The Hindu : International : Israeli court eases Jewish conversion law

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Friday, Apr 01, 2005

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International

Israeli court eases Jewish conversion law

JERUSALEM, MARCH 31. Israel's Supreme Court agreed on Thursday to recognise non-Orthodox conversions to Judaism performed partially in Israel, delivering a blow to the Orthodox monopoly over religious affairs in the country and cutting to the heart of the Jewish state's identity.

The Reform and Conservative Jewish movements, which have been marginalised by the religious establishment, praised the ruling as an important step toward recognition in Israel, though they conceded the decision was only a partial victory. Orthodox religious leaders warned the ruling would cause an irreparable split in the Jewish nation.

Law of Return

Under current practice, Israel recognises only conversions performed by Orthodox rabbis inside Israel, although people converted by non-Orthodox rabbis outside the country are eligible for citizenship under Israel's ``Law of Return.''

The law grants automatic citizenship to any Jew. The court ruled on a case brought in 1999 by 17 foreigners who studied for Reform or Conservative conversions in Israel, but had the actual ceremonies performed abroad in an attempt to get around the state's limitations. Israeli authorities objected to their ``bypass'' conversions, saying the Law of Return does not apply to foreigners already living in Israel. Thursday's ruling accepted the conversions, granting legal recognition to the bypass conversions. ``Someone who came to Israel as a non-Jew and — during a period of lawful residence here — underwent conversion in a recognised Jewish community abroad ... will be considered Jewish,'' the ruling states.

Blanket recognition

But the Chief Justice, Aharon Barak, writing for the majority in the 7-4 decision, said the ruling did not decide on whether Orthodox or non-Orthodox conversions performed completely in Israel qualify for the Law of Return. The liberal movements had hoped the court would give blanket recognition to all non-Orthodox conversions. ``It's a partial victory,'' said Ehud Bandel, head of the Masorti, or Conservative, movement in Israel.

The conversion battle cuts to the heart of the identity of the Jewish state and was being watched by Jews outside Israel.

The Reform and Conservative movements are the two largest streams of Judaism in the United States, but they have been largely sidelined in Israel.

The dominant Orthodox establishment has a virtual monopoly over issues as marriages, divorces, and burials, as well as sizable budgets from the Government. — AP

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