Three Iranians seeking conversion to Judaism denied Israel visas - Haaretz

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Last update - 00:00 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.

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"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

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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

153.	They should be welcomed!!	08:20	\|	Ari	15/07/09

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