Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., July 15, 2008 Tamuz 12, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:48 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. (AP) Last update - 09:38 14/07/2008 U.S. Jewish group urges Olmert to help solve conversion crisis By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Corresponeent Tags: U.S.  The United Jewish Communities sent a sharp letter to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert this week calling on him to intervene in the conversion crisis in Israel. "Few crises have so divided Israel from the North American Jewish community," the letter stated, signed by the chairman of the UJC Board of Trustees, Joseph Kanfer, and the UJC president, Howard Rieger. The Diaspora Jewish community fought for almost 30 years for the freedom of Soviet Jewry, and now that they are in Israel "we must provide them with full acceptance," said the letter, describing an "untenable instability that has characterized the conversion system in Israel over the past few months." Advertisement The letter is considered a rare intervention by the American Jewish establishment in an internal Israeli political issue. It comes three months after the High Rabbinic Court invalidated thousands of conversions carried out by special conversion courts headed by Rabbi Haim Druckman. Kanfer and Rieger wrote that they appreciate the work of the cabinet secretary, Oved Yehezkel, in trying to solve the problem, but Olmert's intervention was needed to "make a marked and real difference in the view of immigrants seeking conversion and in guaranteeing the future of conversion in Israel." Olmert's "leadership on this issue would reinforce the historic notion that the Israeli government is both representative of its citizens and the Jewish people," said the letter. Related articles: Who leaked list of Jewish converts at heart of religious row? Conversion versus joining An obsolete monopoly Bookmark to del.icio.us   History undersea Israeli lifeguard stumbles upon ancient relic during morning swim. Elections, Hebrew style U.S. presidential hopefuls use Hebrew to woo the Jewish community.   1.   Doesn`t US Jewish leadership read the news?! 09:18  |  Zev Davis 14/07/08   2.   #1 of course they did 12:06  |  Jewboy 14/07/08   3.   Frauds look to criminal for support 12:07  |  Call a spade a spade 14/07/08   4.   Thousands? Hundreds, or tenthousands? 13:28  |  yael 14/07/08   5.   SOLVE ISRAELS PROBLEMS GET RID OF OLMERT 15:08  |  HENRY MANN 14/07/08   6.   MERT CAN NOT SOLVE HIS OWN CRISIS;MUCH LESS ANOTHERS;HE CONTINUES 16:15  |  glenna 14/07/08   7.   covnersion 17:01  |  j10 14/07/08   8.   We ALL get urges sometimes 17:21  |  Gideon Reader 14/07/08   9.   Dear Yael 20:15  |  A thinking Jew 14/07/08   10.   The arrogant preaching of #6 20:26  |  A thinking Jew 14/07/08   11.   Scrambled omlette and eggshells 21:05  |  Joanna 14/07/08   12.   #7 muddling the facts. 22:47  |  Call a spade a spade 14/07/08   13.   Correction to post #10 it refers to #7 22:56  |  A thinking Jew 14/07/08   14.   To #9 22:56  |  SAquest 14/07/08   15.   #14 there are long discussions in halacha 09:31  |  A thinking Jew 15/07/08   16.   Fake conversions are a "Crisis"? 10:22  |  Sorry but... 15/07/08   17.   #14 Actually it was worse. 10:29  |  Sorry but... 15/07/08

Read & React VIDEO: Olmert, Assad dodge unwanted handshake in Paris Responses: 36 Obama campaign slams New Yorker cover showing him in Muslim garb, wife as terrorist Responses: 27 Ahmadinejad: Direct U.S. talks possible in 'near future' Responses: 52 Editorial: With or without Olmert, Israel-Syria talks must go on Responses: 4 Rosner's Domain The new 'Obama advisor' problem: Senator Chuck Hagel Attacking Iran to get the world's attention? U.S. pressures Israel: No bombing of Iran (WTR) Poll: The more religious the Jewish voter, the more pro-McCain More Headlines 10:45 Report: One of IDF soldiers to be swapped was killed in kidnapping 10:35 Cabinet to vote on Hezbollah swap, majority likely in favor 09:12 Key witness in Olmert graft probe silent under questioning 09:07 Obama campaign slams New Yorker cover showing him in Muslim garb, wife as terrorist 09:33 Tremors felt across Israel after 6.8-scale quake hits Greek isle 09:11 Israeli teams tell Diaspora Jews: Make aliyah, for soccer's sake! 09:20 Ex-Olmert aide finally talks to police on Cremieux Sreet probe 10:31 Ahmadinejad: Direct talks with U.S. possible in 'near future' 10:38 Study: Dirty bombs are easy to come by in the U.S. 05:30 Microsoft buys Israeli company Zoomix for estimated $35m 02:10 Trade Ministry weighs production of Agassi's electric car in Israel 05:29 New criminal code means women can be charged with rape 09:46 Israeli jets could be barred from U.S. if facilities fail inspections 06:26 Following Parisian track, Tel Aviv plans citywide bike rental points Previous Editions Select Day 14 jul 13 jul 11 jul 10 jul 09 jul 08 jul 07 jul 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul 01 jul

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