“Wild animals don’t behave this way.” An Israeli rabbi comments on a gay rally

The Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Shlomo Amar, commented in “strong language” on the LGBT pride march in Israel last week.
Shlomo Ammar compared the LGBT community to animals and mocked the religious participants in the march. He said in statements first reported by the Kan public broadcaster: “They made the return march, which they are supposed to be proud of…wild animals don’t behave this way.”

He continued, “We have reached this shame, this decadence, this corruption, that there are people who are called religious, who wear the kippa, who participate in the march…if they took off the kippa, if they ate pork instead of doing this act.”

On the other hand, the Executive Director of Open House for Pride and Tolerance, Alon Shachar, criticized the chief rabbi’s statements, saying: “The chief rabbi of Jerusalem, Ammar, chose to incite and insult the LGBT community, instead of sending a message of tolerance and inclusion … What is an abomination here is not the march, but the repressive attitudes that Ammar expresses.”

He continued, “There is no place in Israeli public life for a chief rabbi who holds these views, especially when his job is funded by taxpayers,” calling for participation in the “Pride” march in Jerusalem next year.

He added, “I wish spiritual leaders such as Rabbi Ammar could engage in bringing people together with love instead of inciting them to hatred.”

Source: “The Times of Israel”