First Israeli gay man gets 'maternity' leave

First Israeli gay man gets 'maternity' leave
By Tomer Zarchin
Ha'aretz
March 17, 2009

The National Insurance Institute authorized Israel's first-ever "maternity" leave for a male couple on Thursday. Yonatan Gher, director of Jerusalem's nonprofit Open House Pride and Tolerance organization, has received institute approval of a 64-day leave from work on the occasion of the birth of his biological son, born of a surrogate mother in India. His partner of seven years commenced formal adoption procedures, so that the child will be formally recognized as his as well.

(snip)

The process began two years ago, when the couple realized formal adoption by a single man or two gay men was not an option here. They did not want to agree to joint parenthood with an Israeli woman, because they said it would expose the child to a situation similar to divorce. They opted instead for IVF treatment through a Mumbai clinic, and chose the donor of the egg and a surrogate mother. They returned to Israel with their son in November 2008, and Gher took leave. Earlier this month he requested that his leave be acknowledged by the NII, and says he was "surprised" to have received a positive reply within a few weeks, without needing to take any additional action or submit an appeal.

Gher sees the decision as a significant achievement.

"What we have here is the establishment taking responsibility for a process that had been forced upon us," he explained. "We have no legal possibility of having a child with a surrogate mother in Israel. Because it won't allow that, the state is obliged to share with us the costs of the alternative, by the very fact of recognizing the maternity leave."

The overall cost of the IVF procedure, including all expenses, is estimated by Gher to be over NIS 130,000.

Meanwhile, his partner's request for a leave is presently being debated at a labor court.

(snip)

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtStEng.jhtml?itemNo=1071307&contrassID=1&subContrassID=1&title='For%20first%20time,%20National%20Insurance%20recognizes%20gay%20man's%20'maternity'%20leave'&dyn_server=172.20.5.5

Whether or not he ever got maternity leave, I can't say.

Even taking lifespans in the Torah into account, you'd still think he'd be too old to have children.

:rofl:

Now, keep moving in that direction.