Minister of Religions Matan Kahana last week held a series of meetings with American Orthodox rabbis, in order to present the conversion reform, in the hope that they will side with him, but in a letter published tonight in the Times of Israel they turn a cold shoulder to him - saying it is a plan they can not support.
In the letter, signed by Rabbi Binyamin Blau, President of the Council of American Rabbis, Rabbi Leonard Matanki, President of the RCA, Rabbi Michael Taubes of the Yeshiva University, Moshe Bain, President of the OU and other rabbis, they clarify that while they support changes and amendments, The reform is taking this step too far.
The meeting with the minister of religions, they say, was productive and valuable "because the issues he is trying to address are significant," but at the same time, "we eventually left the yeshiva without the ability to support its legislation as it is written today."
"Although we are very concerned about the challenges facing our Jewish state, we are very concerned about the impact that such legislation could have on Israel and the Diaspora."
They noted that they recognize the problem, as hundreds of thousands of Israelis are now non-Jews, but at the same time "we fear that the proposed reforms, including the decentralization of conversion courts in Israel, as well as the lack of transparent standards, will not solve these difficulties." Other equally serious problems. "
The decision to strengthen the local rabbinical courts, they argue, will allow only a small percentage of the relevant population to undergo conversion "since even the most liberal of those courts will require some degree of commitment to Torah and mitzvos."
At the same time, they argue, the price may be high: "The proposal will result in different, and perhaps conflicting, standards being adopted in different places - converts to lighter standards will not be accepted as Jews by others, creating two communities that cannot marry each other."
About 20 years ago, they are a story, any rabbi in the US could make independent conversions, but the result was distrust. Today, because the Chief Rabbinate of Israel will not receive an unrecognized American conversion - only a few rabbis do it, Rabbinate on Conversions in the United States.
"You will learn from our experience," the rabbis wrote.
The negative effects of the reform, the rabbis argue, will not be limited to Israel alone.
"The Israeli indices are the ones that allowed us to establish our indices in the United States. If the guidelines in Israel conflict, we will quickly lose the ability to maintain a standard in our communities."
The rabbis stated that they see the Chief Rabbinate as an important component, so although there is room to rectify the situation - "We are concerned about the choice to implement changes that may address these flaws by shutting down the institution. Whatever the obstacles may be - That they will improve and strengthen the rabbinate. "
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