Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., December 29, 2007 Tevet 20, 5768 | | Israel Time: 17:53 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Magazine

del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 03:08 28/12/2007 Interior Ministry ignoring High Court ruling on conversions By Tamar Rotem, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: conversions, High Court  Rahel del Conte, a convert to Judaism who was born in Italy, does not know enough Hebrew to describe her disappointment that Israel has rejected her time after time and refuses to recognize her Judaism. For now, she transmits her feelings mainly through the sighs between her words. If she wanted, Conte could have been accepted into any other Jewish community in the world: Her conversion ceremony in 2006 was before an Orthodox religious court, and even Israel's Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar approved it. But that did not help her get Israeli citizenship. Those responsible for this absurdity are Interior Ministry officials, who refuse to recognize her conversion, register her as Jewish on her identity card and grant her immigrant status. The officials say that del Conte did not meet one of the ministry's criteria for those undergoing conversion abroad: remaining for a year in the community in which the conversion was carried out. I Advertisement tim, the Jewish Life Information Center, which represents various conversion candidates in their dealings with the establishment, petitioned the High Court of Justice on Monday to order the Interior Ministry to show cause why del Conte should not be given new immigrant status immediately. The petition noted that according to a 2005 High Court ruling, conversions that take place in recognized Jewish communities abroad must be recognized, even if the convert studied in Israel and then went abroad for the conversion. Rabbi Seth Farber, Itim's director, said that he is handling other cases like that of del Conte. He described one man who lived in Israel for years, then coverted in his home country in 1991. But when he applied for Israeli citizenship last year, he was rejected, because he had not fulfilled the "time abroad" criterion. "The Interior Ministry thumbs its nose at the High Court's rulings," Farber said. "These were Orthodox conversions Related articles: Knesset conversion proposals slammed by Orthodox, Reform Zionist rabbis agree to serve on independent conversion courts State to implement far-reaching reform of conversion process Bookmark to del.icio.us Who shot Bhutto? Conspiracy theories over the assassination of the Pakistani opposition leader abound. Obama and Israel Israelis following the U.S. elections are not clear on Obama's approach.   1.   Keep up the good work! 05:40  |  Naftali Lavie 28/12/07   2.   Whoever! 10:12  |  Born 28/12/07   3.   Suggesting a compromise 11:38  |  Alicia 28/12/07   4.   Where is the Minister of Interior?! 11:59  |  Esther 28/12/07   5.   Your Story Doesn`t Matter 12:26  |  Convert 28/12/07   6.   These Rabbis Are A Failure for the Jewish People 12:27  |  Yaakov Sullivan 28/12/07   7.   Big deal. High Court ignores Halacha 13:10  |  Binyamin Dissen 28/12/07   8.   Convert, you are so right; we belong in Israel 13:42  |  Alicia 28/12/07   9.   conversions 15:15  |  martha 28/12/07   10.   To #6 Yaakov 15:56  |  Gershon Reed 28/12/07   11.   Israel needs a Bill of Rights to guarantee religious equality. 20:16  |  Israel_is_Done 28/12/07   12.   # 9 Martha Amen!!! 17:34  |  Petra 29/12/07

Today Online 2 Israelis killed, one hurt in W. Bank shooting attack Responses: 398 Benn, Rosner: Israel needs a 'Rice bypass road' to White House Responses: 163 PM to Abbas: Israel will not undermine peace efforts Responses: 109 Akiva Eldar: Peace deal must start with prisoner release Responses: 95 IDF kills former PA premier's bodyguard during W. Bank raid Responses: 94 New version of old defense group guards Jewish farmlands Responses: 44 Rosner's Domain Rosner's Mailbox: Why should Ron Paul care about Israel? The blog and the Jews (WTR) An exacerbated tension between Olmert and Rice Poll: The most likely event to happen in 2008 More Headlines 16:11 PA minister vows 'harsh measures' against killers of 2 Israelis 16:05 Official says PA dismantling Al-Aqsa and other militant groups 17:46 Senator sees 'real opportunity' for resuming Syria-Israel talks 13:27 Sarkozy, in Egypt, offers French nuclear assistance to Cairo 17:28 U.S. court overturns award over W. Bank shooting of yeshiva boy 15:36 Close to two thousand pilgrims from Gaza trapped in Egypt 22:03 Some U.S. candidates warn: The real danger is Pakistan, not Iran 16:57 PA arrests three Israelis in Bethlehem, transfers them to Israel 17:16 Bhutto aides accuse gov't of cover-up; militants deny part in killing 10:34 PM announces intention to change building permits Previous Editions Select Day 28 dec 27 dec 26 dec 25 dec 24 dec 23 dec 21 dec 20 dec 19 dec 18 dec 17 dec 16 dec

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