2010 Convention Resolution: Supporting and Defending Converts

Whereas, those who convert to Judaism according to the halakhah (Jewish law) are welcomed as complete members of the Jewish people; and

Whereas, the Torah obligates the Jewish people to act lovingly towards those who convert to Judaism (Deut. 10:19) and prohibits oppressing them Lev. 19:33); and

Whereas, recently there have been incidents in which the conversions of properly converted Jews have been challenged and even revoked, the integrity of the rabbis and rabbinic courts which have facilitated those conversions have been deprecated and belittled, and proposed legislation in the Israeli Kenesset has sought to deny rights of Israeli citizenship to those converted in Israel;

Therefore, the Rabbinical Council of America resolves:

• To reaffirm the great love, respect, and admiration it has for the many non-Jews who, with integrity, dedication and self sacrifice have cast their lots with the Jewish people and the God of Israel and pledges to continue the warm welcome and embrace of these converts and their families.

• To protest the personal, familial, emotional and religious distress and anguish caused by the often insensitive character of the initiatives and statements which call legitimate conversions into question or which alienate and stigmatize proper converts to Judaism.

• To call upon the RCA, its rabbis and members to speak about these issues in their communities, to express these concerns to the Israeli government, in the Jewish media, and to those parties who denigrate the integrity of the conversion process and of these converts.