The Conversion Law Needs to be Strengthened – Not Compromised

Maybe the blowup is a good thing... Now is the time for Haredim to make the Conversion Bill even Stronger and address the Real Problem.

MK Gafni: “Reform Jews are delegitimizing Judaism,” Gafni told Army Radio. “I would be willing to sit with a Palestinian, but not with a Reform Jew.” 

“The Status [Quo] is bad, because it gets violated over and over again; the moment a religious Jew is unable to observe Shabbat, Judaism in Israel is undermined.”

Jacobs, "Deri is a liar"
Deri, "Reform is against the status quo," = anti-Torah true Judaism

Conversions Must Be According to Halacha

OPINION: Times of Israel: "[...T]he CONVERSION BILL is where the rubber hits the road in official Israel’s acceptance or rejection of American Jewish religion and identity. It is here where Haredi lawmakers seek to legislate the first clear rejection of “Reform” Judaism — what these lawmakers call “Reform” includes no small amount of Conservative and Orthodox — into Israel’s law books. It is no accident that many Israeli modern-Orthodox rabbis, including Tzohar founder Rabbi David Stav, are on the “Reform” side of the debate.

"On paper, the bill does very little. It says nothing at all about overseas conversions. It has nothing to do with conversions in Israel by Israeli citizens, including the hundreds of thousands of family members of Jews who are not themselves halachically Jewish. And it doesn’t concern non-citizens in Israel who seek to convert in the official state rabbinate framework. "Who’s left? Only these: non-citizens living in Israel for an extended period who obtain Jewish conversions from private conversion courts."

Dafka, this is what needs to be done – Strengthening the Conversion Law. Because, if the Reform and Conservative do move here, and realize they have been cheated of authentic Judaism, they will need the Halacha for authenticity. Their non-Jewish children (if so) will need the Halacha to join the Nation of Am Yisrael. The quasi-form-of-religion they profess is NOT ‘another stream of Judaism’. One cannot deny the Oral Law and say they are Jewish. There is no other way.

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AIPAC Leaders: Netanyahu explained to the heads of the lobby that he had received a threat from the haredi parties that if he did not respond to their demands on these issues immediately they would cause a coalition crisis and force the country into holding early elections. Netanyahu said that he preferred the stability of the government over causing a shake-up to the entire State of Israel.

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DEAL REACHED: JPost Article: Under the terms of the agreement the state together with the Reform and Masorti (Conservative) movements have agreed to request that the High Court of Justice delay by at least six months a ruling on a petition to grant non-Orthodox converts recognition by the state.

In return, the haredi parties have agreed to suspend their legislation which would have granted the Chief Rabbinate a total monopoly on conversion and would preempt the High Court ruling by denying in law any recognition of Reform and Conservative conversions done in Israel, as well as those of non-state, independent Orthodox rabbinical courts. [me: something does not make sense … is this a stalling posture?]

Netanyahu will now appoint a committee to review the issue and present alternative arrangements within six months, and the prime minister has given instructions for legislation on the issue not to be advanced until the committee reports back. [me: into committee-mode, which in the past has meant a backing away from original situation. Does this mean that Netanyahu will in the meantime it will give him time to prepare for new elections and new coalition partners? … so the conversion bill can be watered down?]

In the first place, why is an American body of Jews bringing their case to the Israeli Court System?? Are they planning Aliyah?

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Addenda: One Import from America that Israel does not need: Reform, Conservative, and Open Orthodoxy.

A MLOTEK and A POTEK:  “Time to Rethink Our Resistance to Intermarriage:” Open Orthodoxy’s (OO) approach to the status of the intermarried Jewish Community of Reform and Conservative Americans. Master linguist, Eytan Kobre cautioned them to “be less sensitive to the sho’el before you and more wary of the she’ol before you” (see Sanhedrin 7a, last line). 

Another excellent phrase on a 'Conservative' conundrum, “Such deep seated equivocation and insecurity can only exist in a movement that virtually never speaks about absolute truth and G–D’s Will and our subservience to Him.”  From an excellent article “Coming Attractions” by Eytan Kobre, in the Mishpacha Magazine, 28 June.

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** “sho’el" = question, and “she’ol” = grave. 

* (OO) sums them up as two zeros!