Multi-denominational center demands conversion reform
Group to stop referring candidates to Israeli conversion courts until the conversion process is reformed.
By Amiram BarkatA network of multi-denominational study centers for those seeking to convert to Judaism has decided to stop referring candidates to Israeli conversion courts until the conversion process is reformed.
Prof. Benjamin Ish-Shalom, the head of the Joint Conversion Institute, said the rabbinic conversion courts reject about half the institute graduates after they have completed their studies. The institution is run jointly by the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform movements.
The institute, which was established in the wake of the Ne'eman Commission findings on religion and state, is demanding the conversion courts adopt an approach that is both halakhic and Zionist, and exempt the prospective converts from demands like placing their children in religious schools.
Ish-Shalom said such demands deter many potential converts and do not take into account the "national need" to convert some 350,000 people from the former Soviet Union who now live in Israel and are not recognized as Jews.
"If there is no change in the conversion policy and the gates of halakha remain closed, there will be several Jewish nations here that won't recognize each other," said Ish-Shalom. "We won't be able to continue taking responsibility for that."
Conversion Institute representatives met recently with leading rabbinic judges from the conversion courts to ask them to adopt the more lenient approach of Rabbi Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel, who was chief rabbi of Israel in the 1940s. According to that approach, converts must prove their sincere desire to live as Jews, but are not obligated to live a religious lifestyle, as required today.
Rabbi Moshe Klein, deputy director of the Conversion Administration, said the matter is under discussion and that "everyone shares the desire to increase conversions."
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I would appreciate if you can quote the source for what you said. However my assumption is that if there is a reason to assume that there is lack of commitment,that rule does not apply.
There is a schism in Judaism and we all have to recognize that fact.
In Melbourne. Australia the Lubavitch movement has a few centres. Each of them has a Shsbbat service,a large majority comes to the sevice very late and by car. The only usual request to these people is that they do not park their cars in front or direct in view of the centre. Are these members of the congregation also considered "Orthodox"?
Thats actually not true. Reform and Conservative are only bigger in the United States and Cannada. If you count world wide more Jews affliliate with Orthodoxy than Reform or Conservative.
"how serious is their commitment" is the crux of the issue. Halacha does not demand that we test converts extensively - only that we turn them away three times, and if they keep coming back then we should accept them. Today's rabbinate has raised the bar (whether rightly or wrongly is another matter) and requires the candidate to jump through many hoops in ordder to test their commitment. Not halacha - just common practice today in Israel. In some other countries Orthodox conversions are performed without requiring these extra "tests of commitment".
The Orthodox should not have a monopoly on Judaism. Our religion's main trait is thinking and reasoning, as opposed to many other religions' keeping education among the wealthy or religious leaders. That's why our Mishnah and Talmud are important, not because they're some idiotic "oral Torah", but they show the adaptability of the religion to different times through discussions among our people. Conservative and Reform movements are real, and have more Jews in them worldwide than does Orthodoxy. If converts wish to follow those denominations' rules, they should have the absolute right to do so.
When all state religious schools are free and offer the same balance of good teaching on civil (secular) subjects in addition to religious studies, instead of replacing civil studies with religious instruction, the demand to enroll a child in a "religious" school is unreasonable. Besides, if someone wants not to observe halacha, he or she will find a way, no matter where his/her child learns during the day! Forcing someone to observe without any commitment to such an observance is "avodah b'einayim" and doomed to fail.
Orthodox is a noun when used to discribe Jews and Jewishness. Observant is the proper word for Jews that follow The Law. The Laws of Hashem are followed when one follows the Torah with perhaps some explantion from Mishnaic sources. The rest is human commentary and so called exegesis by infallible "Sages" that were anything but. Grow up boys. Come back to the Law and stop putting human interpretations in front of it. It is the only way to stop the spread of the diseases of christianity and islam.
In order to convert someone according to halacha,they must accept to all of God's commandments.If they don't send their children to a religious school-how strong do you think their commitment is?
while putting your kids in a religious school is commendable I dont see how its a requirement for someone to convert. Lets stick to Halacha and do not compermise that standard or add on to it.
I can recall that between 1948 and 1958, Israel was somewhat flexible with regard to conversion. Prospective converts were not required to live an Orthodox lifestyle after accepting our religion. I feel that we should require converts to be able to pass the same written and oral examinations demanded of Orthodox converts, but their lifestyles should not have to be strictly traditional afterwards. A reasonable requirement would be to attend Sephardic Orthodox Sabbath services for a year while studying our religion. Then the written and oral examinations should be successfully completed. Hopefully, if they are treated with respect in the synagogue, they would want to continue attending services afterwards.