Court Decision Reignites 'Who Is A Jew' Issue

Ha'aretz Daily ^

[Alouette]

Arutz Sheva

Fury In Religious Circles At Supreme Court Conversion Ruling

The Supreme Court handed down two important rulings this morning. It instructed the Interior Ministry to accept conversion-ceremonies carried out by the Reform and Conservative movements and to register the people involved as Jews. Former Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu called on rabbis in Israel to accept converts as Jews only if they have undergone an Orthodox conversion according to time-honored Halakhic [Jewish legal] tradition. “On the one hand," he said, "the court intervenes to prevent the demolition of homes belonging to terrorists. On the other hand, the court intervenes to destroy the House of Israel, bringing gentiles into the House of Israel resulting in encouraging assimilation.”

NRP head Rabbi Yitzchak Levy called upon the religious parties in the government to set an ultimatum: Either a law is passed that will "right the wrong" and recognize only Halakhically-converted persons as true converts, or else "go to new elections in the hope that the national honor will be restored." Rabbi Levy said that the Supreme Court had sent an "explosive warhead at the heart of the Jewish People… The justices have long detached themselves from the people, and today they totally cut themselves off from Halakhah [Jewish Law] and cut the thread of Jewish identity."

Reactions in Shas were just as harsh. "The Supreme Court has become the most radical chapter of Meretz and the Reform movement," a party statement said. "The Court is undermining the Jewish character of the State of Israel… and is helping the fatal process of Jewish assimilation. Many sectors of the Israeli public simply have no trust in this Court." The Shas party has already begun preparing legislation to bypass the Court's ruling. Its proposal will stipulate that the Chief Rabbinate is the only body that can determine the validity of conversion to Judaism. Labor MK Eitan Cabel said that he would work to ensure that the legislation does not pass.

Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau said that the ruling drives a wedge in the public, and that it will be a source of "weeping for generations." Rabbi Lau said that the original leaders of the State, "headed by David Ben-Gurion, and even the British Mandate, recognized the Chief Rabbinate's authority to determine how people may join the Jewish Nation."

On the other hand, Stephen Hoffman, president of the United Jewish Communities, told a gathering of Jewish Agency board of governors members in Israel that those who are not Jewish according to Halakhah should still be accepted as members of the Jewish people. "Those who chose to join us should be made to feel welcome," he said. "There is room for a larger identification." Reform Rabbi Uri Regev said, "This ruling has historic significance, as it strengthens the Jewish pluralism in Israel and totally rejects the Orthodox establishment position."

Deputy Foreign Minister Rabbi Michael Melchior, of the left-wing religious-Zionist Meimad movement, said, "Questions of conscience and faith should not be decided in the courts or in the Knesset..."

[SJackson]

Do you think on Israel's version of FR they read daily posts on immigration in the US, the Klamath Valley, Enron, school vouchers, gun control, Tabernacle Choir, Nader, Torticelli, et al?

[Ronin]

Actually, if the Isrealis have a version of Free Republic, I would not be surprised to see a long, drawn-out argument on that and other issues...

Including such things as whether Korean dog-meat stew can be prepared Kosher.

When it comes to splitting hairs....

[xvb]

I cannot imagine who would care about this except people in Israel. I am sure somewhere Christians are debating theological issues, in a religious forum I would suppose.

[SJackson]

I cannot imagine who would care about this except people in Israel. I am sure somewhere Christians are debating theological issues, in a religious forum I would suppose.

I agree, I'm interested, but I probably wouldn't discuss it here.

[SJackson]

Actually, if the Isrealis have a version of Free Republic, I would not be surprised to see a long, drawn-out argument ...

I wouldn't either. I'd expect to discuss dog meat stew on the .........(far eastern country(ies) version of FR.

I hope FR expands. I might not have a lot to add, but I'd love to participate in those threads.

PS, next time I'd rather discuss stew made of those big rats than dogs.

[JAWs]

Dog is inherently trief.

Thought you'd like to know.

[Ronin]

That's great. What's a trief?

[JAWs]

Treif means not kosher.

[Ronin]

Ah... My education (for the morning) is now complete.

[Nix 2]

I agree, I'm interested, but I probably wouldn't discuss it here.

Kinda puts the damper on those who think that a Jew is a Jew is a Jew though, don't it?
But you are right. This forum is not the place for this discussion.

[LarryLied]

Same liberals in America who go ballistic over the US sending an envoy to the Vatican or who fight school vouchers because a parent might use them to send their kids to a religious school see no problem with America sending billions to a country which is so theocratic they pass laws deciding who is a Jew and who is not.

Before I get jumped, I support vouchers, I support a US envoy to the Vatican and I support aid to Israel. I am just sick of liberals trying to always have things their way.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I think perhaps the relevant issue is that the U.S. provides significant financial support to Israel, which is in many ways run as a racist theocracy -- in other words, repugnant to the ideals of the U.S. Constitution. This news notes a move away from the entrenchment of said racist theocracy, and thus is relevant to U.S. citizens' decisions on whether to support or oppose continued financial support to Israel.

[scratchgolfer]

The US sends aid to Arab dictatorships where Christians are treated horribly and Jews are shunned. The Palestiniians are ill-treated by Arafat, not Israel, where they have voting rights, and far more rights than say, women have in Arab/Muslim nations.

[GovernmentShrinker]

We should concern ourselves with those things as well.

[JAWs]

The Saudi governemtn is far more theorcratic then Israel. The 'Who is a Jew' issue is important for immigaration, mostly.

[LarryLied]

Yeah, the Saudi's are more theocratic. Egypt is right up there too and we give them billions also. What does that have to do with the inconsistency of liberals who want us to support a theocratic government abroad but fight school vouchers to religious schools here and get bent out of shape because we have diplomatic ties with the Vatican?

Saudis and Egyptians are, far as I know, not trying to repress religion in America, are not suing when the Ten Commandments are put up in a public building and do not oppose vouchers to religious schools. Most liberal supporters of Israel are and do.

[Alouette]

Saudis and Egyptians are, far as I know, not trying to repress religion in America, are not suing when the Ten Commandments are put up in a public building and do not oppose vouchers to religious schools. Most liberal supporters of Israel are and do.

You are "preaching to the choir" by ranting against "Jewish" liberals to this forum. I don't like them any better than you do.

[rmlew]

I think perhaps the relevant issue is that the U.S. provides significant financial support to Israel, which is in many ways run as a racist theocracy -- in other words, repugnant to the ideals of the U.S. Constitution. This news notes a move away from the entrenchment of said racist theocracy, and thus is relevant to U.S. citizens' decisions on whether to support or oppose continued financial support to Israel.

Israel is also a Parliamentary country without a constiuttion, ideas repugnant to our consitution. This has nothing to do with giving them money.
Israel is not a theocratic anything. Its institutions were set up by Socialists. There are state funded Christian and Islamic schools in Israel.
Non Jews have full rights, although only Jews can emmigrate.