Shortly following Pesach, four rabbonim employed by the state were targeted in a High Court of Justice petition challenging their position, demanding ‘proof’ regarding Jews converted by the state program. The four are Rechovot Chief Rabbi Simcha HaCohen Kook Shlita, Ashdod Chief Rabbi Yosef Sheinen Shlita, Chief Rabbi of Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Wolpe Shlita and Chief Rabbi of Ashkelon Rabbi Yosef Chaim Blau Shlita.

These rabbonim receive numerous requests daily from people presenting certificates of conversion, wishing to get married via the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. The rabbonim instruct the candidate to bring a certificate from the rabbinate attesting to the halachic legitimacy of their giyur.

While this has been the standard practice in past years, the ‘Itim’ organization is unwilling to permit this to continue.

In one case, a couple that underwent a legitimate giyur explains Itim was compelled to visit the local Rabbanut to produce additional documentation to satisfy the demands of R’ Blau. The organization questions just how one is expected to address the situation in which one receives a giyur from the same Chief Rabbinate that now challenges the legitimacy of the document and perhaps the entire process.

According to the weekly BaKehilla, quoting R’ Sheinen, in many cases the rabbonim are indeed facing a couple which presents a certificate from the state authorized giyur, which is under the umbrella of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. R’ Sheinen explains “we know just how reliable that giyur is in some cases”, defending the rabbonim who are unwilling to accept the document on face value.

The rav is quoted as adding “it is absurd. They expect us to accept the situation on face value when all we are doing is our job, fulfilling our responsibility to validate the legitimacy of people prior to permitting a marriage”.

When asked just what they check, the rav explained they are compelled to validate the giyur. When asked this is accomplished, he added “this is something that it is not detailed in a newspaper”.

For now, the rabbonim are waiting to see just how the Chief Rabbinate of Israel plans to respond, explains Sheinen. “I am certain the High Court will side with the petitioners and compel us to accept the certificate of giyur on face value, which we cannot. I do not know what we will do. We will need many tefillos” concluded R’ Sheinen.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)