Lesbians | Orthodox Rabbi Matches Lesbians And Gays So They Can Have Some Babies

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While most Orthodox rabbis encourage gays and lesbians to suppress their same-sex attractions, abstain from gay sex or undergo therapy to try to go straight, a gay, Orthodox Israeli Rabbi has shocked Jewish religious communities after he creating an on line dating service that matches up gay, Orthodox Jewish men with gay, Orthodox Jewish women, so they can make some babies.

According to the Associated Press , Rabbi Arele Harel is offering an out of the ordinary solution for Orthodox Jewish gay men who want to raise a conventional family: He fixes them up with Orthodox lesbians.

His matchmaking service, which has just gone online, has met criticism on opposing fronts.

Orthodox Jewish rabbis say Harel should be doing more to encourage gays and lesbians to try to change their sexual orientation. Liberal religious gay groups see Harel's approach as a ploy to suppress homosexuality.

The matchmaking presents an array of challenges. The relationship may be loveless.

The partners may be tempted to seek sexual satisfaction outside the marriage. And the couple may need assistance to get pregnant. But Harel insists he just wants to help people have children, an important commandment of Jewish law.

"The main aspiration here is parenthood," said Harel, 36, from his home in the Jewish West Bank settlement of Shilo. "It allows them to become parents in a way that is permitted by religious Jewish law and prevents a conflict between their religious world and their sexual world."

Potential brides and grooms contact Harel, who meets with them to assess if they are emotionally ready to be fixed up. Harel then picks a suitable match and introduces the parties.

They are then put in touch with therapists who are to assist them in their new life. Once they are married, they each pay around $400 for Harel's service.

Harel says his online matchmaking service will be fully operational by the end of the year . He also says he in the process of training five matchmakers, all of them gay, to help to him play gay yentl.

So far more than 80 people have expressed interest in Harel's matchmaking service since it went online two weeks ago.