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Kevin and Darren live in Portland Oregon and are a gay, committed couple. We believe in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all...regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race, nationality, financial status, and being. Erase man-made borders and "they" become "we". New Site: HERE.Wednesday, March 9
Gay Israeli couples seek marriage licenses in Canada
[AP]
Tel Aviv city council member Etai Pinkas and his boyfriend, along with three other gay couples from Israel, have arrived in Canada to obtain marriage licenses in Ontario, where same-sex marriages are legal. Pinkas, 31, his boyfriend Yoav Arad and the other couples intend to wed at Toronto City Hall on Friday.
Pinkas, Tel Aviv's first openly gay man on the city council, said he's determined to make Israel aware of how gays are discriminated against. He intends to take the matter to the Supreme Court in Israel if authorities there don't recognize his marriage upon return.
"We want [Israelis] to be exposed to the facts," he said. "Same-sex marriage is not something that is only for distant countries - it's something that Israelis want."
The Netherlands and Belgium currently are the only countries that permit couples of the same sex to wed. Others allow some form of civil unions, and Canada's parliament is currently debating legislation that would legalize gay marriage nationwide.
Ontario is one of seven provinces that already allow marriage among homosexuals.
Pinkas, 31, intends to marry his boyfriend of five years, Yoav Arad.
Last September, the first openly gay man elected to the Knesset also wed in Toronto. Uzi Even, now a university professor in Tel Aviv after serving one term in 2002, also anticipated that his wedding would spark debate in Israel and the eventual recognition of gay marriage.
In Israel, the Orthodox rabbinate has exclusive control of Jewish marriages under Israeli law. That means non-Orthodox rabbis are not allowed to perform marriage ceremonies, an increasingly unpopular law among Israelis which has led to many young couples going overseas to marry in civil ceremonies.
Some Orthodox rabbis consider homosexuality an abomination and refuse to condone same-sex marriages.
Tel Aviv city council member Etai Pinkas and his boyfriend, along with three other gay couples from Israel, have arrived in Canada to obtain marriage licenses in Ontario, where same-sex marriages are legal. Pinkas, 31, his boyfriend Yoav Arad and the other couples intend to wed at Toronto City Hall on Friday.
Pinkas, Tel Aviv's first openly gay man on the city council, said he's determined to make Israel aware of how gays are discriminated against. He intends to take the matter to the Supreme Court in Israel if authorities there don't recognize his marriage upon return.
"We want [Israelis] to be exposed to the facts," he said. "Same-sex marriage is not something that is only for distant countries - it's something that Israelis want."
The Netherlands and Belgium currently are the only countries that permit couples of the same sex to wed. Others allow some form of civil unions, and Canada's parliament is currently debating legislation that would legalize gay marriage nationwide.
Ontario is one of seven provinces that already allow marriage among homosexuals.
Pinkas, 31, intends to marry his boyfriend of five years, Yoav Arad.
Last September, the first openly gay man elected to the Knesset also wed in Toronto. Uzi Even, now a university professor in Tel Aviv after serving one term in 2002, also anticipated that his wedding would spark debate in Israel and the eventual recognition of gay marriage.
In Israel, the Orthodox rabbinate has exclusive control of Jewish marriages under Israeli law. That means non-Orthodox rabbis are not allowed to perform marriage ceremonies, an increasingly unpopular law among Israelis which has led to many young couples going overseas to marry in civil ceremonies.
Some Orthodox rabbis consider homosexuality an abomination and refuse to condone same-sex marriages.
posted by jikido # 12:13 PM 
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