Israeli Court Backs Recognition of Some Non-Orthodox Conversions
By GREG MYRE
Published: March 31, 2005

JERUSALEM, March 31 - Israel's Supreme Court ruled today that certain types of non-Orthodox conversions to Judaism must be recognized by the state, a decision that chips away at Orthodox control of religious affairs.

The Reform and Conservative movements, which are the largest streams of Judaism in the United States, but with little standing in Israel, hailed the decision as a victory. Meanwhile, the Orthodox religious establishment, which is dominant here, said the ruling could cause a big religious rift.

"There is now more than one way to become Jewish in Israel, and that is wonderful," said Anat Hoffman, executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center, which filed the case on behalf of 14 foreigners living in Israel and seeking to convert.

The petitioners received religious training in Israel. But their conversions took place abroad, in the Reform and Conservative movements, and were not recognized by Israel.

Israeli authorities argued that accepting these kinds of conversions would allow foreign workers and tourists in Israel to receive religious training here and then go abroad for swift conversions. They could then become Israeli citizens under the "Law of Return," which grants citizenship to anyone who is Jewish.

However, the Supreme Court ruled - in a 7-to-4 vote - that there was no law saying these types of conversions should not be recognized.

Yona Metzger, Israel's chief rabbi for Ashkenazi Jews, said the ruling was a dangerous precedent.

"If the court were to recognize Reform conversions, it would be very serious. It would split the nation in two," Rabbi Metzger told Israel radio.

In sarcastic tones, the rabbi suggested the next step could be conversion by fax.

Until now, Israel has recognized conversions performed by Orthodox rabbis inside Israel. In addition, converts in non-Orthodox ceremonies outside Israel could become citizens - as long as they had not previously received their religious training in Israel.

The Orthodox religious establishment argues that its control over the conversion process ensures unified standards, which cannot be easily monitored abroad.

But critics, like Ms. Hoffman, say the complicated process has discouraged many potential converts who would like to become Jewish, though not necessarily Orthodox.

In recent years, roughly 1,000 people have been going through the conversion process annually, Ms. Hoffman said, citing government figures. However, an estimated 250,000 Israelis have an "undefined" religious status and are candidates for conversion.

Many are immigrants from the former Soviet Union who received citizenship based on their Jewish ancestry, though they themselves are not regarded as Jewish under Orthodox Jewish law.

Since the Orthodox establishment controls such services as marriage, divorce and burial, this creates many complications for the "undefined" Israelis.

In one widespread practice, Israelis who are not eligible, or who do not want an Orthodox wedding, fly to the nearby island of Cyprus to be married in civil ceremonies. Israel recognizes such marriages held abroad, but does not permit them here.

One petitioner in the court case, John Agodelo, 43, came to Israel in 1991 from his native Colombia. He worked with the handicapped, and began studying Reform Judaism.

Since Reform conversions are not recognized inside Israel, he traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for additional training, converting in a Reform service there in 1997. He then returned to Israel, where the government rejected his attempt to convert - which led to the court case.

When told of the court ruling today, Mr. Agodelo went directly to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the site of the biblical Jewish Temples, where he prayed and cried.

"I felt great happiness," said Mr. Agodelo, who will be eligible for Israeli citizenship once his conversion is formally recognized. "I went there first of all to say thank you, because justice has finally been served."
 

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