Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., October 24, 2007 , | | Israel Time: 20:20 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Print Edition Diplomacy Defense Arts & Leisure Real Estate Jewish World National Advertising Magazine Week's End Business Opinion Rosner's Domain Anglo File Books Travel

del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 08:25 28/12/2006 Three Iranians seeking conversion to Judaism denied Israel visas By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent Three Iranians interested in converting to Judaism recently left their native country, but have been unable to find any entity to assist them. The three Shi'ite Muslims left Iran and approached the Israeli embassy and Jewish communities in Azerbaijan, but were rejected. It is impossible to convert to Judaism in Iran, as they would be considered heretics, a crime punishable by death. They are now waiting in a makeshift city in Turkey for a United Nations hearing on their application for refugee status. The three left Iran two months ago and immediately approached the Israeli embassy in Baku. According to N., they were given a chilly reception. N. points out that embassy officials did not invite them into the building, but talked to them on the street. Advertisement "We told them we want visas to Israel in order to convert," N. recounts. "They told us that if we are not Jewish, our parents aren't Jewish and we have no family members in Israel, we cannot get visas." The three also did not receive warm welcomes in Baku synagogues. At one place of worship, they were laughed at, at another - locked out. They were told there is no rabbinical court that can handle conversion in Baku. N. says he became interested in other religions while still a practicing Shi'ite, and learned that Judaism was the basis of the other religions. N. wrote to the United Nations: "Since I stopped obeying the Muslim commandments, my soul has sought a way home. In order to be a complete Jew, it is necessary to undergo official processes." Iran does not officially allow its citizens to travel to Israel, although many of the 25,000-strong Jewish community have done so through Turkey. The three potential converts are now waiting for a February hearing date, and dependent on financial help from their families. "The Iranian authorities are aware of our plans. They can't hurt us so they are trying to harm our families." They hope to get assistance from some Israeli or Jewish institutions. Contact with the three is mostly through e-mail and the occasional phone call from N., who always verifies at the beginning of each call that recent e-mails really originated in Israel and not with Iranian security forces. The Foreign Ministry stated that the three approached the Baku embassy on a weekend when offices were closed, and have not returned. They would have been helped during regular office hours. The ministry also noted that Israeli law prohibits entry to Israel for the purposes of conversion, although there is an appeals committee to examine specific cases Bookmark to del.icio.us Mystery fall Avraham and Carmela Cohen are suspected of being involved in a soldier's murder. Lonely no more Many people hold Lonely Planet responsible for the entire globe becoming a tourist site.   1.   Well, If They`re Not Double Agents Then, 00:56  |  Yosemite Sam 28/12/06   2.   refugee status 01:51  |  Briton 28/12/06   3.   Religious Intolerance - Iranian Style 01:55  |  Lavi 28/12/06   4.   Terrible situation 02:03  |  Reuven 28/12/06   5.   Thank God.... 02:12  |  Thinker 28/12/06   6.   Iranian converts 02:21  |  Sam 28/12/06   7.   They can come to America 02:27  |  Jon 28/12/06   8.   Iranian converts 02:29  |  Miriam 28/12/06   9.   Too bad.... 02:40  |  Rollin 28/12/06   10.   worthy of assistance 03:32  |  Nechama 28/12/06   11.   