Reform and Conservative Jews fuming ahead of Knesset vote on conversions
Knesset to vote in first reading Monday bill to grant Chief Rabbinate sole authority over conversions in Israel.
By Natasha Mozgovaya and Jonathan Lis Tags: Israel news Jewish worldThe Reform and Conservative movements both in Israel and abroad were up in arms on Sunday, a day before the Knesset plenum was to stage its first vote on a proposal that would grant the chief rabbinate exclusive authority to oversee conversions in Israel.
The bill submitted by the Knesset Law and Justice Committee has already spurred a wave of criticism for its proposal that would for the first time make the rabbinate the sole power able to supervise and authorize the conversion process. According to the law, local rabbinical councils – themselves under the rabbinate's jurisdiction – would be able to carry out conversions.
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MK David Rotem |
| Photo by: Olivier Fitussi |
If passed, the law would enable those seeking conversion to choose the rabbi with whom they wish to undergo the process.
However, the rabbinical movements not affiliated with the rabbinate see the bill as a method of usurping their authority and subverting the desires of those not affiliated with Orthodoxy to convert according to their chosen religious stream.
The Interior Ministry currently recognizes Conservative and Reform conversions carried out abroad.
Those opposed to giving the rabbinate exclusive authority believe that if the bill is passed into a law, the option of converting abroad without Orthodox supervision will be nullified.
MK David Rotem, who initiated the bill on behalf of the committee, said that the proposal should have no effect on conversions carried out abroad. He added that it should also not influence the relationship of Israeli Jews and the Jewish communities in the Diaspora.
The head of the Reform Movement, Rabbi Gilad Kariv told Haaretz on Sunday that "this bill, in its own words, clearly shows that the cat is out of the bag: MK Rotem cut a deal with the Haredim according to which the Orthodox establishment in Israel will, for the first time, have a monopoly on conversion, in direct contravention of Supreme Court decisions, and promises that were given by political leaders, and contrary to the absolute interest of the immigrants."
Rotem rejected the claims against him. "This is no a change of the status quo on matters of conversion. The claims made by the Reform and Conservatives are an attempt by them to make some sort of gain at the expense of 400,000 new immigrants."
Rotem says that he intents to put forth a much milder version of the bill following the preliminary reading. He is planning to carry out the change through a vague formulation of the bill as it currently stands.
"In the bill it says that the Chief Rabbinate will be given responsibility on matters of conversion in Israel, but it does not way that it will receive exclusive responsibility to this. Prior to the second and third reading I intend to sit with both the Reform and Conservative in order to incorporate them into the framework of the law."
The Yisrael Beitenu MK explains his indirect approach to passing the bill into law with the need to "ground" the demands of the ultra-Orthodox through a vote and not allow them to set further preconditions on the issue of conversion.
"The Haredi demands are constantly increasing. The more the other communities clash with the Haredim, the more opportunities the Haredim are given to react," Rotem says.
Kariv, for his part said yesterday that "the formula that Rotem is using is a very vague. Rotem is playing with words. The minute the laws says that the responsibility is in the hands of the Rabbinate, it will become necessary to turn to the Rabbinate and ask them every time there is a case of conversion. And this, after for 20 year our conversions abroad have been recognized in Israel in terms of the population registry."
The bill that will be brought to the Knesset this morning comprises four main articles.
The first, that the Chief Rabbinate will be give, for the first time, "responsibility for matters of conversion in Israel."
The second includes a significant easing of the process for those wishing to convert: the authority of those able to carry out conversions will be expanded and will include city and local authority rabbis. This will make the locations where conversions will be possible more numerous and lower the delays.
The third will allow conversion candidates with Israeli citizenship to select where they wish to undergo conversion. This will allow them to select an "easier" rabbi, who may make the process easier for them.
The fourth important element in the bill states that "it will not be possible to revoke a conversion that was carried out by a special court, unless the court that carried out the conversion decides that it was done on the basis of false information, or information that was kept from it, by the candidate for conversion, prior to the conversion."
This will bring an end to the arbitrary decisions for revoking conversions that were made in recent months.
"In this way I resolve in a single law the issue of conversion, the issue of revoked conversions and marriages in Israel," Rotem told Haaretz.
"The entire country will become one conversion zone. The number of courts that will enable conversions will increase significantly. This is a historic revolution," the MK said yesterday, stressing that the bill does not affect Reform and Conservative conversions being carried out abroad, which will continue to be recognized by the Ministry of Interior.
Rotem and his colleague in Yisrael Beitenu, deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, traveled to the U.S. recently for talks with the heads of the Jewish communities there in an effort to reach an agreement on the issue of conversions.
Rotem admits that the reason the bill is being brought to a vote today is the deal that has been made with Shas that is expected to help him pass the bill.
