From The Jewish Daily Forward Newspaper

Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot, a graduate of the Mandel Jerusalem Fellows program, was included in The Jewish Daily Forward’s “Forward 50” list for 2010 -50 men and women who have made a significant impact on the Jewish story in the past year. Currently the chair of the departments of Bible and Jewish Thought at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, Helfgot is accustomed to bringing critical causes to the fore in the Orthodox world.

This year he brought the issue of homosexuality to the table when he drafted a “Statement of Principles,” a document that has been signed by more than 160 influential Orthodox rabbinical leaders and educators. It states: “Embarrassing, harassing, or demeaning someone with a homosexual orientation or same-sex attraction is a violation of Torah prohibitions that embody the deepest values of Judaism.” The document clearly distinguishes between condoning same-sex relations and treating all people, no matter their sexual preference, with love and respect.

According to Helfgot, “In the community today there is a lot of pain; there is a lot of suffering and unnecessary shunning. It’s one thing to say that the Torah forbids homosexual sex. It’s another thing to say that someone who is a homosexual isn’t entitled to come into my synagogue.”

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