Jewish leaders ‘delighted’ to see gay couples tying the knot

Jewish leaders have spoken of how they are “delighted” to see the first gay couples tying the knot.

Gay marriage has been opposed by the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church but the faith traditions who will marry same sex couples include the Movement for Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism.

Alex Benyehuda, spokeswoman for Liberal Judaism, said the movement had several same sex marriages scheduled for this year.

“We are delighted, we have pressed for it, we have campaigned and spoken at the public bill committee stage for religious organisations to be able to perform same sex marriages,” she said.

“In 2005 we were the first religious movement in the whole country to be able to publish official liturgy for same sex partnerships blessings, just before civil partnerships were brought in.

“We have always seen it as a matter of justice, so we are absolutely delighted that from tomorrow all couples will be able to celebrate their love and commitment equally under UK law and under Liberal Jewish law.”

Nicola Pettit, a nursery manager, 29, and Tania Ward, 28, a bakery chef, from Brighton, will get married in Brighton Town Hall tomorrow and will be blessed later in the day by a Liberal Judaism rabbi.

The couple have been together for six years and Ms Pettit, who is Jewish, said adding a “religious element” was important to her. “It was so important for me to have a Jewish element to the day. The Jewish side of it has been so supportive.”

Rabbi Laura Janner Klausner, senior rabbi for the Movement for Reform Judaism, said she was “thrilled” by the introduction of same sex marriage.

“Amongst our rabbis and our membership people are united on this issue. People are thrilled,” she said.