Israel Chief Rabbinate To Accept All Domestic Orthodox Conversions

In an apparent reversal of past policies, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel plans to recognize all Orthodox Jewish conversions performed in the country, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) reports.

The agreement, reached by the rabbinical authorities and the Jewish Life Information Center (ITIM), comes less than a year after a proposed Israeli conversion law that would have solidified Haredi Jewish control over recognized conversions was shelved following pressure from more liberal American and Israeli Jewish groups.

Israel's Chief Rabbinate will have six months to see if and how the new program works. ITIM, a non-profit Jewish lifecycle advocacy group, is expected to accept the offer in the coming days.

UPDATE: There was some confusion regarding how or if the agreement would affect the status of non-Orthodox conversions in Israel. JTA removed the report and then republished with a new title indicating that the Chief Rabbinate agreed to recognize all Orthodox conversions.

Sue Fishkoff, a JTA reporter who initially caught the errors in the brief, clarified in an email: "This new agreement does not affect non-Orthodox conversions, so it does not begin to address the elephant in the room, which is Reform and Conservative conversions within the state of Israel. Those are still not recognized by the Chief Rabbinate."

Comments

[fordgarye]

03:14 PM on 06/15/2011

Are there so many Jews in the world that one or two rabbis in Israel are willing to erase our Jewishness with so little thought in what they do? Why is it that the Orthodox are the only ones who can decide who is and who is not Jewish - I am from a mixed family - Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist Jews all - and even some Christians. The Christians have no problem understanding us as Jews. Judaism has always had different movements - even in antiquity - each claiming to be superior to the others. Why is it now that the Orthodox seem to have claimed the top spot and supported by the government. This is not representational as many Israelis are not religious, and certainly others follow Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism. How is it a minority of Orthodox have such great authority - like the tail wagging the dog.

[bbertaud]

12:31 AM on 05/18/2011

I am thinking about converting to vegetarianism.....will that be recognized?

[robinhood1]

09:44 PM on 05/13/2011

What is really ironic is that founding founders of Israel adapted the proportional system of representation in its parliament (Knesset), the system used in the failed Weimar Republic in Germany (1919-1933). The proportional system has meant a multiplicity of political parties with seats in the Knesset, a string of minority governments and coalitions since 1948 and too much power for the religious parties. Tony Kushner is the least of the Israelis' problems. The ultra-Orthodox don't serve in the military in any significant numbers and generally don't work in regular jobs but collect stipends from the government while they study their holy books and father children, lots of them. Israel is facing a demographic time bomb, even if it can resolve its issues with the Palestinians.

[robinhood1]

10:03 PM on 05/13/2011

"founding founders" should read "the founders"

[CDGreene]

12:44 PM on 05/07/2011

Quite ironic that many people who would be considered Jewish by the Nazis wouldn't be considered Jewish by Israel.

[JewishPhysician]

05:56 AM on 05/11/2011

NAZI ism is not a decision of Jewish Law, my dear friend. True they could identify those who had our genetic make up by their genetic decisions. They can not determine that a man is a person of our Covenant. That is not a harsh situation by the Jewish people. This is a simple fact of reality though most Jewish people offer friendship and some sense of connection at some level to those who say were born of a Jewish father but not a Jewish mother. That does not mean that that said person is Jewish but perhaps our people have a responsibility to be sympathetic with their family connections.

[Benignuman]

02:54 PM on 05/11/2011

Two points:

1. For the purpose of the Law of Return, Israel does use the Nazi standard.

2. The irony is the other way around.

[JewishPhysician]

03:32 PM on 05/11/2011

Law of Return does not make you Jewish. Just entitled to our heritage. There is no irony. Just compassion.

[Bobolini]

08:02 PM on 05/05/2011

Thanks dudes, I really care about your approval! In fact, you act so much like a hierarchical church that you obscure the entire meaning of being Jewish! The Nazis would have considered me Jewish, but not the Orthodoxy in Israel. Go figure!

My mom and dad got married during the war and it was not by a Rabbi. So I am illegitimate according to this doof.

[hfpf]

01:20 PM on 05/08/2011

You do not need a rabbi to be married in Jewish law.

[Benignuman]

02:58 PM on 05/11/2011

So you would rather have Hitler be the person who decides who is Jewish?

There is no difference in Jewish law between a child born in wedlock or out of wedlock. The child is not illegitimate even if his parents never get married so you don't have anything to be upset about. Furthermore, Jewish law doesn't require a Rabbi for there to be a marriage, all you need is two witnesses.

