Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), representing over 2,500 traditional, Orthodox rabbis in American public policy, today rejected and condemned the claim by the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) that President Trump’s recognition of biological science and the Bible constitutes an “attack” upon “millions of Americans who are transgender, nonbinary, intersex, or any other gender that does not conform to the enforced binary.” This comes after the CCAR issued a statement, “Central Conference of American Rabbis Condemns Federal Government’s Attacks on Nonbinary and Transgender Americans.”

The CCAR communication claims falsely that “For millennia, Judaism has recognized multiple genders,” given that it means a multiple greater than two. The Torah says explicitly that “male and female He Created them,” indicating that there are but two normative genders—precisely in accordance with President Trump’s statement that the CCAR so vocally disparages. The Talmud addresses various biological aberrations, but there is no source in Judaism for the modern notion of “nonbinary” genders dependent upon the beliefs of victims of gender dysphoria.

It is revealing that the CCAR declares that Reform Jews are “religiously obligated” to accept a person’s “gender identity.” According to the CCAR, Reform Jews are not religiously obligated to observe the Sabbath, keep Kosher, or follow particularistic Jewish law in any other area. But, the CCAR intones, they are religiously obligated to observe progressive doctrine. It could hardly be more clear that the movement called Reform Judaism does not follow Judaism, but rather progressivism, and all pretenses to the former are null and void.

The CJV is grateful to the Trump Administration for recognizing both Biblical Doctrine and biological science.

Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld, President
Rabbi Yaakov Menken, Executive Vice President
Coalition for Jewish Values