Haaretz: The conversion reform bill, which reaches the cabinet for approval on Sunday, contains a paradox. Three political parties, most of whose voters are secular, are promoting a new procedure for Orthodox conversion, against strong opposition from the ultra-Orthodox parties.
Supporters portray the initiative as a masterpiece of liberalism against the ossified ultra-Orthodox establishment. But the opposite is true. The reform will only deepen religious coercion and the rabbis’ rule over nonreligious people.
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have become citizens via the Law of Return, even though they are not considered Jewish according to Jewish law. Most of them maintain Jewish customs; first and foremost, they speak Hebrew and serve in the Israel Defense Forces.
They are all citizens with equal rights except one: They cannot marry Jews in Israel because of the rabbinate’s control over marriage and divorce. For them to marry with the rabbinate, they must undergo an Orthodox conversion process and prove that they observe Jewish law.
The framers of the reform, headed by MK Elazar Stern (Hatnuah), hope that adding more names to the list of rabbis authorized to perform conversions will relax the stringent demands when people seek to be considered Jews.
Categories: Arab World, Asia, Israel