Chief Rabbi David Lau has sent a harshly-worked letter to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett protesting plans to promote a reformed system of conversion to Judaism in Israel and remove Rabbi Moshe Weller as head of the Conversion Authority in the Prime Minister's Office.

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In the letter, Lau writes, "The role of the head of Conversion Authority is to implement the halachacic instructions of the president of the Great Rabbinical Court. And the head of the Conversion Authority has an obligation to ensure that the halachic instructions are followed."

The reforms to Israel's conversion system, initiated by Religious Services Minister Matan Kahana, would among other things allow city rabbis to operate conversion courts in the hope of helping tens if not hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens of Jewish heritage who are not recognized as Jewish to convert. The conversion reform bill is due to be presented to the Knesset plenum for a first reading on Wednesday.

In his letter to Bennett, Lau also writes, "Removing from office the person who is in charge of implementing halachic instructions cuts off the connection between the conversion system and the Chief Rabbinate, and will lead to a disconnection and lack of halachic responsibility for what happens during conversions."

In addition, Lau warns, "Unfortunately, this step is part of a dangerous trend to promote a system of conversion that is currently being discussed. I once again state that the proposed conversion reforms will cause a massive rift in the Jewish people that cannot be healed."

According to Lau, "If the conversion reforms are implemented, it will split the Jewish people, who in the future will have to grapple with the question 'Who is Jewish?', whom they can marry or – heaven forbid – not marry, a terrible situation of two states for two peoples, a split Judaism rather than a united one."

Lau concludes by informing Bennett "with great regret" that if the reforms are passed and Weller is removed as head of the Conversion Authority, "I will be forced to remove myself from any responsibility for conversions, and will immediately stop approving any conversion certificates issued under [the new system]."

Responding to Lau's letter, Kahana said, "It's painful to see that the chief rabbi intends to stop conversion in Israel just because a functionary's job has not been extended. The move will hurt new immigrants from Ethiopia, IDF soldiers seeing to convert, and thousands of other potential converts."

Kahana said that in an attempt to reach as broad a consensus as possible, the government was promoting a conversion reform bill that would allow Israelis to want to convert to do so in accordance with Jewish law.

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Kahana urged Lau to reconsider his intention of stopping conversions and continue the dialogue, so all sides concerned could reach better agreements about government-run conversion that follows Jewish law.

Associates of Kahana accused Lau of going "out of bounds."

"Stopping all conversions is the 'nuclear option,' and the strongest tool against converts. It's an immoral, unjustified act," they said

Associates of Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata said that she would "not allow the rights of immigrants to be violated."

Later Tuesday, people close to Lau said that claims he intended to stop all conversions were "a complete lie."

A statement put out in the chief rabbi's name said: "The chief rabbi is defined by law as head of the Jewish people and signs off on every conversion to the Jewish religion. As part of this, the rabbi has the head of the Conversion Authority, whom he appoints to ensure that conversions take place in accordance with the rules of Jewish law.

"The moment that person is dismissed and the rabbi has no way of knowing according to what rules conversions were carried out, the chief rabbi will by no means sign off on any conversion, regardless of the identity of the convert and what country they come from, without knowing with certainty that it was conducted according to Jewish law, as detailed in the rabbi's letter to the prime minister," the statement read.

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Following the High Court of Justice's decision this week to recognize Reform and Conservative conversions under the Law of Return, United Torah Judaism faction chairman MK Yitzhak Pindrus opted for harsh language in discussing female immigrant IDF soldiers who convert to Judaism while in the military as part of the Nativ program.

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Speaking at a conference sponsored by the religious news website Kipa and ITIM – The Jewish Life Advocacy Center, Pindrus said, 'I'm not willing to compromise on even a single 'shiksa' or goy becoming part of Israel because I want to be pluralistic and nice. That won't happen."

After MK Tehila Friedman (Blue and White) made an outraged response to these comments, Pindrus upped the ante and said, "She [the soldier] is a shiksa, a goy. If she converted through the IDF, she isn't Jewish according to Jewish law. If someone marries her. His father should sit shiva for him, rend his clothing, and say Kaddish."

