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STATE TO RECOGNIZE REFORM, CONSERVATIVE CONVERSIONS
Maariv International, Sept. 12, 2004
PM nixes any legislative amendments to Law of Return. Lapid confirms facts via his spokesman.
The state is about to recognize non-orthodox conversions in Israel, effectively ending the orthodox monopoly over this issue. This follows the PM’s decision not to initiate or support any legislation defining orthodox conversions as the only kind valid in Israel.
A few days ago a discussion took place as to the state’s position in preparation for the upcoming hearing before the High Court of Justice (HCJ). The court has been hearing a petition filed by IRAC (Israel Religious Action Center), the public and legal affairs division of the Reform Movement in Israel, against the Interior Minister in response to his refusal to register non-orthodox converts as Israeli citizens. The suit was filed several years ago when Shas, an ultra-orthodox party, held the ministry.
During the discussion, Attorney General Meni Mazuz said that the state had no legal basis for refusing to recognize reform and conservative conversions carried out in Israel. He made it clear that such a policy could only be created by legislation legally enshrining orthodox conversions as the sole valid conversions in Israel.
This would require amending the Law of Return. Such a step would be akin to opening a Pandora’s box, and could lead to a total schism between Israel and world Jewry, the majority of whom is not orthodox, as it would, in effect be enshrining orthodox Judaism as the only recognized and officially sanctioned form of Judaism in Israel.
At the end of the meeting the PM decided that the government would neither initiate nor support any such legislation, and that this would be the basis of the state’s response.
Deputy PM Justice Minister Yosef (Tomi) Lapid, leader of Shinui, which is committed to a policy of religious pluralism in Israel, confirmed these facts, via his spokesperson.
There have been unconfirmed reports emanating from the PM’s bureau that Sharon will attempt to have his cake and eat by including the Ne’eman committees’ recommendations in the state’s response.
The Ne'eman committee was set up last time the HCJ was due to deliver its verdict on this case. It called for the Jewish Agency, to form special conversion classes with a syllabus agreed upon by representatives of all the major streams within the Jewish nation. Rabbinical courts, subject to the orthodox Rabbinate, would convert graduates of these classes. The effort came to naught, when the Rabbinate’s failed to live up to its commitment, by refusing to allow the Rabbinical courts to convert the graduates who appeared before it.
Justice Minister Lapid’s spokesperson denied the allegations. “We know of no decision to include any reference to the Ne’eman committee in the framework of the state’s response”, he said.
Interior Minister and Shinui deputy leader Avraham Poraz also said that he was unaware of any binding decision to resurrect the Ne’eman committee, and that if any such attempt were made he would oppose it.
“In such an eventuality, the minister will present his own opinion to the court negating any such attempt, and supporting a policy of recognizing any conversion performed in good faith, irrespective of whether the officiating rabbis were orthodox, conservative or reform”, he said through his spokesperson. The spokesperson said that since the suit was filed against the Interior minister, he had full discretion to present his opinion if it transpired that it differed from the one formulated by the Attorney General.
The PM’s office declined to comment, despite having received several verbal and written requests for comment.
IRAC welcomed the development. “If indeed the government acknowledges the fact that the state can no longer deny full and equal recognition to all the major streams of Judaism, including their conversions, this is a great day for the state and the entire Jewish nation”, said IRAC spokesperson Merav Seger.
Attorney Nicole Maor, head of IRAC’s legal department said that she too was happy that the government had no intention of trying to legislate orthodox conversion as the sole legitimate form of conversion.
She expressed concerns about the possibility of further delays by waving the Ne’eman committee as a red herring in front of the court. “The Ne’eman committee never had a legal basis, as the Knesset never adopted it. It no longer has any public basis either, as it was derailed by the Rabbinate, in violation of specific promises and commitments. Trying to resurrect it now would be a deliberate attempt to pull the wool over the court’s eyes”.
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