MK (Bayit HaYehudi) Uri Orbach in a bold move has called on Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger Shlita to seek a new form of employment, outside of the framework of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

Orbach, a new MK, a former journalist and member of the dati leumi community came out publically against the chief rabbi after Rav Metzger earlier in the week in an address at a public event announced his unabated support for Rav Avrohom Sherman, av  beis din of the Supreme Rabbinical Court. The controversy surrounds Rav Sherman’s ruling disqualifying all giyurim of Rav Chaim Druckman Shlita, who is affiliated with the dati leumi community, who headed the government-appointed giyur mechanism. Rav Druckman was appointed to head the State Giyur Authority by then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Rav Sherman in a major ruling retroactively disqualified the conversions of thousands of giyurim who passed through Rav Druckman’s network, a decision which has widespread ramifications for the geirim, their spouse and their children.

“The honor of the converts supersedes that of the chief rabbi, who does not recognize the conversions of his own system” states Orbach. “If the chief rabbi believes his job is to obey and flatter his chareidi representatives, it would be advised to find him employment outside of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel of the State of Israel”.

Minister of Absorption (Yisrael Beitenu) Sofa Landver in her reference to the controversy called on Sephardi Chief Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Amar Shlita to proclaim the conversions binding and to recognize the geirim who underwent the process under Rav Druckman. (Rav Amar is also the chief dayan of the Rabbinical Supreme Court).

“It is unacceptable that politicians and other seek to compromise the status of the giyurim, seeking to harm the status and acceptability of the giyurim” the minister stated.

Landver called on Rav Amar not to remain silent, thereby showing passive approval of those seeking to harm the geirim.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)