Hi all, I ran across an interesting piece in the Jerusalem Post this evening in Rabbi Andrew Sacks’ blog “Masorti Matters.” Rav Sacks calls to attention recent comments made by former Israeli Sephardi Chief Rabbi and current Shas Party spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. Rav Yosef is know for making repulsive statements from time to [...]
Conversion Bill Update From the Masorti Movement – Its Good News!!!
March 16, 2010 By 1 Comment
Well this is good news! Maybe our emails did help! The Conversion Bill The Conversion Bill This is an update, and a thank you. As a result of the strong feelings expressed by so many, including many of you, the bill in the Knesset which would have affected conversion and the Law of Return has [...]
URGENT ACTION REQUESTED regarding Knesset Conversion Bill
March 8, 2010 By 13 Comments
I just received an email from Rabbi Menachem Creditor of Netivot Shalom and the Shefa Network regarding a Conversion Bill that’s about to be presented to the Knesset. I’ve already posted about it here but I thought I should pass along Rabbi Creditors request on the main blog. Despite my own burnout and apathy on [...]
Israeli Conversion Crisis and a Measure of its Impact
February 11, 2010 By 2 Comments
YNet news reported an interesting look at at least one aspect of the fallout of the conversion crisis in Israel. The numbers presented by Rabbi Israel Rosen to the Chief Rabbinate’s conversion department and religious courts show a 12% drop in the rate of conversions – all of which must be sanctioned by the Rabbinate [...]
More Conversion Meshuganas – Deaf Need NOT Apply!
May 27, 2008 By Leave a Comment
I just came across the following on the Ynet site: Anyone inflicted with a severe hearing and speech impediment cannot undergo Jewish conversion. This harsh statement was recently made by Rabbi Avraham Sherman of the Chief Rabbinical Court, in a ruling now made public. And here is why incase you were wondering! Any conversion preformed [...]
RabbiPod On The Israeli Conversion Crisis
May 19, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Last week Rabbi Eli Garfinkel of Temple Beth El (a Conservative Synagogue in Somerset, NJ) recorded an interesting Podcast. In short the good Rabbi shares some of his concerns regarding the recent conversion fiasco in Israel. Here is a brief summary of the episode from the RabbiPod site. In this episode of RabbiPod, I argue [...]
The Un-Jewing of Orthodox Converts in Israel
May 4, 2008 By Leave a Comment
I’m sure that most of our reader by now have already heard about the latest in the fiasco in Israel regarding converts and the “Who is a Jew” question. But in case you haven’t here is a snippet from a recent Jerusalem Post article covering the story. The Jewishness of thousands of converts was cast [...]
