The Jewish Agency is seeking to establish batei din for giyur around the world, a system that will circumvent the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, Kol Chai Radio reports on Sunday morning 11 Tammuz.
Jewish Agency head Natan Sharansky told Kol Chai last week that he has no alternative other than support such activities, which the report states is the direct result of the Conservative and Reform Movements achieving a position of growing influence in the Jewish Agency.
This said, it is clear that the matter is not simple for even if the Jewish Agency in cooperation with the Conservative and Reform Movements moves ahead with such a plan, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel will not recognize the conversions so it is unclear how successful such a program will be and if it will occur at all.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
This is bad news for the religious zionists, since they want to believe that the Medinah is a state created in accordance with halacha, and will force them to admit that many people that the Medinah recognizes as Jews are in fact goyim.
For hareidim who follow the teachings of the ויואל משה it will just be another opportunity to say “I told you so.”
Why did Sharansky want to come to Israel? To destroy the nation by dividing it in two? He is smart enough to know better.
“growing influence” since when have the heterodox Jews Not been in charge
Akuperma you’re reading the r. zionists a bit off. Since midinat yisrael represents clal yisrael and the Jewish agency was its predecessor… Should clal yisrael accept something who are they to say no and tear the clal apart
The Jewish Agency has long outlived its usefulness. By theirown admission, 70% of the people they bring top Israel are NOT halachacally jewish, but their funding is based on the number of people they bring in.
Along with the Histadrut, both should be honorable retired.