The Chief Rabbinate will not recognize the "conversion"
performed last week by Rabbi Chaim Druckman of N. D. who was
the last of the minors who appealed to the High Court several
years ago to recognize his Conservative conversion, conducted
on Kibbutz Hanaton in the north of Israel.
A senior official in the Rabbinate told the Vaad HaRabbonim
Haolami LeInyonei Giyur headed by HaRav Chaim Kreiswirth that
the Rabbinate does not currently certify, nor will it ever
certify, conversions conducted by most of the special
conversion courts, including those headed by Rabbis Druckman
and Avior.
Press reports stated that Rabbi Druckman conducted a quick
conversion for N. D. in a court including Rabbis Druckman,
Avior and Yossi Kfir. The Director of the Rabbinical Court,
Rabbi Eli Ben Dahan, told the media that he would sign that
conversion when the file reached his desk.
The Vaad HaRabbonim learned that last year on the 28th of
Iyar, Chief Rabbi Yisroel Meir Lau issued instructions that,
"One of the members of each conversion beis din must
be someone authorized for dayanus by the Council of
the Chief Rabbinate. The remaining members of the beis
din must be rabbis who are recognized by the Council and
who are duly authorized to serve as rabbonim."
In spite of these directives, most of Rabbi Druckman's courts
do not meet these stipulations, and therefore do not merit
the Rabbinate's approval. In essence, the conversions lack
all validity and have no legal status.
The Director of the Rabbinical Courts told the Vaad that he
still hasn't received the file of N. D. because it is being
held back by the office of the Chief Rabbinate, since the
conversion does not meet its requirements.
The Vaad spokesman said that the Chief Rabbinate's
requirement for the above mentioned constitution of the
beis din, is merely a minimal condition for the
recognition of a conversion. As long as each individual
conversion is not conducted according to halocho,
insisting on the candidate's sincerity and willingness to
observe mitzvos in full, the conversion has no validity,
regardless of who performed it.
The Vaad has learned that Rabbi Druckman recently "converted"
25 minors within a few hours. Also, Rabbi Druckman also
approved a "conversion" conducted by a Conservative cleric in
Los Angeles. The Rabbinate said this "conversion" is of no
value, even though Rabbi Druckman approved it. Rabbi Yitzchok
Ohana, who is in charge of the Rabbinate's Department for
Conversions from Abroad, has already publicly announced that
this conversion is invalid.
As has often been reported, maranan verabonon are of
the opinion that special conversion frameworks outside of the
permanent rabbinical courts should not be set up, because the
purpose of such courts would be only to facilitate the
conversion process without examining the true intentions of
the candidates. At a recent convention of the dayanim,
a similar decision was issued to the effect that it is
inconceivable to conduct conversions within frameworks other
than those of the regular rabbinical courts.
The spokesman of the Vaad sharply criticized Rabbi Druckman.
Although he participated in the massive rally against the
persecution of religion and the rulings of the Supreme Court
which strengthen the Reform and the Conservative, Rabbi
Druckman himself conducts conversions under the guise of
Orthodoxy which are as worthless as Conservative conversions,
he said.
The Vaad warns the public not to be lured by Rabbi Druckman's
declarations that he is authorized to conduct Orthodox
conversions. He is deceiving people by having them undergo a
ceremony which has no halachic validity.
The Vaad praised the personnel of Chief Rabbi Rav Lau's
office, who are taking a clear-cut stance and do not
recognize Rav Druckman's "conversions." The Vaad spokesman
called upon the Rabbinate to continue to be on the alert, and
to establish a framework for conversions which will meet all
halachic requirements.
