After the “cease-fire” announced six months ago and the freezing of legal proceedings and the advancement of the Conversion Law, the committee appointed by Prime Minister Netanyahu appointed under former minister Moshe Nissim to examine the issue has yet to submit conclusions. The committee has increased the pace of its work, but the state is expected to ask the High Court of Justice for another few months.

The government is preparing to appeal to the High Court of Justice to request a further postponement of the petition demanding the recognition of Reform and Conservative conversions until the completion of a government policy on the issue. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu agreed with the chareidim and the Reform and Conservative petitioners last June, permitting the break in legal proceedings. A cease-fire was declared at that time, granting a half year hiatus from legal proceedings and to freeze the government’s law to address the chareidi monopoly on giyur in Israel.

Walla News is now reporting former Minister Moshe Nissim, who was appointed by Netanyahu to formulate the government’s position regarding giyur, has in recent weeks held meetings with relevant parties but he requires more time until he is ready to announce the government’s position. Therefore, another extension of between three and six months is going to be requested.

The giyur crisis worsened last June, at which time the government voted to freeze the situation at the Kosel vis-à-vis egalitarian prayer. This surrounded the government decision to advance legislation to anchor exclusive frum control over giyur, namely the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, in response to a previous High Court of Justice ruling dealing with giyur by a private Orthodox beis din. Once they are recognized as Jews, then they can receive citizenship under the Law of Return.

When the bill was approved by the Ministerial Law Committee, the complaints began flooding the Prime Minister’s Office, complaints received from Jews in the Diaspora, with about 70% aligned with Reform and Conservative Jewry. Netanyahu finally ordered freezing the current situation and order the formulation of a team which will formulate the guidelines. All parties agreed to the six-month hiatus to permit the committee to formulate its guidelines.

Some two months later, Netanyahu announced the appointment of Moshe Nissim to head the panel. However, due to the Tishrei Yomim Tovim, they only began working a few weeks later. Nissim then began picking up the pace and he has met with the heads of chareidi parties as well as Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky. Earlier this week, he met with leaders of the Conservative Movement and is expected to meet with Reform leaders this week. He also met earlier in the month with opposition leader MK Yitzchak Herzog, with the latter warning Nissim of the almost tragic crisis waging among the Jewish People.

In a Facebook post following their meeting, Herzog wrote, “Netanyahu has decided to abandon the Diaspora, calling on any and all who care to act.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)