we should facilitate such desires. we should stop being tribal. 03:34  |  ralph 28/12/06   12.   weird...but 04:03  |  jon purizhansky 28/12/06   13.   convert to Judaism! 04:44  |  Akiva Patysh, Tzioni 28/12/06   14.   Re #7 ...or France, or Britain ... 04:44  |  DJStahl 28/12/06   15.   Miriam Reik! Iran has what? 05:06  |  Miriam Reich 28/12/06   16.   Miriam, Iran has not the second largest Jewish population. 05:34  |  Lasting peace 28/12/06   17.   Shi`ite Muslims converting to Judaism??? 05:54  |  vs 28/12/06   18.   rading the torah, and then begining to live by the jewish law 06:05  |  READY 28/12/06   19.   We are a religion and nation, so what is the problem? 06:10  |  fathfull 28/12/06   20.   Muslim Converts 06:17  |  Rosie 28/12/06   21.   Convert Iranians to Judaism 06:28  |  Daniel Leopold 28/12/06   22.   charajeminad 06:53  |  RASTA FARI 28/12/06   23.   thousands are converting to Christianity 06:56  |  Nylsa 28/12/06   24.   Wait till they find out what a mohel is 07:00  |  Sherman 28/12/06   25.   death penalty 07:02  |  zichron 28/12/06   26.   Briton - don`t blame Amnesty 07:31  |  Nick 28/12/06   27.   nice way to repay the kindness of Cyrus the Great, NOT 07:44  |  M. 28/12/06   28.   OUTRAGEOUS! 07:56  |  Robert 28/12/06   29.   The UK 08:12  |  Niall 28/12/06   30.   hypocrisy to let them in 08:33  |  rob 28/12/06   31.   Akiva Patysh 08:35  |  Tareq 28/12/06   32.   Daniel Leopold on conversion 08:45  |  Anubhav 28/12/06   33.   Not "outrageous", as it has been for ages 08:51  |  David 28/12/06   34.   Holocaust denial backfired 09:08  |  lola 28/12/06   35.   Israel should welcome all refugees? 09:14  |  Maryon 28/12/06   36.   Iranian concersions 09:40  |  Esther 28/12/06   37.   The Koran forbids it! 10:23  |  Alicia 28/12/06   38.   The Jewish World must not turn down these 3 Iranians, , , 10:37  |  Joseph E . 28/12/06   39.   Did anybody notice? 10:56  |  FOX 28/12/06   40.   Asylum in Canada ? 11:02  |  Yaela Katz 28/12/06   41.   "Money in them thar hills" 11:04  |  FOX 28/12/06   42.   Olmert 11:25  |  Josh 28/12/06   43.   39: Fox and ignorance 12:05  |  David Teich 28/12/06   44.   still thinking the Islamic way, how could they be jewish ? 12:11  |  observer 28/12/06   45.   Conditional Stays, Perhaps 12:21  |  Ariel 28/12/06   46.   Econimic Advantage 12:32  |  Adel 28/12/06   47.   How can they convert 12:55  |  Moe 28/12/06   48.   We don`t encourage conversion 12:56  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 28/12/06   49.   beware of Iranians carrying gifts 13:51  |  Kym 28/12/06   50.   Shlomo from TA 14:38  |  Jack 28/12/06   51.   Anubhav-#32-I quite agree with you 14:45  |  Daniel Leopold 28/12/06   52.   Shlomo #48: We don`t encourage conversion 14:54  |  RollinAgain 28/12/06   53.   Seeking Light 15:05  |  Brod 28/12/06   54.   Shameful response by both Embassy and Baku community 15:19  |  Noam 28/12/06   55.   They should convert to Christianity or become gay... 15:41  |  Paul Henzen 28/12/06   56.   END THE OCCUPATION!! 15:44  |  Gabe1 28/12/06   57.   # 49 Kim - if mental sanity is required to be Jewish... 15:44  |  Paul Henzen 28/12/06   58.   turning away...uh that IS the way it is done... 15:46  |  Rivkah 28/12/06   59.   Tempest in a teacup 15:50  |  hanoi 28/12/06   60.   Conversion discouraged 16:02  |  Niv 28/12/06   61.   the solution: conversion is onething and citizenship is another 16:09  |  observer 28/12/06   62.   I wonder what happens if jews convert to Christianity or Islam 16:34  |  elijah 28/12/06   63.   gabe1 16:46  |  chanah 28/12/06   64.   rollinagain 16:50  |  chanah 28/12/06   65.   # 62 Elijah - harrassment by ultra-Orthodox ! 16:52  |  Paul Henzen 28/12/06   66.   Noam 16:53  |  chanah 28/12/06   67.   Elijah #62 16:56  |  Niv 28/12/06   68.   Israel is NOT the center of Judaism 16:58  |  dan 28/12/06   69.   Let`s warmly receive the would-be converts into the Jewish Faith. 