New bill would make conversion insufficient for Israeli citizenship

Under the new proposed bill, it seems Moshiach himself would be unable to make aliyah (should that be the case), since He, as a descendent from a convert would not be considered a jew (according to some authorities). At what point in history do conversions become invalid, and perhaps every born Jew need trace his lineage, including those who seek to impose these laws.

I'm no Rabbi or scholar but it is very clear to me that the changes purposed in this law are against Torah itself! Converts being excepted in Torah is clear as in the book of Ruth. So will you trow out the book of Ruth? This apostate to ignore what has even been done and excepted in Torah for any man or group of men to throw out!!! This hits me very hard right in the heart! I personally find out about this action one day after making the serious decision to convert! I have good reason to convert, and have good reason to live in the land that my heart has claimed as a result of My G-D'S Torah working in my mind, heart, body, soul, and spirit! I no longer have the same feeling, thoughts, emotions, attitudes etc. as a result of seeking Torah. Conversion begins with the serious decision first, something extraordinary happen in my members that I can not explain. I do know this however, my decision is made and can not be changed; I'm now Jewish!

This bill is Discrimanation at it's worst. our history has involved us being discriminated against now Jews want to discriminate against other Jews via the government .. Truly very sad indeed.

It shows the racism and exclusion of people (Ethiopians, latins, blacks) from religious leaders in Israel and the world . It is a disgrace for the Jewish people. Now that nations say? If thus treated with their own as will the goyim??. Thus, the converts will continue to support the Anti-Zionist Batei Din (TRUE JEWS).

Come on folks. Give more and more power to the Haridim and let the Chief Rabbinate rule the country. Most people in galut are not orthodox. They will simply stop sending their money to Israel and you can ask the Chief Rabbinate to fund all the projects we pay from Galus...

"doeth as we sayeth, not as we doeth" Embrace diversity" roflmao

Torah that states that you can't differentiate between someone who converted and someone who was born Jewish Disgusting, I hope israeli MkS will throw this in the trash the bill isn't worth the paper it's on

religious fanatics will cause the implosion of the Jewish state from within.

It has nothing to do with Rabbis, our fellows (Jewish/Religious or not), least of all the Government. That it has reached this situation highlights a number of issues which MUST be resolved in order to ensure Israel's survival as either a democracy or a Jewish state. As Jews, Israeli or not, we should be demanding a constitution for our homeland State. Alas, when we question why there isn't one, we find that the very act trying to write a constitution keeps shining the harsh light of reality on the incongruous corner our homeland has allowed itself to be painted into. The Jewish State is now faced with some hard choices which, if not resolved threatens to not only divide us, but alienate Israel even further in the eyes of the International community.

This article says that: "the bill proposes that the Law of Return only be applicable to Jews or their offspring". Then it says that this bill: "represents the manifestation of one of Yisrael Beiteinu's electoral promises to its constituency, namely to improve the status of those considered non-Jews according to halakha (Jewish religious law)". Does this mean that currently if the 'offspring' is not considered Jewish enough according to halakha then s/he needs to follow a conversion process (even if their parents are Jews)? But with this new bill, they don't have to, and would get the Israeli citizenship regardless?

If this law passes it will be the end of Israel, why can't converts live in Israel? When someone that is a grandson/daughter from a jew and maybe has nothing at all with the jewishfaith have no problem immigrating to Israel...does not sound fair.

The people voicing their discontent with YB's amendment to the law of return are mostly those who have applauded YB's Leader's reckless actions on the global diplomatic stage. For many people who don't support Lieberman tactically, the frequency and absurdity of his and his party's actions are playing nicely to the hand of Israel's opponents. They sit back and watch as Israel is nearly irrecoverably damaging it's world position while at the same time feeding festering internal divisions. But in the end there are very few who see the events of recent times for what they are - nothing to do with the welfare of Israelis and Israel let alone Palestinians. As long as the ME conflict continues there will be an ongoing power grab that once consolidated both Israelis and Arabs will be the sorrier for it. People are being well trained to use their mental and often visual blinders with the training subjcet being the palestinians but the real object being far more insideous and self serving.

What happens to the real jew(non-convert) who is pure jew (ethnically), whose parents, grand parents and great great great great(x100) granparents were pure orthodox jews, yet recently became an athiest? do we lump them with the convertos and deny their citizenship?

it seems like the "bibi and bouncer" coalition are bound and determined not only to ensure one state for two peoples, lol...but also that the palestinians will have the majority sooner than later. you don't think that israel is heading toward "apartheid"? lol...you just wait...and watch. this bunch is setting israel up for a major fall.

