Israeli Supreme Court Conversion Policy

RCA Reaffirms Commitment to Conversion, Decries Israeli Supreme Court Decisions Favoring non-Halachic Conversions Over National Unity

(Newark, NJ) May 17, 2005 — Whereas the Rabbinical Council of America, along with the Israeli Rabbinate and other Orthodox groups, stretches out its hand to all who sincerely wish to become part of the House of Israel through conversion carried out by those who are committed to the halachic standard of kabbalat ‘ol mitzvoth and who demand it from their converts; and,

Whereas the Supreme Court of the State of Israel, to our great dismay, recognizes conversions which do not adhere to the above standard; and,

Whereas the RCA notes with sadness that the ongoing consequence of this fact is that not all who identify themselves as Jews can still marry one another;

Therefore, the RCA decries the ongoing decision of the Israeli Supreme Court to value a multiplicity of conversion definitions over the need for the most basic unity of our people, thereby undermining, over the long term, the unity and corresponding spiritual strength of our nation and the State of Israel.