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6 Ellul 5763 - September 3, 2003 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Plan to Transfer Rabbinical Courts to Justice Ministry Delayed
by Betzalel Kahn

The Prime Minister's Office has decided to postpone the government plenum to weigh transferring the Rabbinical Courts from the Religious Affairs Ministry to the Justice Ministry following harsh criticism against the proposed move, which would make Justice Minister Tommy Lapid (Shinui) chairman of the Dayanim Selection Committee.

Chareidi political parties made clear to the Prime Minister and his staff that such a decision would not pass quietly and would not make the system any more efficient, but would merely cause constant dissent between the Justice Minister and the entire beis din system.

According to speculation Sharon wanted to transfer responsibility for the Rabbinical Courts in order to enable the government to pressure dayanim into instituting leniencies in conversion, chas vesholom. The Prime Minister's statements at a government meeting one month ago and last week in Jerusalem, including a remark that "the dayanim must be flexible with the halacha," provide a clear indication of his intentions. Officials at the Prime Minister's Office say they are aware of the potential problems transferring the botei din to the Justice Ministry would entail and, following extensive criticism it was decided to delay deliberations for the present.

At one of its upcoming meetings the government also plans to approve the appointment of former Mafdal MK Rabbi Chaim Druckman as head of the conversion apparatus. The proposal to appoint Rabbi Druckman to this post, first published in Yated Ne'eman three months ago, was initiated by Deputy Minister Yitzhak Levy after the Attorney General determined that Rabbi Druckman could no longer serve as a dayan at the specialized conversion courts due to his advanced age. Rabbi Druckman, who was never officially appointed a dayan, has come under harsh criticism by leading rabbonim for his so-called conversions, which clearly contradict halochoh.

According to Ha'aretz last week, "the appointment of Druckman--who is identified with the lenient approach to conversion procedures--was made following pressure by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who believes this would make it possible to significantly increase the number of converts." The newspaper also noted that in 2002 "only 848 goyim among the 300,000 non-Jewish immigrants living in Israel" were converted. The contents of this report demonstrate high- ranking Israeli government and Jewish Agency officials support mass conversion in order to alter the country's demographic balance.

The Rabbinate and many dayanim have expressed opposition to the appointment of Rabbi Druckman. Rabbinate figures say that the majority of immigrants have no interest in converting and merely view Israel as a convenient place to live after having immigrated through deceitful means. The Rabbinate stresses that although Rabbi Druckman's appointment was imposed by the Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office at Sharon's behest, he will be limited in his activity. He will only have the authority to sign "conversion certificates" granted by him and his cohorts.

 

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