The Chief Rabbinate of Israel has announced that it does not recognize the new giyur law and it does plan to abide by it. As a result of the passage of the law an urgent session of the Chief Rabbinate Council was held during which Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Dovid Lau Shlita expressed his anger over the cabinet ministers deciding to pass a law addressing giyur that is not acceptable to the Chief Rabbinate of the nation. Rabbi Lau is quoted saying the new law undermines the Chief Rabbinate and the Chief Rabbinate will not recognize converts processed through the new system.
Chief Rabbi of Elad Mordechai Malka Shlita spoke with Kol Berama Radio and explained he and others are circulating a document that they hope will be signed by Gedolei Yisrael Shlita and municipal rabbonim stating they will not recognize converts processed under the new system.
Rav Malka explained that in essence, he does not believe that the new conversion centers are being opened nationwide as the law led many to believe, adding it could just be that prime minister permitted it to pass to keep the coalition together. However Rabbi Malka is not naïve and he does acknowledge some of these new centers will open and that is now unavoidable.
However, he points out that if enough rabbonim of prominence sign the document, persons beginning the conversion process will become aware that if they are using the new system, they will only be viewed as Jews upon completion of their studies by a segment of the Jewish population, which will not include the Chief Rabbinate and many others. He feels that one wishing to convert will want to be viewed as a Jew by everyone, and this will direct them to the options that were always available, not the new centers.
Kol Berama:
Why not just have a large kenos and have classes to teach all the municipal rabbonim what they must know and permit them to carry out conversions as the new law stipulates?
Rabbi Malka:
Yes, this was one of the options that we considered but we realized it is not realistic at present. There are too many rabbonim of different hashkafos and walks of life. While what you are saying would be ideal it will not happen since not all the rabbonim are in agreement and not all will agree to conform to the current criteria and that is why we are circulating the document.
We believe when the giyorim realize if they avail themselves of the new system, they will not be viewed as Jews by everyone upon completion of the process.
Kol Berama:
Have some rabbonim signed already?
Rabbi Malka:
Yes indeed, many have but we are not ready to release names just yet. We hope to have Gedolei Yisrael sign as well.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
Rabbi Lau expresses his anger
WoW
I guess in the present , a Chief Rabbi is allowed to be angry. Not like the Rabbis of the Talmudic Era.
Such progress
The fact that the Chief Rabbis have such a problem with the conversion system merely emphasizes that the Israeli Rabbinate is corrupt and they know it!
If it wasn’t corrupt and untrustworthy incompetents weren’t being appointed as Rabbis all this wouldn’t be a problem.
If the Chief Rabbis don’t have respect and can’t trust their own Rabbis, why should the ordinary man on the street have respect for the Rabbis?
I’ve lived in Israel for over 20 years and can attest that those who drape themselves in blackness on the outside, all too often they are at least as black on the inside – in their hearts. These in so many cases distance the secular by their obsession on heavy DIN and obsession on the theoretical perfection of the movement of the body parts via gamara.
As far as I’m aware there is only one place where of all the 613 Hashem via Moshe describes the priority of things, its in parsha Eikev, going by memory I think its Deuteronomy 10, sub 12. In any event its where Moshe asks of Israel, “Israel, what does Hashem ask of you”. Then Moshe proceeds to answer his own question with 6 very short and easy to understand answers. In first place, the first 4 of them relate to the duties of the heart. In last place in priority are the Hok and the Mitzvot. For those who are “religious” they pray in Shacharit for the same thing, and in the same order, but for too many they then proceed to set it all aside in favor of their heavy DIN.
At least most of them don’t lie, they don’t call what they do “Torah”, instead they call it Tay-reee, or some other corruption. Well, its only Hashems “opinion”, but He did say that “the people will be dressing strangely”. Also, when He opens the eyes of the people there will be many tears.
So dear rabbis, how about doing better, not waiting for “those tears”, do better already. Open your hearts instead of, or before your gemaras / DIN. Its not for nothing that all the true gadolyem up to and including the Chofetz Hiam all said 2 hours a day Max. for gamara, because it is DIN, and more than 2 hours brings DIN on the learner and on the world. R. prime student of the ARI went further, stating that if one has not mastered the gamara in 5 years, better to set it aside and try something else.
It would be helpful to know exactly what the new law requires and how it differs from the requirements of the rabbonim.
I find it repulsive that a bunch of anonymous “talking heads” are attacking our Chief Rabbis. Rabbi Yosef and Rabbi Lau were given this position by Hashem,( we get the leaders we deserve) and he wants them to use their position for the spiritual welfare of Am Yisroel.
They have both incredible yichus. Rav Yosef was a Gadol Hador, and Rav Lau descends from a father, who epitomizes the chessed of Avraham Avinu, and the peace making of Aaaron Hakohen(who he descends from).
To say they have ulterior motives is wrong. Plain wrong.
“To say they have ulterior motives is wrong. Plain wrong.”
Whatever the motives, to refuse to accept a kosher convert is wrong. In fact, it puts you over an issur d’oraita.