Israel's cabinet has passed by a landslide vote a charged bill aimed at easing conversion to Judaism in Israel. The sole opposing voice was that of Housing and Construction Minister Uri Ariel (Habayit Hayehudi). Sunday's vote, still early in the stages of the legislation process, comes after much political wrangling and pressure from ultra-Orthodox parties on the prime minister to shelve the bill. The country's chief rabbis said Israel's Conversion Authority "is working perfectly" and stressed that the "privatization" of the conversion process would wrong those seeking to become Jews, because they would not be truly recognized as such. They also warned that such a move would make the conversion courts vulnerable to corruption. Under the new reform, municipal rabbis will be allowed to hold special conversion courts, thus expanding those entitled to perform conversions. The bill looks to smooth the conversion path for tens of thousands, many immigrants from the former Soviet Union, who currently don't qualify under strict Jewish law and have trouble marrying in Israel or receiving a Jewish burial. Julie Schonfeld, a U.S.-based conservative rabbi, said the move looked to make conversion "more available and more accessible" in Israel. The conversion reform bill was created with the approval of the Habayit Hayehudi faction and was brought up in a cabinet discussion after all the coalition members asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do so. Netanyahu initially opposed the bill, authored by Hatnuah MK Elazar Stern, as he was seeking to encourage unity and to avoid upsetting ultra-Orthodox parties and the Chief Rabbinate. Habayit Hayehudi leader and Economy and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett, who signed the proposal, said the approval of the new conversion plan would, "Put an end to the wave of populism on the topic. "This is a balanced and responsible decision. It is a bill that lends a hand to our brothers who are converting, allowing them to have a positive and supportive experience with the conversion process while also fulfilling all the requirements of Jewish law. "The future of the Jewish people is not something to be dealt with in political deals made by extremists on both sides, and I am glad that this important bill passed." Yesh Atid leader and Finance Minister Yair Lapid was also in favor of the bill. "It is a good law. It is a law that will allow more than a quarter of a million Israelis, some of whom even fought in Operation Protective Edge, to feel at home in their country." Lapid's fellow party member Education Minister Shay Piron had similar sentiments. "This is the correction of a historical injustice," he said. "Applying this law gives expression to our moral obligation to those who wish to convert. It is our national obligation to the state of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state." Hatnuah leader and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said, "Despite the hurdles along the way, the cabinet has good news for hundreds of thousands of citizens who live among us, whom we encouraged to move to Israel under the Law of Return, and yet, until now they have felt like second class citizens. "We are excited to tell them today: 'You are part of us.' No longer is Judaism rigid and closed, rather it is accepting and welcoming. "I also want to congratulate my friend, MK Elazer Stern, who fought for this law with everything he has and was wise enough to reach agreements that would allow his struggle to bear fruit." Stern himself was pleased by the vote, saying, "This is big news for those undergoing conversion. We will move forward as quickly as possible with implementing this decision and establishing [local conversion courts] that will breathe new life into the many conversion candidates and especially those who are already fed up with the conversion process." The Reform Movement of Israel also released a statement commenting on the step forward for the bill, which had originally sought to include the approval of non-Orthodox conversions. "The cabinet's decision is a moment of truth for religious Zionist rabbis who have, until now, avoided making any significant moves in the field of conversion. "The approval to establish local rabbinical courts gets rid of the excuses that Tzohar rabbis and other moderate rabbis have used until now. In the coming months, it will become clear whether these rabbis are concerned with the greater Israeli public or with officials in the Orthodox institution. "The Reform Movement will continue to run conversion courses and to convert hundreds of people each year, and we hope and expect the government of Israel will also enter into serious talks with us about this issue."