"I have been asked repeatedly when will this bill be brought to a vote. I told them that I will do this the minute I have a majority in favor. I think that I have succeeded in this."
When asked about the benefits to his party from the passing of the bill Rotem says that "Yisraeli Beitenu will not have any benefit from this law. But if I want to go to heaven I will present this law at the gates."
We asked for a meeting [with Rotem] and he didn’t agree", said Reform Movement head, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, "but we had an impression it was under control. They told they won’t pass this bill if we were opposed to it."
"We are shocked, it’s contrary to all the assurances that we received," he added. "And the version that is being put forward is worse than the version that he brought in the first place. We are astonished. It’s foolish, disruptive. It will cause an anger amid American Jews when Israel needs its support the most."
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It's time for the Reform and Conservatives to acknowledge defeat and their crimes against Jewish Identity. Together they have done nothing positive to promote unity and progressiveness for the Jewish people. Amongst their ranks are the leaders and mouth-pieces of the new global antisemitism using some of the most corrupted left-brain thinking ever to emanate from the Jewish intellect.
my money isn't either. When that dries up, and the non-Reform, non-Conservative Israel has nothing left to defend itself with, it won't be an opportune time to re-think the position of who is Jewish enough. When the homeland is lost for want of a nail, will it matter to the dead or imprisoned Rabbinate how Jewish I was?
He can't compare to the chief Rabbi.
Make Avital Sharansky to get involved. She will orginize and unite all branches of Judaism on Conversion Process. JA with natan Sharansky also should get involved.
It's not about halakha, it's about politics. That's the shame of it all. The government and its religious bodies turn a blind eye to all sorts of things for political expediency. This time, however, it will backfire if they send a message to diaspora Jews that they don't matter.
It's not about halakha, it's about politics. That's the shame of it all. The government and its religious bodies turn a blind eye to all sorts of things for political expediency. This time, however, it will backfire if they send a message to diaspora Jews that they don't matter.
World Opinion, Turkey, the US and now a fight with Diaspora Judaism which is largely Reform and Conservative. The decisions of current Israeli leadership just boggle the mind.
Perhaps the time has come for Israel to become independent of the diaspra. Religiously and monetarily. For too long we have been dependent on Diaspra Jews. The time has come for Israel to stand on its own religiously, financially, and I wish morally.Israel should be setting the standards not some ignorant reform rabbi who is converting someone for the purpose of increasing membership dues in his synogogue
The Knesset Constitution and Law Committee seems hell-bent to turn Israel into a 21st century shtetl. Several years ago, under leadership of an orthodox MK, it attempted to put in place a constitution, a *present* to the Jewish state on its 60th birthday, with a dramatically watered-down Law of Return/Grandparent Clause. Two weeks ago a liberal Hebrew University law professor proposed on an on-line Israeli publication that automatic citizenship for Jewish olim be eliminated. Another proposal to eliminate the Law and its Clause. And now the same Constitution and Law Committee, this time under secular party leadership would provide the Chief Rabbinate veto over Who is a Jew. Because this is precisely the issue behind the conversion bill, whether or not all Jews, regardless of denomination or belief, are fit to live in Israel. Israel is at a crossroads: we of the Diaspora created a state for the Jews, all Jews, even Jews who don’t accept all Jews. Even Jews who oppose a state for the Jews. Israel can build on the universal and secular foundation we built into its creation, or can turn her back on the Diaspora. This bill is not just a matter of political expediency, but of national identity.
This will lead to a break between Israel and Diaspora Judaism.
They should encourage their members to move to Israel. currently there are less than 20,000 Jews in Israel that identify with the Conservative or Reform moments. This stands in contrast with over a million Orthodox Jews in the country and another million that associate as such. with such a skewed electorate is anyone shocked by this? In a democracy politicians will go where the votes are. Until Reform/Conservative have significant voters in Israel they will have little sway over policy.
Unfortunately, this is why most political philosophers throughout history have condemned the simple democracy. It is not democracy which should be cherished, but a constitutional democracy which can temper the will of a tyrannous majority. It is saddening that in this case the tyrannous majority is one group of Jews trying to revoke religious legitimacy from a different group of Jews.
Your proposal is a catch 22. Many of the Jews in the diaspora are the products of non-Orthodox conversions, and now you say you want them to go to a place where their Judaism is not recognized ?
Judaism started dying in U.S. and Europe when Reform and Conservatives hijacked our ancient culture and religion and started dismantling our core beliefs and practices. Reform is so desperate for warm bodies at its "synagogue" attendance that they call anyone and anything "Jewish" just to fill seats. American Jews growing up under Reform institutions know less and have a less connection to Judaism than Mormons or Evangelical Christians. I would not trust Reform and Conservatives meddling in Israel's conversion policies. They have done enough destruction to the Jewish nation.