[Moogoo]

06:50 PM on 05/05/2011

Can someone fill me in here? Where should I look for a good explanation of what this story is addressing and it's importance. The links here didn't help me very much.

[Bobolini]

08:20 PM on 05/05/2011

Deeply Orthodox Rabbis have long had intricate criteria for who can and cannot call themselves Jewish.

The Nazis had looser criteria. So many Jews were eligible for death camps but not eligible to be considered a Jew by these experts. The irony is sickening.

[JewishPhysician]

06:00 AM on 05/11/2011

You seem to have no respect for Jewish law and have the reasoning that just becuase 2 of the people who have the same terrible fate have the same terrible fate that they should have the same conjecture and that they should have the same spiritual associations. This is ignorance but clearly when a unjust tragedy does occur, it seemingly mars the lines of reality for some who are unable to cope with the trust that our people have for our own Laws and our own Ways.

[Vlady]

06:36 PM on 05/05/2011

That is a real breakthrough. I hope the other great religions Buddhism, Adventism, Shintoism and Islam will follow suit

[mdadna]

09:04 AM on 05/06/2011

My understanding, and I may be wrong, is that conversion standards in Israel have been relaxed a bit to allow validate all Israeli Orthodox conversions, not conversions by Reform or
Conservative Jews in Israel and not, necessarily, any conversions by American Jewish rabbi.

Irrespective of what the official conversion standard is in Israel, in my experience most Jews (all types) treat converted Jews as outsiders.

[Vlady]

12:25 PM on 05/06/2011

>>most Jews (all types) treat converted Jews as outsiders.

Not to my experience. Many converted Jews become more ardent adherents to Jewish values than some from the tribe. They are gladly accepted across the board.

[Benignuman]

03:02 PM on 05/11/2011

While that might be the case in some communities, every community I have ever lived in (4 total) has welcomed converts with open arms and treated them like anyone else.

The Torah implores the Jews numerous times to love converts and treat them as well as anyone else.

[cbk780]

05:38 PM on 05/05/2011

Remember Sanford and Son?

There was a great line in one of the episodes (Funny You Don't Look It) where Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx) decides he is actually an Ethiopian Jew. When he finds out it's not true he asks a Jew about conversion. The Jew looks straight at this black man and says "don't you have enough problems already?"

I thought it was one of the funniest lines I had ever heard.

What made me think of this 35 years later was reading this article. With all the hatred that is leveled at Jews, you would think that every Rabbi would be happy when someone decides to join up.

But no. At least in Israel there are a group of Orthodox Rabbi's who feel that other Rabbi's are not "kosher" enough to perform a conversion that meets their standards.

How sad it that?

Don't we have enough problems already?

Charlie

[hfpf]

01:28 PM on 05/08/2011

Judaism has never been a missionary religion. An individual interested in converting to Judaism is supposed to be turned away three times. This is done to test the sincerity of the individual.

While I don't agree with the Ultra Orthodox Rabbinical attitude in Israel toward non Israeli Orthodox conversions, I understand the attitude. They want to ensure that those converted are indeed living strict Orthodox lives.

Unfortunately, IMHO, I think this sudden reversal has to do more with possible loss of financial support than having a change of heart. I have no way of proving that, but it wouldn't surprise me at all.

[AmitaiKarlin]

05:09 PM on 05/09/2011

Orthodox rabbis have been accused in the past of converting individuals for "cash, money, and prizes." Most Orthodox leaders ignore these incidences. Shouldn't they start internally to ensure their Judaism is as "pure" (a ridiculous word for a ridiculous concept) before enforcing their labels of "Jewish" and "non-Jewish" on we, the non-Orthodox?

[Yonah Hall]

12:53 PM on 05/16/2011

Charlie,
I am an African-American Jew who converted with the Chief Rabbinut of Jerusalem 30 years ago.If anyone had said that line to me"Don't you have enogh problems already"?,I would have laughed in their face.

I do remember looking at Sanford and Son, back in the day.but don't remember that particular episode.Too bad I'm sure I would have had another good laugh!

[Joel Alan Katz]

05:18 PM on 05/05/2011

The headline is very misleading. The Rabbinate is NOT recognizing "ALL" conversions, since the Rabbinate does not accept Reform and Masorti (Conservative) conversions conducted in Israel.

[leftyirishwoman]

05:33 PM on 05/05/2011

That must cause a great deal of pain. What has changed?

[Daveh88]

08:11 PM on 05/12/2011

No it is not. It said they would accept all ORTHODOX Conversions. it never said all conversions. Get glasses.

Besides If they accepted reform and masorti conversions it would raise issues. since all groups recognize orthodox conversions it makes it easier to just accept them