7 Responses

1. But you are two centuries late. Anyone, especially an Ashkenazi, who can not trace their maternal ancestry back to someone who was frum should probably be considered a “safek goy”. Non-kosher conversins have been going on since the turn of the century (several turns of the century ago).

   If the State of Israel had instead been an autonomous Jewish community governed by halacha and with political rights limited to frum Jews, it would be different — but most Israelis consider “mitsvos” such as celebrating Yom ha-Atzmaut and serving inn the IDF to be more important than Shabbos and Kashrus. If you want to have government controlled conversions in a democratic zionist state, they will always be a problem.

2. So right!
   Slippery slide into Refotm..

3. This is an inspirational response, in my opinion. R’ Druckman shlit”a does not badmouth the tremendous roshei yeshiva and rabbonim involved in the alternate giyur. Instead he points to practical problems that might arise from going down this path.

   May this lead only to respectful and productive conversation on this complicated issue, instead of the too-common name-calling that we find in the media (and even sometimes in comments on this site).

4. I’m glad Rav Druckman came out against them. That will surely weaken support for them. However, his later statement hints to a major factor why these Rabbis want to make an alternate Beis Din. This is a foolish power struggle that many Mizrachi Rabbis have dreamed up in their heads. They believe that the Chareidim control the Rabbinate and won’t let any Mizrachi Rabbanim in. I wish they would stop looking at kipot and start looking a the person filling the role. There is no question that Rav Yosef, shlita is more than worthy of his position.

5. #1 akuperma – my dear friend you are not a posek and thus should make statements like your first one. Please reconsider your statements before posting. Thank you

6. Netanyahu turned to Rav Druckman to try to solve the impasse before the elections.
   This new giyur committee is their answer to being thwarted in the last elections with the hareidim returning to the coalition and dumping that bill.
   Let’s hope that his call will lead to sitting around the table, rather than rushing to spin in the media.

7. That probably was the reason it was not done before. But it is poor policy to tie your hands because of a problem which will have to be faced – so face it then, and solve the problem now!