Send Page to a Friend COM graduate addresses gay rights in Israel   By Aaron Segal The Daily Free Press   Speaking to students from two Boston University groups—one advocating for gay rights and one supporting Israel—a BU alum explained how gay rights are treated in Israel. Matt Lebovic, a 2000 College of Communication graduate, spoke with eight students from BU Students from Israel and Spectrum about the complicated relationship between gays and Israel's government in a College of Arts and Sciences classroom last night.  Co-hosted by BUSI and Spectrum, the discussion allowed Lebovic to reach out to both groups and show how pro-Israel and liberal activism goes together.  "There's a tendency [for Americans] to stick their heads in the sand and not look at the big picture," he said.  Lebovic, a Hebrew University of Jerusalem postgraduate student, explained to the handful of students that Israel does not allow gay marriage because the act does not confirm Jewish law, ordained by Orthodox rabbis.  However, because the Israeli government recognizes gay marriages licensed in other countries, many gay couples marry in nearby Cyprus. The Israeli military accepts openly gay citizens, unlike the U.S. military, Lebovic said.  However, male and female Israeli citizens are required to serve in the military for two and three years, respectively, once they turn 18.  "You can say a lot about a society by how it treats gay people," he said after his speech. Israel's stance on gay rights is uniquely liberal given its conservative neighbors, Lebovic said.  Jerusalem Open House, a gay advocacy and support group where Lebovic volunteers by doing public relations work, is "the only place in the Middle East where Arabs can get help if they're gay," Lebovic said.  The support group also helps foster positive Israeli-Palestinian relations.  "He debunked a lot of myths about Israel," said Spectrum President Katie Uva, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman.  "He confronted both the good and the bad about it.  It would be great if we had this kind of debate [about political issues] regularly."