Former MK Elazar Stern on Tuesday evening 9 Iyar spoke with Kol Chai chareidi radio. Stern, who spearheaded liberalizing religious services in Israel in the 19th Knesset is puzzled as he tries to understand why the chareidi parties negotiating to enter the coalition are so concerned with undoing the state’s new giyur law, which he backed wholeheartedly.
Stern questioned “Why is Yahadut Hatorah so involved with giyur and demanding to change the new law? Is anyone in Bnei Brak marrying a convert? Is this at all relevant to them yet they are focusing on this and other religious issues during coalition negotiations.
Stern refers to Yahadut Hatorah demands that state giyur returns to the exclusive control of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. Under the new law backed by Stern, rabbis nationwide may certify converts and certify them under the new state system. That is not to say any rabbi in Israel may convert someone, but rabbis serving in various posts, some with a far more liberal hashkafa regarding giyur, are permitted to carry out conversions under the new law.
Both Chief Rabbis, Rabbi Dovid Lau and Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef are adamantly opposed to the new law.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
They are opposed because they care about the integrity of the Jewish people, not just themselves.
As a religious Jew, Stern should realize this.
Because they are NOT selfish people like most others in the government who just care and think about themselves. The Charedim are concerned about the BASIC Jewish laws that go back almost 2,000 years. No personal greed. Not doing to upset anyone!
Those hareidim who oppose the medinah probably don’t. From there perspective, all non-frum Israelis are or soon will be safek goyim due to the many non-Jewish immigrants and the fact that any conversion to being a non-frum Jew is prima facae void. However those support the medinah, support the zionist position of having “one people” and giyur not in accordance with halacha means that the non-Palestinian population of Israel will consist of two distinct groups with different cultures, different religious views, and who don’t see each other as “one people.” The anti-zionist hareidim would reply “You are 70 years too late”.
the man has a point.
Chareidim should just sit back, shut up, and accept the relabeling of every goy as a Jew.
I agree with the first two comments
It is actually impressive that they care enough to make it part of their negotiations instead of just letting the ‘zionist’ Jews do what they want and have their own rules for their communities. Maybe the aka pookas don’t agree but its a good thing we have gedolim that care.
“Why is Yahadut Hatorah so involved with giyur and demanding to change the new law? Is anyone in Bnei Brak marrying a convert?”
let’s ask this differently:
MK Stern, why are YOU so concerned about your giyur law, are you looking for some shiksa to marry?!?
Why was Stern involved in changing the law. Did he want to marry a convert?!
The Chareidim support the Torah. there is no compromising on that. One positive aspect of the state is having a large concentration of Jews living together. If giyur is compromised than you have goyim living as Jews. this can cause terrible damage to the Jewish People who are living in such togetherness. one will not know who is really Jewish. is that so hard to understand? There is marriage and children being born. people returning to the faith. It has to be clear who is Jewish and who isn’t.
And if any of these “gerim” or their offspring become frum? What will be then?
So small minded and short sighted:(9