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Rabbi Haim Druckman (Jini)
Last update - 12:56 04/05/2008
Chief Rabbi to revoke ruling which invalidates thousands of conversions
By Yair Ettinger, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Israel, conversion 

Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar, acting in his capacity as president of the Supreme Rabbinical Court, will attempt to revoke a ruling from last week, which invalidated thousands of conversions carried out in Israel over the last few years, Haaretz has learned.

The judges, it emerges, went ahead with the ruling despite the stern objection of Amar, who is said to have been surprised by the decision.

Amar tried to halt the publication of the ruling, according to which conversions to Judaism that have been conducted by Rabbi Haim Druckman - a prominent figure in Religious Zionism - are void, and the converts cannot be recognized as Jewish by the Chief Rabbinate.
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The ruling, which was already drafted in February, casts severe doubts on Druckman's conversion arrangements. The decision, made by a panel headed by the staunchly conservative Rabbi Avraham Sherman, stemmed from debating the divorce case of a woman who had been converted by Druckman 15 years ago.

The Ashdod Regional Rabbinical Court ruled that the woman cannot be recognized as Jewish, since she has never practiced Judaism. The debate was subsequently extrapolated to discuss Druckman's conversion parameters as a whole.

Sherman's ruling said: "Conversion certificates from whichever rabbinical court, as big, reputable and qualified as it may be, do not enable the marriage registrar to allow a convert into the People of Israel, when there has not been a genuine acceptance of the religious duties, which is something that can be discerned by the appellant's appearance and demeanor."

Professor Michael Corinaldi, a conversion expert, said: "The decision makes every conversion, and every convert, conditional; I've heard of the border police, but not of the mitzvah police."

Rabbinical Courts Director Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan said he is prevented from sharing his personal take on the ruling, but "with respect to the ruling, one must bear in mind that there are other groups in the rabbinical courts that think utterly differently of Rabbi Druckman's conversion methods."

Related articles:
  • Chief Rabbi Amar to demand stricter conversions during U.S. visit
  • Taking the extortion out of divorce, if the rabbi permits it
  • Divorcing the rabbinate
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      1.   ridiculous 12:18  |  potobac 04/05/08
      2.   Practicing Judaism as requisit for Jewry... 13:04  |  Ulf 04/05/08
      3.   Not necessary.. 13:07  |  Vital 04/05/08
      4.   Rabbi Avraham Sherman`s decision may have its considerations 13:54  |  Joseph . E 04/05/08
      5.   Spinning Haaretz 14:45  |  Zulustar 04/05/08
      6.   Half Jews 15:52  |  Salomon Vaz Dias 04/05/08
      7.   ULF; a practising Jew 16:46  |  AliciaYasmeen 04/05/08
      8.   Disband the Rabbinuts 16:57  |  Orthodox Jew 04/05/08
      9.   Religious Suicide 16:57  |  dave 04/05/08
      10.   Ha´retz article does not explain why Drukman? 16:59  |  AliciaYasmeen 04/05/08
      11.   Make conversions to Israeli 17:13  |  Binyamin Dissen 04/05/08
      12.   we must end this stupid monopoly, for all our sake. 17:14  |  ralph 04/05/08
      13.   all too familiar power and turf wars - shame! 17:22  |  zev 04/05/08
      14.   To # Alicia Y: Practicing Jew, not such a thing 17:51  |  Ulf 04/05/08
      15.   false haredi "logic" 18:06  |  eddie 04/05/08
      16.   HOW EBOUT SECULAR PEUPLE OF JEWISH ORIGINE, 18:51  |  A SECULAR MEMBER OF 04/05/08
      17.   this is a proper check and balance 18:58  |  david 04/05/08
      18.   Agudah/Shas/ Degel hatorah vs. religious zionists and Gov`t. 19:03  |  For Truth 04/05/08
      19.   Conversions 19:09  |  Zion Segal 04/05/08
      20.   #14 ULF; G-D´s wisdom is in the Commandments 19:10  |  AliciaYasmeen 04/05/08
      21.   Rabbi Haim Druckman and his converts 19:52  |  Ricardo Kolbe 04/05/08
      22.   Behind closed doors 22:12  |  Joseph 04/05/08
      23.   Contrary to natural law. 22:18  |  Sherlock Holmes 04/05/08
      24.   What happens... 22:22  |  Motic 04/05/08
      25.   Hamas already hates you, it`s not enough? 22:22  |  Ulf 04/05/08
      26.   Revoke their semichas 22:26  |  Yossi 04/05/08
      27.   Conversions must be truly kosher like the food you eat 03:29  |  Yaakov 05/05/08
      28.   To#20 Rituals yes, commandments no 08:54  |  Ulf 05/05/08
      29.   To #27 The life should be kosher 08:57  |  Ulf 05/05/08
      30.   Rabbinate 13:55  |  Yeshua Peretz 05/05/08
      31.   Kosher Food Response 14:41  |  Yeshua Peretz 05/05/08
      32.   Are we talking about sociology or theology? 17:21  |  Avi Yerushalmi 05/05/08
      33.   Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar 18:24  |  YITZAK BEN SHLOMO 05/05/08
      34.   personal vendettas between rabbis-not unusual 18:48  |  Jos 05/05/08
      35.   MAKING ATTEMPT IS NOT SUFFECIENT- REVOKE BY YOU RIGHT HAND 19:02  |  YITZAK BEN SHLOMO 05/05/08
      36.   this is a very sad circus act.... 19:17  |  a very ennoyed jew 05/05/08
      37.   To #32 prostitution of Judaism... 22:17  |  Ulf 05/05/08
      38.   Alicia 23:28  |  A.M. 05/05/08
      39.   Damage limitation 01:01  |  Joe 06/05/08
      40.   #37 A.M. and nonsense 01:54  |  AliciaYasmeen 06/05/08
      41.   Yes, A.M. and therefore 02:38  |  Rowan 06/05/08
      42.   Where`s your logic, AliciaYasmeen? 03:24  |  Rowan 06/05/08
      43.   conversions 08:59  |  Naim S. Mahlab 06/05/08
      44.   Two wrongs dont make a right 09:19  |  Josh 06/05/08
      45.   Hareidim that do not recognize the Jewish state should be given a 10:28  |  Dennie 06/05/08
      46.   #43 You are what you are 11:19  |  Ulf 06/05/08
      47.   Jews are a Tribe as well as a religion 11:58  |  b`galil 06/05/08
      48.   #47 B´Galil 14:23  |  AliciaYasmeen 06/05/08
      49.   #42 ROWAN; Judaism is to be LOVED, it is not rocket science! 14:36  |  AliciaYasmeen 06/05/08
      50.   Binyamin Dissen - Accept the Entire Torah 01:21  |  Reid 07/05/08
      51.   Binyamin Dissen - Accept the Entire Torah 01:30  |  Reid 07/05/08
      52.   Alicia - First read Exodus 12-48 01:42  |  Reid 07/05/08
      53.   #52 REID and polishing dots 15:17  |  AliciaYasmeen 07/05/08
      54.   #52-3 Followable religion... 17:03  |  Ulf 07/05/08
      55.   45# Dennie- What about Yerushalmis? 04:24  |  Yechiel 23/05/08
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