Following a High Court petition for not recognizing Reform
"conversions," banning quasi-religious ceremonies at the
Kosel Maarovi and various other acts running counter to
halochoh, the Reform and Conservative movements have found
another issue to bring before the High Court as part of their
efforts to weaken the foundations of Judaism.
Last week a petition was filed to force the Religious
Services Authority, a part of the Prime Minister's Office and
formerly the Religious Affairs Ministry, to allow Reform and
Conservative "rabbis" to bring non-Jews who come to them to
undergo their so-called conversion ceremony to public
mikvehs for immersion. According to the petitioners
all of the religious councils around the country denied entry
to Reform and Conservative rabbis escorting non-Jews taking
part in their meaningless "conversion" rituals.
The petition claims that the alleged discrimination by the
religious councils is "clearly invalid and unlawful.
Preventing conversion candidates from using mikvehs
for immersion for the purpose of converting is against
the freedom of religion and conscience that are guaranteed to
all Israeli citizens."
Private mikvehs also closed their doors to these false
converts. Immersion in springs and the sea is not a viable
option for them because of the danger of drowning and the
cold in the winter.
In response to the petition, the minister in charge of
religious affairs, MK Yitzhak Cohen (Shas), said,
"Conversions of Reform and Conservative organizations are
virtual conversions, which is very appropriate for them. This
is a vexing petition. The only immersion the Reform are
familiar with is baptism. So they can continue walking on
water, but they should leave Am Yisroel alone."
The Vaad HaRabbonim Haolami LeInyonei Giyur founded by HaRav
Chaim Kreiswirth zt"l strongly supports all the
relevant authorities for not allowing the Reform and
Conservative access to the mikvehs. Mikvo'os are
built for religious use and not for meaningless ritual
ceremonies. The Conservative and Reform do not really require
immersion in a kosher mikveh for their "conversion"
ceremony and only want to use Orthodox mikvehs in
order to give some appearance of kashrus.
The Vaad also notes that, with the encouragement of
gedolei haposkim, for over 20 years it has been on the
forefront of those trying to bar access for Conservative and
Reform to conduct "conversion" ceremonies in mikvo'os
in the US.
The Vaad has Conservative and Reform "conversion"
certificates that note prominently that the "conversion"
ceremony was performed in an Orthodox mikveh, with the
evident intention of giving the appearance that their
ceremony was halachically valid.
