First Out Gay Rabbi Ordained by Orthodox Seminary in U.S.

In a historic moment for American Judaism, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (YCT), an all-male seminary in Riverdale, New York, ordained Rabbi Tadhg Cleary—an out gay rabbi from New Zealand—on June 12. The ordination, which took place alongside three other graduates, marks the first time an openly gay student has received semicha (rabbinic ordination) from an Orthodox Jewish institution in the United States.

For many, this milestone feels especially significant given YCT’s recent history. Just six years ago, the seminary faced controversy after refusing to ordain another openly gay student. At the time, it appeared the door remained firmly shut for queer candidates within Orthodox spaces. Yet the same leader who oversaw that decision, Rabbi Don Linzer, now serves as the head of school and was central to Cleary’s acceptance and ordination.

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What makes Cleary’s journey particularly powerful is that he was already out before even applying to YCT. His admission came with a clear condition—that he would be able to live and study as his full self. The seminary agreed. His openness wasn’t hidden, either. In 2023, Cleary published a blog post in which he came out as queer, a post that YCT itself now links to on its official website.

For Rabbi Linzer, Cleary’s ordination is not about making a political statement or shifting the seminary’s identity but about embracing students as whole people.

“We want to be giving semicha to him for the totality of who he is, not to turn him into a symbol or a statement,” Linzer explained. “If we were interested in making a statement, you would have heard about it from us first.”

Source: yctorah.org

That framing is especially important within Orthodox Judaism, where traditional belief holds that the Torah prohibits same-sex intercourse. This teaching has, for generations, alienated queer Orthodox Jews, leaving many to feel there is no place for them within the religious spaces they grew up in. Cleary’s ordination doesn’t erase that tension, but it does create a moment of progress—and for many, a glimpse of hope.

By granting Cleary ordination, YCT has made space for a narrative that has long been missing: that queer people can exist fully, authentically, and religiously observant within their religions. Cleary is not being treated as a token figure but as a rabbi whose scholarship, devotion, and identity are all respected as parts of a whole.

This ordination may also inspire other queer Orthodox Jews who have struggled to reconcile faith and identity. It signals that, even in a tradition often resistant to change, there are leaders willing to see the humanity and dignity of queer people, and to welcome them as integral members of the community.

While one ordination cannot solve decades of exclusion, Rabbi Cleary’s achievement sets an important precedent. It demonstrates that there are paths forward for LGBTQ+ individuals within Orthodoxy, paths that honor both tradition and authenticity.

For a seminary once embroiled in controversy over this very question, the ordination of Rabbi Cleary marks a quiet but profound step toward inclusion. And for queer Jews watching from near or far, it is a reminder that change is not only possible—it’s happening.

REFERENCE: Forward