... when the Rabbinate and the state of Israel realizes that if they do not accept the Reform and Conservative converts from the diaspora then they will also have to make do WITHOUT the checks from these groups! Non Orthodox Jews make up the VAST majority of diaspora Jews, and I do not imagine they will roll over on this one! Israel does not want to alienate the West, and in the last couple of years it is getting harder and harder to buy Israeli rhetoric, even for the hardcore checkbook zionist! This issue comes up now and again, but in the end the bottom line always dictates policy.

It is with sadness to see once again organized religious groups ( SHAS and others) are making G-d so exclusively theirs. I am a convert and citizen of Israel and it sad to note that organized religion is trying to chance to Law to suit their political aims. The midrash makes a mashal of a king who has a flock of sheep, and a deer joins the flock, living in the way of the sheep. The king commands the shepherds to be especially careful, and watchful, over the deer. "Why?" -- ask the shepherds. "Do you not have many many sheep?" The king answers that living in this way is the natural way of these sheep, whereas the deer is unique in that it chose to live in this domesticated way.

I am a convert that serves this land with love and respect. I am a convert that contributes taxes towards the government . I am a convert that is a JEW and a citizen of Israel. I am a convert that support the State of Israel. This proposed law must be stopped as it inflicts upon the rights of thousands of converts that helped build the State of Israel. It is an embarrassment to many converts that paid the ultimate price to be a Jew. Avraham ( and his seed), Ruth, Onkolos, Yitro, rabbi Akiva are all converts. What about the rights of descendants of converts? in other words what about the right of a Jew as all Jews are descendants of Avraham and Sarah the first converts? This is an absurd lawQ Stop it

"...[G-d] loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. You must also show love toward the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt." (Dvarim 10:18-19)

The converts can all leave Israel and establish their own Jewish state elsewhere. Two jewish states! This would drive Israel crazy. They would have to split the welfare money from the US. Many Jews are unhappy with Israel and could very well immigrate to the State of Judea.

What a total load of garbage. I am sad to say that the Rabbinate is farcical as all religious authorities are. They do not live in the real world. Who are they to make judgement on ones commitment to G-d.

A democratic country does not make any difference between its citizens or inhabitants based on religion or creed. This is unacceptable in any western country : USA, UK, France etc.

The Haredim and their quest for 100% Jews will be far more destructive to Israel's existence than Iran, Hizbullah, and Hamas combined. When the Diaspora Jews, most of whom are not Orthodox, find themselves cut off from Israel, do you think they'll still send their money, petition their governments to support Israel, and write letters to the editor expressing sympathy for the Jewish State?

'How is not accepting conversos for the Law of return suposed to "improve the status of those considered non-Jews"' It settles the issue. You should see some of the converted jews in my local community. They are disgraceful, they should have stuck to their christianity instead of importing christian thinking into our and deciding that half the laws are "symbolic". Its a way to destroy judaism from inside out.

Those that say they are Jewish, and are true to Israel, are Jewish and fall under the law of return.

I am a Jewish convert and proud of it. Without the right to return to Israel I would feel left alone.

This law would destroy Israel. No longer would Israel be a place of refuge for the convert. How sad is that?

We read in this column; Yisrael Beiteinu's electoral promises to its constituency, namely to improve the status of those considered non-Jews according to halakha (Jewish religious law). How is not accepting conversos for the Law of return suposed to "improve the status of those considered non-Jews" This sound like the Ultraorthodox Shaas party is using a non religious party like Yisrael Beiteinu, to try and change the Law of Return. Sad!

The day that Israel changes the Law of return by not accepting people that had a conversion, that will be the day the destruction of Israel could be closer, a destruction from the inside the boiling point of hate of Jew vs. Jew, of who is Jewish according to who? If it wasn't because of the way the Law of return exists, there wouldn't be an Israel today, no Russians Jews, no Ethiopians Jews, and no Millions of 100% halakticlly proof born of Jewish mother Jews. Who are going to be the conversos you Orthodox Jews talk about on your Shmone Ezre tefilot?, Who is going to defend you while the real Jews are in Yeshivot and avoid the IDF?, Who is going to support Israel in the Diaspora?, And were is the converso Jew or the Jew that for some miracle survive generations of persecutions and needed to have a conversion to be called Jew again, suppose to go the next time the World call for his life or for his blood? I'm sure G-d wouldn't let this to happen.

I hope this never becomes law. Converts are as Jewish as those who were born Jews (some of whom are eating pork on Yom Kippur etc). All Jews are entitled to return to the land of Israel. Since converts are Jewish, they are also entitled. We all know the basic premise: the souls of converts were also present at Mt. Sinai during the revelation. Of course, we have to believe that this actually took place if we want to operate from this understanding. Whatever happened to the Druckman ruling? I have heard NOTHING.