticism as Thursday’s parade in Jerusalem.

The parades are intended to display the Gay communities desire to achieve “full recognition, equality, and rights” as quoted in the article; however, at the same time the Gay community disrespects the largely Orthodox community of Jerusalem. I find their demonstrations in Jerusalem to be very provocative. Israel is by far the most tolerant country in the region of Gay rights (many gay and lesbian Palestinians actually hide in Israel to escape the persecution they would face at home) and Israel has in recent years passed many laws granting the Gay community more rights, including the ability to serve in the army.

I have no grievances against homosexuals in general, but I do not understand the need to hold demonstrations against the cries of Jerusalem’s Orthodox community. Jews have a long history of prosecution because of their religious beliefs, and the Jewish community reestablished Israel in order to help Jews escape that religious persecution. Just as the Gay community wants to be recognized and be given equal rights, the Orthodox community wishes to live in peace without these provocations. What good can possibly come from holding these demonstrations in the holiest city in the world?

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  • Aryeh Amihay

    You have obviously never marched on a gay parade in Jerusalem (unlike myself).
    The parade is far from being provocative: no nudity, no obsceneties, and I’m sorry to say that I personally didn’t witness any public embracing of same-sex couples. The parade is, as you noted, a demonstration for rights and recognition.

    Jerusalem is holy to the three Abrahamic religions, that is true. It is also the capital of a modern democracy. No modern capital has the right to ban demonstrations of groups of interest in its vicinity.

    The paprade never marched, nor was ever planned to march, in dominantly orthodox neighborhoods. It certainly was never planned to march along holy places in Jerusalem. It was restricted to a section that was not even considered Jerusalem before the 19th century.

    Now, Jerusalem is holy to the three Abrahamic religions. These religions all value modesty and chastitity. Would you propose banning the vending of condoms in Jerusalem? Censoring Hollywood films such as Sex and the City? Prohibiting women to walk in short-sleeve shirts or force them to cover their hair?

    Of course not. That sounds more like Tehran or Saudi-Arabia than Jerusalem. Nevertheless, the ultra-orthodox who claim their feelings were hurt by the paprade, also claim this about women wearing pants.

    Where do you draw the line? For me the answer is simple. The values of a modern, western democracy come before the values of any religion in the state.

  • Eric

    I disagree. I think that people do not need to parade where they are not wanted. I could not argue against a demonstration/rally in Gan Atsmaout, in the middle of town, because people can choose to avoid it. When people march by your neighborhood it is a completely different story.

    Unlike the United States, Israel was created to be a Jewish state. While it is not a theocracy, certain issues of respect arise in Israel that do not in other parts of the world.

    Do what you want in Tel Aviv or Haifa, but Jerusalem is the most religious Jewish city in the world, be respectful of those who live there.

  • Aryeh Amihay

    ” I think that people do not need to parade where they are not wanted.”

    The history of Pride Parades is a counter-reaction to not being wanted. Should we abolish all Pride Parades?

    Zionism is a movement of people who came to settle where they were not wanted by those living there. Should we reconsider Zionism?

    I think you might want to rephrase that sentence.

    “Do what you want in Tel Aviv or Haifa, but Jerusalem is the most religious Jewish city in the world, be respectful of those who live there.”

    a. If we should respect the people who live in Jerusalem, why do you mean by this only religious people. Why should we not also respect the feelings of the gay community in Jerusalem?

    b. if we should respect the feelings of the orthodox, then I take it that you agree that women in Jeruslaem should be obliged to cover their hair, and prohibited from walking in pants or short-sleeve shirts.
    That’s not the Jerusalem I want, but you have the right to think that.

  • Eric

    You may have missed what I said in my initial response:

    “I could not argue against a emonstration/rally in Gan Atsmaout, in the middle of town.”

    I think that people have a right to parade in Jerusalem if they want, but I don’t think that they should do it. I think that homosexuals should have all rights and privlages of married couples, should be able to adopt (they are often better parents), and should live free of persecution. Equals in soceity.

    However, I feel that Jerusaelm is special, and they should respect that. I would never walk into Meah Sharmin in shorts, though I would in other parts of Jerusaelm. I would never go into a gay neighborhood and protest and insuinuate that people should change their ways. I would be respectful.

    That is the point I am trying to make. There was a large gay festival in my city last weekend. I had no qualms with that. Israel is on the cutting edge of gay rights, and I support that. But even more, I support the sanctity of Yerushalayim. The home of Har HaBayit, the home of the past (and future, B”H) Beis HaMigdash. It is a special place, and everyone should respect that.

  • Joe

    “Now, Jerusalem is holy to the three Abrahamic religions. These religions all value modesty and chastitity. Would you propose banning the vending of condoms in Jerusalem? Censoring Hollywood films such as Sex and the City? Prohibiting women to walk in short-sleeve shirts or force them to cover their hair?”

    Those ideas are not quite as provocative as a large parade; yes, no nudity or obscenities could be found in this parade, but the general idea that a Gay Parade is being held in the holiest city in the world – is provocative. You’re not going to have a Gay Parade without drawing a response, whether it be in an orthodox community or not, because it is still Jerusalem.

    Like Eric said, the city is special and that should be respected. No one will stop them from holding Gay Parades anywhere else, but they will meet with strong opposition in Jerusalem.

  • Aryeh Amihay

    I have no problem with opposition as long as the parade is not prohibited.
    Counter demonstrations are just as part of democracy as the demonstrations themselves.

    What lies at the heart of this debate can be found in Eric’s last comment: since I don’t expect to see the Temple reinstated, and don’t consider the Pentateuch legally binding, I have a completely different view on this issue than yours.

    However, in a democracy, democratic values need to prevail over religious values, this is true of Jerusalem as it is true of anywhere else.

    I recently wrote a post in Hebrew addressing these issues: http://cafe.themarker.com/view.php?t=499615

    and touched on the topic in my English blog:

    http://mostlyonisrael.blogspot.com/2008/02/judeo-christian-1.html

    See also:

    http://mostlyonisrael.blogspot.com/2007/10/electricity-and-jewish-state.html

  • Eric

    Thank you for sharing your views, you are welcome back anytime. I linked to your English blog in my blogroll.

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