In the Tuesday 26 Menachem Av edition of Yated Neeman, Editor Rabbi Yisrael Friedman addresses the new independent beis din for giyur announced earlier this week by prominent dati leumi rabbonim. Yated refers to this new beis din as the “rabbinic version of the hilltop youths”, speaking out against it in the harshest terms. Friedman explains the rabbonim were confident that the legislation to liberalize giyur was going to pass in Knesset and create a new reality, “but the law for the time being has been placed in the trash can of history without succeeding in destroying the Jewish People” he adds.

He accuses the dati leumi rabbonim of thinking they can do as they please and despite the law that grants exclusive authority to the Chief Rabbinate, now they will try the alternative beis din for the main thing for them is that they are the deciders. Since the law to liberalize giyur was scrapped, they are now working to circumvent the Rabbinate “so that foreign blood will flow in the heart of the people”.

Rav Friedman insists they do not truly care for the convert for if this was so, they would not convert people in an anarchistic fashion, a fashion that is estranged from halacha and the law. Friedman stresses that giyur that is not recognized by the state and certainly not be serious batei din among kehillos Yisrael in Israel and abroad is tantamount to deceiving the convert. One who truly cares for the well-being of a convert would not act in such a faction.

Rabbi Friedman shifts his attack to the leaders of the Bayit Yehudi party, citing how serious rabbonim in the dati leumi community have accused them of harming Yiddishkheit by their actions. “The rabbinic hilltop youths of the dati leumi community have now decided to go for it and dismantle the Chief Rabbinate of Israel for their failed to conquer this hilltop in democratic elections…”

Friedman adds that if these very same rabbis were displeased with the ruling of a civil court and then dared to establish an independent court the outcry would be heard and all aspects of the media would defend the system at all costs. He adds that on the surface it appears perhaps as a PR stunt by the “rabbinic hilltop youths” who are trying to incite the nation, those disconnected from their roots to turn against Kedoshei yisrael towards compromising the official halachic authority for after all “one must address hilltop youths as they area, hilltop youths”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)