Last Friday night my son and I attended a shalom zachar. We were leaving the home of the baal simchah at the very same time that the Rav of our shul was also exiting. I introduced my son to the rabbi, who has only been in this position for less than a year and had never met my son. They talked a bit. The rabbi asked what my son is doing with his life. After a few other pointed questions, the rabbi asked my son if he is married. The rabbi knows that we have a son who is gay. We had spoken to him about our familial situation when he took on this position in our community.
When my son replied that he is not married, the rabbi told him that he would work towards finding him a b'shert in the city where my son is working, as he knows some young women there. I was standing about five feet away. My son glanced at me and smiled respectfully to the rabbi. We bade farewell and left the house.
As we were walking home in the darkness, my son said to me, "I thought he knew." I replied, "so did I."
We continued our walk a bit further and my son said to me, "Dad, I'm really ok with it, but are you?"
We walked home in silence.
Saul David
