The bill sponsored by Yisrael Beitenu Party seeking to implement reform in giyur in Eretz Yisrael came before the Knesset Law Committee on Monday morning, a committee chaired by MK (Yisrael Beitenu) MK Dudi Rotem, an attorney and shomer shabbos Jew, a member of the dati leumi community.
Rotem boldly exclaimed “When I arrive in the next world, I will boast the fact that I pushed this bill through and I do not know what will happen to those who oppose it”. Rotem is the father of the bill seeking to grant rabbonim employed by the state to approve conversions, a move opposed by chareidi MKs. He feels that state-employed rabbonim should be empowered to convert non-Jews, but chareidim explain gedolei yisrael are opposed, fearing this will open the door to non frum conversions.
MKs Moshe Gafne and Uri Maklev (Yahadut HaTorah) had harsh words for Rotem, met with a response from Labor’s Eitan Cabel, who exclaimed “I don’t want to be in the next world with you!”
Rotem pointed out that Chief Rabbi Moshe Amar Shlita approved it, and it was also welcomed by Chacham Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlita. Reports in the chareidi world on Monday morning indicate that Rav Amar has retracted his approval, as was indicated by R’ Maklev.
Attorney Yaakov Weinrot has been conducting behind-the-scenes negotiations, lasting late into the night, seeking to bridge the gap, but MK Menachem Eliezer Moses stated “the crisis has just been pushed off, not solved”.
“We are not interested in the bill as it is being presented and the present reality is a violation of the coalition agreement”. He added that they took the letter approved by Rav Amar to Maran Rav Elyashiv Shlita, and an agreement was written out as a result of the efforts of the Belzer Rebbe Shlita, “and only that version is acceptable” but in the committee on Monday, Rotem’s preliminary wording of the bill, was not the one agreed to by both Yahadut HaTorah and Shas, Moses exclaimed.
Moses added that Rotem’s statements regarding the approval of Rav Amar and Rav Yosef were inaccurate and Shas leaders reportedly told MK Moses this simply is not the case. MK Moses stated that Rotem boldly released statements that the rabbonim sided with his bill when this is simply not the case.
“On Thursday I received the document and moved it along to the appropriate rabbonim and we saw this was not what we agreed to”.
Rav Moses preferred not to detail the controversial points, explaining the media is not the appropriate forum, stating “we have a problem with ‘diyur’ (housing) and not ‘giyur’ (conversions)”.
Moses further explained that even if the bill is presented in its preliminary form on Monday, there “will be no vote” and that is what counts, confident they stopped it in time.
MK Moses stated this is a deal-breaker and there will be no compromise.
On the other hand, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who heads Yisrael Beitenu remains committed to the bill, one of his main issues in the pre-election campaign, and he is unlikely to accept attempts to scrap it or amend it to suit chareidi parties.
“It is simply unacceptable to entertain a situation in which any rabbi of a city in Israel will have the authority to declare someone Jewish. We will never agree to such an arrangement” adds Moses to drive the point home.
On the other side, the bill enjoys widespread support among members of Labor and Kadima, indicating a major coalition crisis may be brewing if Weinrot is unsuccessful in his mediation efforts.
Rav Maklev explained his concerns far exceed coalition realities and concerns, but the future of the Jewish People, chas v’sholom endangered by unacceptable giyur.
Secular MKs from Kadima and Labor expressed pleasure, stating “finally the conversion monopoly held by the chareidim is coming to an end”.
The exchange of words between chareidi MKs and the secular and dati leumi Rotem was harsh, unbefitting lawmakers, but perhaps it displayed just how far apart the MKs are on critical issues such as giyur.
In a related matter, the Yisrael Beitenu bill addressing civil marriage in Israel is on the agenda for Tuesday. Yisrael Beitenu is working to strike a deal with Shas, thereby hoping to neutralize Yahadut HaTorah opposition.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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One Response
“state-employed rabbonim should be empowered to convert non-Jews”
Check and you will see that the majority of ‘state-employed’ rabbonim are charedim. If the Chief Rabbinate will not be in charge of ‘giyur k’halacha’, then who exactly will? This problem is evident globally and has spiraled out of control with the EJF fiasco.