The independent rabbinical court network seeking to break the Chief Rabbinate's monopoly over the conversion process was not formed to undermine the Chief Rabbinate's status but rather to bolster it, a prominent religious Zionist rabbi involved with the initiative told Israel Hayom Tuesday. The inception of the alternative court, named Giyur Kahalachah (which has the double meaning of "conversion according to Jewish law" and also "conversion done properly"), is said to have set the religious Zionism sector on a collision course with the ultra-Orthodox establishment, which controls conversions, marriage, divorce, and burials in Israel. "It is regrettable that some have chosen to see this as an attempt to ram the Chief Rabbinate. It's meant to be an auxiliary tool, and it is not an act of defiance. Heaven forbid," said Rabbi Yaaqov Medan, of the Har Etzion yeshiva. "I respect and cherish the Chief Rabbinate and I am at its disposal for any matter. I hope we can reach a situation where the Chief Rabbinate accepts Giyur rabbis, places [the new court] under its supervision, and we see more people convert," he said. Medan emphasized that the rabbis behind the move -- Rabbi David Stav, chairman of the Modern Orthodox Tzohar rabbinical organization, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, the chief rabbi of the Efrat community in Judea, head of the Birkat Moshe Yeshiva in Maaleh Adumim, Rabbi Nahum Rabinovitch, and Rabbi Re'em Hacohen, head of the Otniel Yeshiva in south Mount Hebron -- have no intention of backing down and removing the new court. The alternative network's inception has sparked controversy within the Zionist religious sector as well. Former head of the conversion court Rabbi Haim Drukman and Ramat Gan Chief Rabbi Yaakov Ariel have expressed their objection to the move, and other prominent rabbis, including Kiryat Arba Chief Rabbi Dov Lior and Rabbi Zvi Tau, the dean of the Har Hamor yeshiva in Jerusalem, and other conservative Zionist rabbis, soon followed suit. Coming together, the conservative rabbis issued a joint statement saying, "The Chief Rabbinate is at the heart of our nation's Jewish identity. Private conversions severely undermine statehood and the very foundation of Israel as a Jewish state. Such actions constitute a de facto separation of religion and state. We will recognize only conversions that were performed by the Chief Rabbinate." Rabinovitch, who is slated to head the new rabbinical court network, countered, "This is a historic move meant to repair the rift caused in Israeli society because of the neglect of the personal status of former Soviet Union immigrants. Neglecting this issue has caused thousands of couples to live out of wedlock. "There are some who are trying to portray us as making light [of conversions] when we are actually very strict. We are strict about the integrity and sanctity of the Israeli people," he said. Ignoring the problem "won't make it go away," Rabinovitch said. "All it will do is perpetuate the destruction of the Israeli people. The new courts will follow halachic law to the letter." The announcement of the new rabbinical courts was harshly criticized by the ultra-Orthodox media, as well. The Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox daily Yated Ne'eman slammed "the destruction of the walls of conversion," defining the Zionist rabbis' move as "an attempt to undercut Halachah by circumventing the law." The hassidic haredi newspaper Hamevaser called the move "a gross infringement" on the Chief Rabbinate's domain, saying it will "severely undermine the conversion process."
'New conversion courts don't seek to defy Chief Rabbinate'
Religious Zionist rabbis promoting an independent rabbinical court network say harsh criticism will not make them back down • "This is a historic move meant to repair the rift in Israeli society," says Rabbi Nahum Rabinovitch, slated to head new courts.
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