Does Judaism permit same-sex marriage

Answer 1

Judaism is not a monolith and this issue is a particularly divisive one between sects. As a result the various answers have been grouped by sect, starting with what are deemed as the more liberal sects to the more conservative sects.

Reform Judaism:
Reform Judaism officially recognizes same-sex marriage as valid and many Reform rabbis will perform same sex weddings.

Broadly speaking: Reform Judaism has overwhelmingly accepted gay marriage, although there are a minority of Reform Jewish synagogues that still forbid it.

Reconstructionist Judaism:
Broadly speaking: Reconstructionist Judaism has made gay marriage a centerpiece of its new tradition and openly encourages it.

Conservative Judaism:
Conservative Judaism, while not officially accepting of same-sex marriage, allows its rabbis to decide whether or not perform same-sex commitment ceremonies, provided both parties are Jewish.

Update: as of June 2012, the Conservative Movement has officially approved of same-sex marriage. (However, it has not made such acceptance compulsory for its constituent synagogues.)

Broadly speaking: Conservative Judaism no longer opposes homosexuality and leaves it to the individual congregations to decide whether gay marriage is permissible. Most congregations are against it.

Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox (together known as Torah Judaism):
Broadly speaking: Since the Torah forbids sexual intercourse between members of the same sex (Leviticus ch.18), Orthodox Judaism is opposed to the gay lifestyle and certainly the idea that they should be able to marry. It is seen as contrary to God's will for mankind.

Answer 2

The Torah doesn't address the issue explicitly, but it does explicitly forbid sexual intercourse between two males (Leviticus 18:22).In speaking of marriage, the Torah endorses the paradigm of male-female marriage (Genesis 2:22-24).

Answer 3

Reform Judaism, Conservative (Masorti) Judaism and the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation all permit same-sex marriage. Orthodox Judaism does not. Only 13% of US Jews belong to an Orthodox sect (in 2001).