17:03  |  Timothy 28/12/06   70.   Problem Is... 17:13  |  Yosemite Sam 28/12/06   71.   #62 You wonder what happens 17:15  |  Syl 28/12/06   72.   TO Elijah in Lebanon #62 17:26  |  Alicia 28/12/06   73.   Remember Avraham 17:35  |  Syl 28/12/06   74.   FOX ?? 17:40  |  Danite 28/12/06   75.   END THE OCCUPATION #56 17:42  |  Gabe1 28/12/06   76.   To reeven #4 and to #1 John le C 17:43  |  Clod 28/12/06   77.   Maybe they are Jewish enough according to the World Zionist Organ 17:52  |  Emad Matahin 28/12/06   78.   Where are the Reform Rabbis when we need them? 17:54  |  Tosefta 28/12/06   79.   Iranian Conversions 18:22  |  Michael T 28/12/06   80.   Iranian Conversions 18:25  |  Michael T 28/12/06   81.   We need these Iranian converts 18:43  |  Tosefta 28/12/06   82.   Danite??? #74 19:20  |  FOX 28/12/06   83.   David Teich #43 19:23  |  FOX 28/12/06   84.   Heck Adel! #46 19:26  |  FOX 28/12/06   85.   Noam, this is what I meant! 19:30  |  FOX 28/12/06   86.   IMMENSE INTEREST IN THE STORY BY RELIGIOUS LUNATICS 19:48  |  THE JACKAL 28/12/06   87.   Give assistance to these people!! 20:09  |  Moises 28/12/06   88.   BRING THEM TO THE TRUE JEWISH HOMELAND 20:18  |  Stephen Connor 28/12/06   89.   IRANIAN ABOMINATIONS 20:22  |  Stephen Connor 28/12/06   90.   A deal 20:22  |  Sunny 28/12/06   91.   as a convert... 20:24  |  Judy 28/12/06   92.   Nylsa -- thousands converting to Christ 20:32  |  Stephen Connor 28/12/06   93.   Zichron - Apostasy 20:36  |  Stephen Connor 28/12/06   94.   Enough rejection? 20:38  |  Devorah 28/12/06   95.   Alicia -- Sura 2 verse 62 20:42  |  Stephen Connor 28/12/06   96.   56 - Disputed, Not Occupied 20:44  |  Bruriah Sarah 28/12/06   97.   62 - We are a soul 20:46  |  Bruriah Sarah 28/12/06   98.   65 - Not true 20:48  |  Bruriah Sarah 28/12/06   99.   68 - Israel is the center of Judaism 20:49  |  Bruriah Sarah 28/12/06   100.   Bruriah Sarah 21:07  |  Stephen Connor 28/12/06   101.   Bruriah Sarah -- Messianic Jews 21:16  |  Stephen Connor 28/12/06   102.   TO #95 CONNOR 21:21  |  Alicia 28/12/06   103.   conversion to Judaism 21:48  |  Erasmo 28/12/06   104.   the reason why they were refused 22:09  |  shia 4 ever 28/12/06   105.   # 68 Dan @ NYC / USA " Difference of Opinion " 22:10  |  Joseph E . 28/12/06   106.   Jerusalem (Bruriah Sarah #99) 22:13  |  Tosefta 28/12/06   107.   # 99 Bruriah Sarah , Thanks for spoting dan on post # 68 22:22  |  Joseph E . 28/12/06   108.   All religions should be banned 23:15  |  nemesis 28/12/06   109.   This Will Be Much Easier! Shi`ites Read Here! 23:48  |  Yosemite Sam 28/12/06   110.   Stephen Connor 23:58  |  Yosemite Sam 28/12/06   111.   LET THEM FIND REFUGE IN AMERICA WHERE THE LARGEST JEWSH COMMUNITY 00:01  |  IN THE WORLD EXISTS) 29/12/06   112.   Executed if you convert to Judaism? 01:52  |  Ben Azai 29/12/06   113.   Converting to Judaism? 02:15  |  Ibrahim 29/12/06   114.   Approach the appeals committee. 02:15  |  Joe 29/12/06   115.   Stephen Connor 02:16  |  Gabe1 29/12/06   116.   Chanah in Denmark 02:20  |  Gabe1 29/12/06   117.   To alicia 02:41  |  Mahdi 29/12/06   118.   Yosemite Sam - Quakerism 03:09  |  Stephen Connor 29/12/06   119.   Alicia - - Barbarity and Apostasy 03:15  |  Stephen Connor 29/12/06   120.   Jerusalem figures (Bruriah Sarah #99) 03:31  |  Tosefta 29/12/06   121.   "YS" [#109] fires the big gun.... 03:43  |  Pastor Phil 29/12/06   122.   nemesis 03:46  |  sweis Melbourne 29/12/06   123.   Conversion out of Islam (Steven Connor #89; Ben Azzai #112) 03:49  |  Tosefta 29/12/06   124.   It would be different if they were racially Jewish ... 04:56  |  keith 29/12/06   125.   All should convert to Judaism..but must prove desire/devotion 05:13  |  David 29/12/06   126.   #68, Dan, the center or Judaism IS Israel, Jerusalem specifically 05:17  |  David 29/12/06   127.   