The following testimony was provided by a teacher who works with candidates for giyur, employed in the state system, which is expected to declare tens of thousands of additional candidates “Jews” in the coming year. The report is filed by the Srugim dati leumi website.

What is the Makeup of the Beis Din?

The teacher tells about the beis din. “The av beis din, who is a rav affiliated with the dati leumi tzibur, accepts just about anyone coming before him even if it is uncertain if the giyur candidate is going to adhere to a life of Torah and mitzvos. The situation is so extreme that the administration of the giyur has asked me to please only bring serious candidates before this particular beis din.”

The woman providing the testimony is affiliated with the Ami giyur program. She reports that the situation is “abnormal”, for a beis din to be absolutely lenient in this matter.

The Av Beis Din is Dati Leumi

“In the course of my work I find myself before this beis din almost weekly. I am known to the dayanim and the other members of the staff. This beis din is made up of extremely lenient dayanim. The av beis din is affiliated with the dati leumi tzibur as this beis din tends to accept just about any candidate that appears before it.”

Just How Lenient is the Beis Din?

While we the teachers who spend a considerable amount of time with candidates, a year, explain to the beis din the candidate is not shomer Shabbos, or that s/he is not yet close to kiyum mitzvos, nevertheless the conversion is approved. At times, there is a heated disagreement between the dayanim but at the end, the giyur candidate is accepted.”

This extreme trend is so well known to the secretariat of the beis din that these folks are in regular contact with me by phone, at times warning me the beis din that passes everyone will preside on a certain day, instructing me which candidates to bring or not to bring. On such days I try to only bring students who I do not view as ‘problematic’”.

“However, even rumors have wings and word travels to the point that the candidates for giyur themselves seek to pressure me to have them appear before this lenient beis din.

Everyone is Eligible for Giyur

Ironically, the Ami program is viewed as one of the more serious among the state giyur programs. The school was even praised in the state comptroller’s scathing report on the giyur programs. The school makes certain that every candidate is adopted and escorted though the process in a one-on-one situation.

The teacher providing the testimony is known to be among the better and more serious ones out there, one with considerable experience. She continues by describing what she views as an unacceptable situation.

“Yesterday there was really an extreme case. A student was presented despite not being with the program for over a year. I know for a fact that the student is mechalel Shabbos regularly.”

She documents how this particular candidate for giyur spends much time on Shabbos on social network website.

“I presented these facts to the dayanim and showed how the candidate contradicted himself numerous times. We are certain beyond the shadow of a doubt that this candidate does not life of adherence to Torah and mitzvos. Nevertheless, when standing before the dayanim, this intelligent individual knew the answers to all the questions and just how to respond. After a bitter argument between two of the two dayanim, the one opposing the candidate was compelled to back down and the candidate was passed.”

“Since that incident, I am pained and torn apart. I personally telephoned the dayan who felt as I did, that the candidate was not ready and I shared my pain with him. The dayan turned to me saying ‘I am with you on this. My heart is pained too. But you know, like all of us, that my hands are tied with the makeup of this beis din…what can I do?’ Later on he was in touch with me and advised me as to how to maneuver this matter towards compelling another hearing despite the fact the beis din already ruled to accept the giyur.”

A Cry to Help from Prominent Rabbonim Shlita

The testimony was sent by the teacher to prominent rabbonim shlita affiliated with the dati leumi community seeking advice. “What can I, a simple teacher for giyur do in this case? The list of candidates that passed giyur represents people far from maintain a life of Torah and mitzvos. Nevertheless such candidates are approved in this lenient beis din, each and every one of them.”

The rabbonim responded with concern and after debriefing the women on all the details, they brought it before the appropriate rabbonim in the Chief Rabbinate Council.

The Instructor Adds

“The list of candidates approved simply is not close to adherence to mitzvos and this list seems to continue expanding. I am troubled and pained to the core. Despite intensive instruction and a direct one-on-one connection with the candidates, they opt to abandon the lifestyle they have pledged to accept and uphold. Why must I, an instructor for giyur, find myself in such a predicament? Why must I repeatedly be exposed to such situations time and time again? Must I be in this morally troubling situation? Perhaps it was I who assisted these very same candidates to bypass the system and convert despite having no intentions of maintain a frum lifestyle?”

State Comptroller Wants Larger Numbers Converted

Perhaps it is worthwhile adding that in the state comptroller’s report it stated that not enough candidates are approved and the number of converts must be increased. In addition, just this week, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu visited with HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita accompanied by two prominent rabbonim, and they warned the gadol hador of the need for making certain the correct candidates are elected as the next Chief Rabbis of Israel. They explained to Rav Kanievsky that tens of thousands of candidates will undergo giyur in the coming year.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)