Opinion

A MIX OF IDEAS

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Dry Bones THE WAY THINGS ARE

Editorial

Overhaul Israel Conversion

T

he leadership of organized
Jewry, from the Jewish
Federations of North America
to the Jewish Agency for Israel,
expressed frustration, anger and a sense
of betrayal — understandably — with
the Netanyahu government for allowing
a controversial conversion bill to make
progress in the Knesset, even though it
would alienate the vast majority of dias-
pora Jewry.
The bill proposed by David Rotem of
the Yisrael Beiteinu party, many of whose
constituents are Russian immigrants, was
designed to make the conversion process
more accessible to the approximately
350,000 former Russians who are citizens
of Israel, many serving in the army, but
who are not Jewish.
That goal was admirable and neces-
sary, but the bill, which would have
allowed city rabbis in Israel to per-
form conversions, also gave full and
final authority to the Orthodox Chief
Rabbinate. Such legislation would not
only make the great majority of world
Jewry feel like second-class citizens, risk-
ing further distancing from Israel, but
also is largely ineffectual since it would
only have a practical impact on a relative
handful of conversions.
Rotem visited the U.S. last spring and
heard from a variety of Jewish leaders

here, who warned that the legislation
would be deeply harmful to the sense
of Jewish unity and peoplehood. He
assured them he would not go forward
with such a bill.
What's more, Prime Minister
Netanyahu issued a statement several
months ago, asserting that "any legisla-
tive arrangement [on conversion] will
have to ensure the unity of the entire
Jewish people." But he did not prevent
the Rotem bill from passing a Knesset
committee — a first step toward legisla-
tion — in mid-July, giving the impres-
sion that the prime minister is more
concerned about domestic politics than
Jewish peoplehood. (Yisrael Beiteinu,
led by Foreign Minister Avigdor
Lieberman, is a key party in the govern-
ment coalition.) Last week, Netanyahu
finally put a halt to the bill for now.
The controversy over religious iden-
tity in Israel, from "Who is a Jew" to
conversion, is a perennial lightning rod
that heats up every few years. Squaring
the circle by maintaining halachic tra-
dition without offending 85 percent of
world Jewry has proven elusive. But a
path carved by Rabbi Haim Amsalem, a
Shas member of Knesset and religious
authority, could be significant. He has
published a scholarly book of rabbinic
responsa with a more welcoming atti-

tude toward
potential
converts. And
he has writ-
ten that the
willingness
of soldiers
from Russian
immigrant
families to
risk their lives
to defend the
Jewish state
proves their
sincere inten-
tion to be part
of the Jewish
people. He has
been criti-
cized sharply
from haredi
colleagues
and called
heroic by sup-
porters searching for halachic flexibility
toward potential converts.
What is required is an overhaul of
the current ineffective system in Israel
and strong political support for an
approach like that of Rabbi Amsalem,
one that could lead to welcoming tens of
thousands of Russian immigrants and
their Israeli-born children into Jewish

WELL, THE
DEMONIZATION
OF SEWS OD THE
JEWISH STATE HAS
GONE VIRAL AND
GLOBAL

4

peoplehood. It requires good will, and
placing Jewish unity over domestic
politics. That sounds all too naive at
the moment, but until it happens, the
divisions among us will only fester and
grow — and potentially weaken dias-
pora support for the State of Israel.

❑

This editorial comment originally appeared

in the Jewish Week of New York.

Conversion Wars Undermine Israel's Image

New York/JTA

W

ho won the latest round of the
conversion wars? No one. In
these wars, everybody loses.
To be sure, a broad-based coalition
of American Jews, anchored by the
federation system and the Reform and
Conservative movements, succeeded in
convincing Israel's leaders to delay a vote
on a controversial new conversion bill
in the Knesset. This was a monumental
accomplishment, averting the disaster
that was certain to ensue if the legislation
had been adopted.
Nonetheless, there is no reason for sat-
isfaction.
At this moment, Israel should be
mobilizing her friends to confront the
dangers posed by Iran. She should be
responding to the outrageous anti-Israel

scenario next year or the year
actions of the United Nations.
after that.
She should be working with
What's going on here?
the American government to
Israeli leaders vastly underes-
advance the cause of peace.
timated how sensitive American
Instead, Israel has spent
Jews remain about religious
several months engaged hi
matters in the State of Israel.
an ugly battle with American
The first conversion crisis
Jewish leadership. American
was in the 1950s; and it was
Jews committed to Israel's
assumed in Israel that the most
welfare had no choice but to
recent dispute was nothing
join a public lobbying effort
Rabbi Eric
more than one more round in a
aimed at Israel's government.
Yoffie
long battle.
The confrontation included
Special
Yet conversions in America
new levels of nastiness. The
Commentary
are far more frequent now than
sponsor of the legislation,
they were a generation ago.
David Rotem, was quoted
Jews by choice are to be found
in the New York Times as
in every community; and Jewish leaders
referring to American Jewish leaders as
are infuriated by legislation in Israel that
"absolute idiots!" Worse yet, if history is
they see as challenging the status of so
any guide, we will learn nothing from
many American Jews.
this experience and repeat the disastrous

In addition, American Jews dislike
religious fundamentalists who attempt to
impose their will on others. The danger
of religious extremism throughout the
world is endlessly discussed in the news
media. American Jews share the distress
of all Americans that Israel, a democratic
ally, has created a coercive religious
monopoly that limits the religious free-
dom of its citizens.
When U.S. senators and members of
Congress expressed their concerns about
the bill, Israeli representatives here began
to understand just how dangerous the
situation had become. American lawmak-
ers rarely speak out on internal Israeli
politics; and if they were doing so now,
it could only mean deep concern on the
part of their constituents.

Conversion Wars on page 32

August 5 • 2010

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