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Jerusalem
Registers
First
Same-Sex Marriage
by
365Gay.com January 30, 2007
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Jerusalem -- The Interior
Ministry's Jerusalem office has recorded the first same-sex marriage -- three
months after the country's highest court directed the government to register gay
marriages performed outside of Israel.
Last June Jerusalem residents Binyamin and Avi Rose flew to Canada where
same-sex marriage has been legal for several years. They obtained a
license in Toronto and were wed on June 28 and then returned to Israel.
On November 29 the High Court of Justice, in a case involving several couples
who were married in countries where gay marriage is legal, ruled that the
government register the marriages of same-sex couples married abroad in
countries that recognize such unions.
The high court ruling only directs the government to record the marriages for
the purpose of collecting statistics. It does not require that the
marriage receive official recognition or that the couples receive any of the
rights of marriage.
Marriage under Israeli law is the monopoly of rabbis.
There is no civil marriage in Israel.
"It was wonderful to get married at the city hall in Toronto, but it was far
more important for the State of Israel to recognize us as a couple," Avi Rose
told the Jerusalem Post.
Binyamin, a student at a Conservative yeshiva in Jerusalem, said the
registration sends a strong positive message to other gay couples -- especially
after the protests the resulted in Jerusalem's gay pride celebrations being
scaled back this year. (story)
"The protests last year over the Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem really spooked
us, and many of our friends here chose to leave the city," Avi Rose said.
"But we are very committed to building our lives in Jerusalem and the Interior
Ministry provided us with a very positive experience today."
The issue of civil marriage and same-sex unions is expected to come before the
high court again as same-sex couples fight for spousal benefits.
Same-sex couples have been slowly gaining recognition in Israel. In 2005
Israel's Family Court for the first time recognized a same-sex couple as the
joint parents of their children.
(Emphasis Added)
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