here we go again 05:25  |  shia 4 ever 29/12/06   128.   A rudderless ship of fools called SS Israel 05:52  |  Hannah 29/12/06   129.   BRAVE NEW WORLD 06:27  |  chutspa 29/12/06   130.   #$128 Hannah: rules & wisdom ? 07:08  |  keith 29/12/06   131.   #129, Chutspah, not easy but possible for all 07:18  |  David 29/12/06   132.   Come On Hannah! A Rudderless Ship? 07:47  |  Yosemite Sam 29/12/06   133.   #130, Keith 08:22  |  Hannah 29/12/06   134.   #128, Hannah 08:47  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/12/06   135.   #131 David: Conversion process 09:07  |  keith 29/12/06   136.   Hannah, Petra has asked you a question that, once again you try.. 09:14  |  Nadav 29/12/06   137.   Israel should welcome them 09:18  |  Al 29/12/06   138.   TO CONNOR #119 12:22  |  Alicia 29/12/06   139.   TO Mahdi #117 12:33  |  Alicia 29/12/06   140.   Israel should be open 16:38  |  Esther`s child 29/12/06   141.   to nedav the final solution as suggested by 20:39  |  shia 4 ever 29/12/06   142.   send them back to iran 22:55  |  shia 4 ever 29/12/06   143.   Help them! 04:28  |  Adam Glantz 30/12/06   144.   83: FOX, we`re supposed to believe you? 13:10  |  David Teich 30/12/06   145.   137: Al, what is it about your faith that leave you ignorant? 13:11  |  David Teich 30/12/06   146.   Synagogues wouldn`t accept them-typical of jewish discrimination! 15:54  |  Isaac Hassen 30/12/06   147.   reply to #146 Jewish discrimination 01:47  |  Joe 31/12/06   148.   Reply to #5 Sharing Jewish Good News. 01:54  |  Joe 31/12/06   149.   time to start converting the centrifuges into Kosher machines, ! 09:16  |  out-of-sync by Purim 31/12/06   150.   They are welcome in America 10:35  |  Davis Bradley 12/08/07   151.   It`s because they are muslims 22:11  |  Tobijah 23/10/07   152.   To Tobijah #151 20:17  |  613 24/10/07

Today Online Amira Hass: Israel expects the PA to assist the occupation Responses: 79 Israel threatens to cut off Gaza power in response to Qassams Responses: 279 Editorial: Israel must teach students that its democracy is flawed Responses: 45 Jerusalem church suspects extremist Jews behind arson Responses: 119 Ex-Pakistani PM Bhutto: Suicide bombers will not win Responses: 17 Barak blames rightist officials for incitement before Rabin murder Responses: 48 Rosner's Domain * Is Haaretz really better than the New York Times? * WTR: The anti-war movement is dead + Who's disloyal to America * Poll: Were you convinced that the surge is working? * Jumblatt to Bush: Send car bombs to Damascus More Headlines 16:52 IDF soldier hurt in drive-by shooting in West Bank 19:39 Leaders mark Rabin's death; Olmert: Bullets can't stop peace 20:03 Two Palestinians killed in IDF strike on Gaza rocket squad 14:32 Court: Local rabbinates have no independent say over shmita sales 20:05 Shin Bet prevented medical care to Palestinian cancer patient 19:43 Junior and senior university faculty to unite against Treasury 15:13 Minister Ayalon calls on PM to invite Hamas to regional summit 15:11 Report: Syria prepared itself for IAF strike about two weeks ago 16:42 Kuwaiti mobile company wins Israel frequencies to operate in PA Previous Editions Select Day 23 oct 22 oct 21 oct 19 oct 18 oct 17 oct 16 oct 15 oct 14 oct 12 oct 11 oct 10 oct

Special Offers Advertisement learn Hebrew online with israel's best teachers. Sign up for a trial lesson today Invest in Macedonia New Business Heaven in Europe Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations JOIN FREE AT JDATE.COM The most popular online Jewish dating community in the world! Explore the possibilities! Click Here! Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off! Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt. Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza Israel Lowest internet rate Guaranteed at ichotelsgroup.com !

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved