Jewish Renewal, which is a loosely-organized coalition rather than an official movement, approaches Judaism using a range of mystical, Hasidic, musical and meditative practices. Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (often called “Reb Zalman”), a Lubavitch rabbi who broke with the Ultra-Orthodox Lubavitcher community in the 1960s, founded the movement. His organization, P’nai Or (Faces of Light) was originally made up of small havurot (informal Jewish study/social groups). Through the 1980s, the organization grew and in 1993, P’nai Or merged with The Shalom Center, founded by Rabbi Arthur Waskow, to become ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. Due to Jewish Renewal’s youth, it lacks the organization, and consequently, the institutionalization, of the larger Jewish movements. Reb Zalman still acts as the spiritual leader for the movement as a whole, in consultation with a number of other Renewal rabbis, including Rabbi Waskow, who plays a prominent role in the ALEPH leadership.

Understanding of Sexuality
The ALEPH Statement of Principles, which acts as the basic unifying document of the Renewal movement, includes a section that specifically welcomes and accepts LGBT people to Renewal Judaism. Affirmation 11 within the Statement of Principles states, “ALEPH welcomes, includes and recognizes the sanctity of every individual regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. We recognize respectful and mutual expressions of adult human sexuality as potentially sacred expressions of love, and therefore we strive to create communities that include and welcome a variety of constellations of intimate relationships and family forms—among them gay, lesbian, and heterosexual relationships as well as single life-paths.”

The movement is highly inclusive of LGBT people. Numerous rabbinic opinions on sexuality, Torah, Talmud and halacha published by ALEPH rabbis affirm the sanctity of love between same-sex couples. In an essay entitled, Towards a New Jewish Sexual Ethic, Rabbi Waskow argues, “… in our generation we are affirming a sexual ethic different from the one that is put forward in biblical and in rabbinic Judaism. And yet I argue that this new ethic is deeply rooted in Torah’s intention for our generation.” He goes on to argue that Judaism is an evolving religion. He contends that the sexual ethic that applied to those who wrote the Torah and the Talmud is no longer applicable in modern times, and consequently, it is the responsibility of modern Jews to create a sexual ethic that is contextually appropriate for the present.

Same-Sex Marriage
Jewish Renewal firmly supports the civil and religious marriage of same-sex couples. The movement has held this position since its founding in 1993. ALEPH rabbis and rabbinical students have written several wedding liturgies for same-sex couples. ALEPH also offers pre-marital counseling to same-sex couples, for which there is a program specific to the needs of same-sex couples.

Rabbinate
ALEPH fully encourages LGBT people to become part of ALEPH’s rabbinate. The ALEPH code of ethics, by which the rabbinic and cantorial schools are governed, states, “As ALEPH is committed to the creation of inclusive community, we agree that both in the content and in the process of our proceedings, we will recognize and respect the full diversity of our membership in regard to gender, sexual orientation, ability, age, family constellation, ethnic, racial and religious origin.”

Transgender
The leadership of ALEPH has never published any official statements or resolutions regarding the inclusion of transgender people in Jewish Renewal communities, but the ALEPH Statement of Principles does include a reference to welcoming all people “regardless of …. gender identity.”

Finally, it can be argued that the trend (outside of Orthodox Judaism) to give women and LGBT people increased ritual and leadership privileges has its origins in the liberal political activism of the havurot (study groups) that formed the basis of the Renewal Movement.