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About 200 people demonstrated in Jerusalem next to the office of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel in protest of its radicalization and contempt for converts and Rabbis abroad. Abandon its extreme policies and accept converts who converted by the Halacha with Orthodox rabbis from abroad.

The demonstration was held in light of the recent turmoil surrounding the decision of the Petach Tikvah regional Rabbinate court to not recognize conversion done by Rabbi Yechezkel Lookstein, mora d’asra of the ‘Yeshurun’ congregation in New York and one of the most prominent Orthodox rabbis in the United Stated. The decision was based on the opinion of the state conversion program of Israel, which is subjected professionally and by the Halacha to the Israel Chief Rabbinate.

During the demonstration, organized by the ‘Itim’ organization and by Alumni of Rabbi Lookstein “Ramaz” School, Nathan Sharansky, Chairman of the Jewish Agency, addressed the crowd saying that “Rabbi Lookstein is an industrious and revered figure. His reputation goes before him and he does not need my defense. Therefore, I am not here to protect him, but protect the state of Israel’s good name. In these times particularly, during which we are fighting Israel’s delegitimization, when our enemies are trying to disconnect the connections between the young Jewish people of the world and the state of Israel, this harsh blow to the image of Israel amongst the Jewish diaspora is delivered.

“The Jewish Agency is fighting to strengthen Israel’s status within the Jewish diaspora and we are protesting against the intolerable damage to the vital connection between Israel and the diaspora, particularly with the younger generation who is seeking to bring the meaning of Israel into its life.”

The demonstration was also attended my MKs and Former MKs from the different the various factions. MK Yehuda Glick (Likud) who attended the event called on the Chief Rabbinate to not be sectarian and accept the entirety of Am Yisrael.

MK Elazar Stern (Yesh Atid), who also attended the demonstration said that “Seeing Nathan Sharansky at the rally this morning reminded me of the “Let my people go” campaign. The people need to be freed from the rabbinate as well. I urge the Chief Rabbinate to unite Am Yisrael with Diaspora Jewry. Rabbi Lookstein, a long known educator and rav in the New York Orthodox community, has done more to achieve that than the Chief Rabbis of Israel. Those who dare to raise their hand against Rabbi Lookstein’s conversion is hurting the state and the people and are bound to remain disconnected from Am Yisrael.”

Former Yesh Atid MK Rabbi Dov Lipman attended the demonstration as well, addressing the issue of extremism in the Chief Rabbinate which, according to him, has crossed a line.

“We have known for some time that a sense of extremism has been spreading in the Rabbinate, alienating Diaspora Jewry from Israel. Only now, they have gone too far by not recognizing Rabbi Lookstein’s conversion – A renowned and prominent rabbi. This has to awaken the entire system – especially the government and especially the religious and chareidi member of the government who need to understand that what they are doing is to torture the converts thus acting against the Torah. We will now stop until the right thing is done. Zion shall be redeemed by law and full in its justice.”

Efrat Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin also attended the rally saying that “the Torah tells that “Thy shall love the convert for you were once a foreigner in the land of Egypt.” This commandment of loving the convert appears 36 times in the Torah. In its extremism, the Chief Rabbinate is breaking this important commandment time and time again.”

Rabbi Dr. Seth Farber, head of the ITIM organization which, as mentioned, was one of the rally’s organizers and is leading the petitions filed against the disqualification of Rabbi Lookstein’s conversion, address the crowd during the rally saying that the extremism that has taken the Chief Rabbinate is driving Am Yisrael away from the Jewish faith.

“There is no religious reason to reject Rabbi Lookstein. This is a particular and painful case that exemplifies the abnormal behavior of the entire system and we are seeing this in all the areas in which the Chief Rabbinate is dealing with. This extremism will eventually bring to the alienation of the Rabbinate from Am Yisrael. We all lose in this case.”

Rabbi Farber further added that “we are doing a general protest no just over Rabbi Lookstein… who in the United States enjoys a complete trust, but because once again, the issue of conversion is repeating itself. People who make Aliyah and wish to marry here are given a slap on the face, causing a chasm between the State of Israel and the United Stated Jewry, and we are protesting that…”. In the last weeks, the ‘Itim’ organization, head by Rabbi Farber, Has been in the center of the struggle to recognize Rabbi Lookstein’s conversions and is also dealing greatly with improving the religious services in Israel and in creating a renewed connection the Israeli society and the religious establishment.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)