MLJC looks forward to celebrating civil partnerships under its roof. We hope other religions and denominations follow suit.

Liberal Judaism, the Quakers and Unitarians have sponsored an amendment to the Equality Bill that will allow civil partnerships to be registered in religious ceremonies. The amendment was been passed by the Lords on March 2nd and now only awaits approval by the Commons.

Aaron Goldstein, MLJC Rabbi Emeritus, explains why equality matters to us...

In 2005, the rabbinic conference of Liberal Judaism published Covenant of Love, a service of commitment for same-sex couples, and in doing so became the first religious movement in the country to produce an official liturgy for this purpose. The same-sex commitment ceremony affirms the importance and holiness of marriage and Jewish family life. We remain steadfastly committed to the justice of civil partnerships and we see this as an extension of our belief that all are equal and created b'tselem Elohim – in the image of God. Our rabbis have long acknowledged that modern ethical, psychological and scientific insight demands a change in traditional attitudes to same-sex relationships, and have welcomed lesbians and gay men as members of its congregations, as teachers and as rabbis. We truly celebrate this inclusion and with it the enrichment that it brings to our community.