Gays and lesbians may now be ordained as rabbis if their synagogues permit, a prominent Conservative Jewish body voted last Wednesday, highlighting divides within the Jewish community that threaten to alienate more conservative members of the religion.

The Conservative Movement Rabbinical Assembly’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, a 25-member council, also voted to allow synagogues to perform same-sex commitment ceremonies, if they choose.

“A major denomination is saying it is possible to have two valid views and live and worship together,” said Joel Meyers, executive vice president of the CMRA. “It is rare in the world to find any religious denomination to permit two normative positions at the same time.”

There are more than 2 million Conservative Jews worldwide. The CJLS is an advisory body that shapes the practice of the Conservative Jewish community. Because there are three differing views of homosexuality, the CJLS decided to leave the decision to individual synagogues.

At the committee meeting, some rabbis argued to uphold the status quo, which excluded gays and lesbians from the Conservative movement. Other rabbis, while endorsing the Torah’s ban on homosexual intercourse, argued that gays and lesbians could be ordained, but not married. A third group called for the traditional prohibition of gay Jews but asked that community members treat them with “understanding, compassion and dignity.”

“[The vote] is absolutely a step in the right direction,” said Idit Klein, director of Keshet, an organization that works to create an inclusive Jewish community for gays, lesbians and transgenders in the greater Boston area. “It’s a major statement for the Conservative movement, but we still have quite a way to go.”

Klein said Keshet is planning to have community-wide discussions about homosexuality and Jewish law. She thinks the CJLS decision will lead to more interest in the subject and a demand for community-wide education.

Rabbinical schools will also feel the effects of the committee’s vote where until now, gays could not study to become rabbis.

“Students in rabbinical schools will come out,” Klein said. “Some won’t. People who would not have applied because they were gay will now apply. Some with more traditional views may leave the movement.”

Klein estimated that gays and lesbians make up about 10 percent of the Jewish community.

“The Conservative movement has taken a pluralist approach to the issue,” said Matt Baram, a College of Communication junior and president of Boston University’s Conservative Jewish student group. “Ordaining a gay rabbi can be seen by certain interpretations as an acknowledgement that it is okay to violate the Torah.”

Baram said in an email that he thinks the issue has been overblown, but the CJLS decision was long overdue.