Pindrus' remarks drew fire from politicians. Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid said that "MK Pindrus' remarks are primitive and sad. What female IDF soldier is he talking about? The women combat soldiers in the Caracal Battalion? The female Border Police at the checkpoints? The lookouts on the Gaza border?

"These wonderful young women you call 'shiksas' are saving your life," Lapid said.

MK Yair Golan (Meretz) also condemned Pindrus' comments, saying "MK Pindrus is under pressure because they are taking away his monopoly on Judaism, so he is humiliating kosher Jews who don't espouse his failed approach."

Rabbi Seth (Shaul) Farber, chairman of ITIM, said in response to the wave of controversy that "We cannot ignore attacks on righteous converts who serve in the IDF and work on behalf of the people of Israel. MK Pindrus' works prove that the Haredi parties aren't afraid of non-Orthodox conversion, but rather of losing their control over the religious establishment and the conversion process."

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The High Court of Justice handed down a landmark decision on Monday after 15 years of deliberations on the hot-button issue of non-Orthodox conversion, ruling that the state could no longer abide by only one stream when it comes to the immigration of Jews under the Law of Return.

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Under that law, Jews have the right to immigrate to Israel if they are considered Jewish ethnically or via their religion, but the latter criteria had until now been strictly limited to Orthodox Judaism when it comes to converts.

The nine-justice panel on Monday said that for the purpose of immigration and citizenship, prospective immigrants can qualify even if they joined the Jewish faith via Reform or Conservative conversion processes, but they must do so in Israel.

The ruling comes just three weeks before Israelis go to the polls to select a new Knesset, and this will most likely fire up debate on the role of Judaism in government.

The ultra-Orthodox parties, who have had control over the state institutions recognizing conversions, will most likely raise this issue when it comes time to choose whom they will support in the post-election coalition negotiations, and this could determine who will become prime minister.

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In a newsletter to commemorate Veterans Day and Kristallnacht, the synagogue's leadership warned that "the attack on democracy happening now is literally unprecedented," referring to Trump's refusal to concede the election to Democratic contender President-elect Joe Biden.

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"On this week when we mark the 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht, we Jews know that when assertions are made by authoritarians that go unchallenged, when ordinary citizens shrug and do nothing, or worse, are co-opted by those looking to undo democracy, the gravest harm ensues," said a statement signed by the clergy of Temple Emanuel, a Conservative synagogue in Newton, Mass.

The statement continued, blasting Trump for his ongoing actions following the election, saying they are like "shattered glass," and adding that "we shudder to think what it can portend if not challenged."

The statement was signed by senior rabbis Wesley Gardenswartz and Michelle Robinson, along with cantor Elias Rosemberg, rav hazzan Aliza Berger and hazzan Sheini Daniel Nesson, who also serves as ritual director. Temple Emanuel is one of the largest Conservative synagogues in the United States with some 1,200 member families. Prominent congregants include Robert Kraft, whose family owns the New England Patriots; Lawrence Bacow, President of Harvard University; and Steven Grossman, former Massachusetts State Treasurer and former President of AIPAC.

The statement by Temple Emanuel comes as Christiane Amanpour, chief international anchor for CNN, was widely criticized after she also compared Trump's conduct to Kristallnacht. Citing the commemoration, she likened Trump's criticism of the media and legal efforts to contest the recent election to the Nazi attacks on Jews during that event.

Jeremy Burton, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston, declined to specifically comment on the Temple Emanuel statement, instead pointing JNS to his recent tweet on Amanpour.

"@camanpour was wrong to invoke Kristallnacht in comparison to President Trump. There is plenty to criticize Trump about. There are important lessons to be learned from the Holocaust. Inappropriate comparisons serve neither purpose. An apology is needed."

Major Jewish and anti-Semitism watchdog organizations have long-criticized comparisons made between contemporary politics and Nazi Germany, which have become more commonplace in recent years amid political polarization.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org

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