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12/17
Under another element of
Melchior's
proposal, which the
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Conservative and Reform movements
have long supported, the nationality
Jerusalem
clause in Israeli identity cards would
srael's minister of diaspora affairs
be removed. This would essentially
is attempting to settle the coun-
mean that the state of Israel would no
try's conversion controversy and
longer rule on "Who is a Jew."
the issue of non-Jewish immi-
The proposal also seeks to launch a
grants in one comprehensive proposal.
mass campaign to convert non-Jewish
Conservative leaders in . Israel are
immigrants who have arrived under the
skeptical about Rabbi Michael
Law of Return.
Melchior's proposal, which includes
However, potential converts
removing nationality clauses from
would be directed to joint conver-
identity cards, and attempting to con-
sion institutes, where Orthodox,
vince non-Orthodox groups to will-
Conservative and Reform teachers
ingly drop their demand for the right
prepare conversion candidates. The
to perform conversions in Israel.
conversions would be performed by
The proposal also advocates mass con-
Orthodox rabbis.
version of non-Jewish immigrants and a
This element of the solution is the
tightening of the Law of Return, which
core
of the recommendations formu-
grants automatic citizenship to children,
lated
by the committee headed by
spouses and grandchildren of Jews.
Ya'acov Ne'eman, Israel's former
Israeli Reform leaders were not
finance minister, which tried to solve
immediately available for comment.
the conversion problem under the
The proposals have been presented
previous government. Although the
to Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who
non-Orthodox movements accepted
has given Melchior, the minister for
the concept in principle, they said it
Israeli society and world Jewish corn-
did not solve the problem because the
munities, the green light to carry out a
Orthodox rabbinate never agreed to
round of talks with all sides in the
convert graduates of the institute.
coming weeks.
Rabbi Ehud Bandel, president of
Melchior's office hopes to present a
the Masorti, or Conservative, move-
formal proposal to the government
ment in Israel, rejected linking the
before April, when the Supreme Court
liberal streams' right to perform con-
is due to resume hearings on the con-
versions to the issue of non-Jewish
version issue and possibly issue a final
immigration.
ruling on a conflict that has strained
"Of course, we welcome talks
Israel-diaspora relations for many years.
about
the technical solution which we
Barak is expected to be too tied up
have advocated for years," he said,
with his ambitious peace agenda to be
referring to the proposed removal of
personally involved in hammering out
nationality from identity cards. "But
a compromise. But his support reflects
there is no point to eliminating the
the government's desire to enlist the
nationality clause without letting us
help of U.S. Jewry ahead of intense
continue to perform our conversions.
lobbying that will be needed in
"There are many positive elements to
Washington to secure funding for pos-
Melchior's
proposal," he said, pointing
sible future peace deals with. Syria,
out
the
technical
solution and the pro-
Lebanon and the Palestinians.
posal to increase the number of stu-
A source at Melchior's office, speak-
dents at the joint conversion institutes.
ing on condition of anonymity, said the
"But we insist that it is our right to per-
proposals aimed to bring about a de
form conversions in Israel and we can-
facto situation where Orthodox conver-
not agree to suspend our conversions."
sions continue to prevail.
Rabbi Avraham Ravitz, from the
"The final goal is to have one con-
fervently
Orthodox United Torah
version, an Orthodox conversion, but
Judaism bloc, said he had not yet
out of agreement," said the official.
fully studied the proposals, but said
We want to reach a situation where
he supports any package that would
the Conservative and Reform move-
get the non-Orthodox movements to
ments willingly forgo performing con-
stop performing conversions in Israel.
versions in Israel."
AVI MACHLIS
1999 Landcruiser
Carrier
1999
. •
,1•7,., 7. -1, F.-,