While not overly religious, I would not allow the *Rabbi* Yoffies of the world to dilute the conversion process. Left to Yoffie, there would be conversion kiosks available in every mall. I, like many, do not think the Reform would adhere to the standards of Halacha in the conversion. The notion that a potential convert can simply go to a Walmart to buy a conversion kit just doesn't fly. Besides, the convert is a very beautiful, special person in Jewish Law. Let us not give Yoffie the means to dilute this with his warped ideas.
we look even more like Iran & its mullahs.
how do you spell T-H-E-O-C-R-A-C-Y.....we are not so far behind the extreme muslim countries as we like to believe....
It would be most ironic if the Arab MKs were to wind up casting the deciding votes, thereby showing the absurdity of having a government make religious decisions.
Israel is a Theocracy, nothing more, nothing less. The fact that the Government is seriously dealing with stuff is exactly why Israel is falling apart.
who is a Jew should be decided by Jewish law! and it should be in a way accepted by all Jews, non orthodox conventions are not recognized by Traditional Jewish Law and consequently not recognized by Meany Jews. if the state of Israel wishes to accept any individual as a citizen that is perfectly fine, however it is not the place of the government to decide who is Jewish.
who is a Jew should be decided by Jewish law! and it should be in a way accepted by all Jews, non orthodox conventions are not recognized by Traditional Jewish Law and consequently not recognized by Meany Jews. if the state of Israel wishes to accept any individual as a citizen that is perfectly fine, however it is not the place of the government to decide who is Jewish.
No changes. Clarifies choice. Reformed and Conservatives are upset because they saw it as a chance to change they way things have been forever, and managed to elicit promises from some like-minded lefties who could not deliver. Good thing, too.
The debate is absurd and hardly necessary. The political desire of the establishment orthodoxy si not about universal procedures, but denominations or streams within Judaism. If any Bet Din (Rabbinical Tribunal) carries out valid religious circumcision (or Hatafat dam brit) for males, reasonable and careful examinations, and finally kosher immersions, there is absolutely nothing to object in the conversions of any stream. Reform should abandon patrilineality, and be allowed to have its conversions just as valid as anybody else's, given the aforementioned, universal halachic conditions.
Oh, if your statement were true. But a bet din made of men who are not "torah observant" in the eyes the Orthodox would not be considered kosher and the conversion therefore not valid, thus negating the other streams. My Conservative conversion - after two years of study and meeting with my sponsoring rabbi frequently - will never be considered valid even though I am more observant than many orthodox people I know. Good thing I never had the money to visit Israel before I converted.
Matrilineality is not d'orayta but de'rabbanan. Therefore Reform is entitled to restablish the biblical patrilineality.
In civilized countries state and religion(s) are strictly separated. In USA "the only friend of Israël" it would be unconstitutional for Congress, House or Senate to meddle in religious matters.
Your country, France, is also considered a pretty good friend of Israel, in terms of diplomacy and trade.
We are the people who made a covenant with G-d- we are unseparatable from religion.
How is it separated if Christmas is a national holiday and Sunday is a national day off? Hypocrites.
Passage of this bill will further alienate many non-Orthodox Jews whose support of Israel (and Judaism) grows steadily weaker - especially among the young.
Passage of this bill will further alienate many non-Orthodox Jews whose support of Israel (and Judaism) grows steadily weaker - especially among the young.
have we not enough of charedim,who want to spoil the whole of Israel.Dont let them get the upperhand
The rabbi of the community will know him and be able to determine if he is commited. Otherwise How is some Rabbi in Jerusalem going to determine if this fellow from some other community is commited he doesnt really know him and it will be more difficult to convert him and assess him. This is the way things used to be done I believe
As long as there are many ways to choose among conversion courts, the number of conversions will increase. This is necessary in today's Israel, where there are many non-Jewish (halkhically) citizens, mostly former Russians, who want to integrate into Israeli Jewish society but prevented from doing so by overzealous rabbis. For example, a family that does not follow orthodox lifestyle is not converted nowadays, even though the majority of Jewish Israelis are like that. Better to rely on more liberal orthodox rabbi who will agree to convert, because the mere living in Israel is an indication of sincere desire to join the Jewish people. I also fail to see the merit in the Conservative and Reform objection. Their situation will not be affected.
Throughout the ages, the Jewish people have learnt what borderline Jews, however officially Jewish, the Erev Rav, only persecuted the Jews, infiltrated the community and reported the others, although never respected the halacha and persuaded the old ones to leave Judaism. Easy conversions have traumatized us. That's why it takes a decade to become a true Jew nowadays. And it should not change.
It is about accepting the laws given to Moses as the basis for one's life. Only the strictly orthodox can be trusted to adhere to that standard in overseeing converts. The fact that most Israelis doesn't matter, since they are Jewish by birth.