It was exactly ten years ago. Yated Ne'eman was waging
a hard-nosed campaign against one of the major players in the
"conversion" industry, Rabbi Noach Landsberg, who was
operating at several botei din, particularly the
Jerusalem District Beis Din. The campaign included a series
of investigative reports that uncovered his activities.
Several articles claimed that fictitious, wholesale
conversions were performed under the auspices of the
Jerusalem District Beis Din, in most cases where there were
no genuine intentions on the part of the so-called converts,
and that Rabbi Landsberg had become one of the most highly
involved figures in the conversion campaign. Those articles
also claimed that a considerable portion of the conversions
performed at the Jerusalem beis din passed through
Rabbi Landsberg, who was labeled a "macher"
("facilitator") in the fictitious conversion industry.
His name was also linked to a bribery and deception scandal
following the arrest of two other machers, some of
whose clients were later referred to Rabbi Landsberg, and in
some cases he even worked to have conversion files that were
rejected in Rabbinate botei din transferred to the
special conversion courts.
Rabbi Landsberg also recommended the "conversion" of a maid
from Morocco whom the Interior Ministry later deported after
annulling her conversion when it was learned that she was not
observant. According to another report, not satisfied with
converting goyim in Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi Landsberg began
making "converts" in Eastern European countries where there
are hardly any indigenous Jewish communities.
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Rabbi Noach Landsberg got involved in the area of conversion
after working at Maayan Binah, part of the Nachalat Tzvi
Institutes headed by R' Shimon Yaakov, whose dubious
activities were also revealed on several occasions by
Yated Ne'eman. A beis din in Jerusalem even
determined that he had deceived the beis din and
decided not to accept any more candidates sent by Rabbi
Yaakov.
Seeing his name in the headlines time after time despite his
efforts to halt the reports, Rabbi Landsberg decided to file
a libel suit against Yated Ne'eman and this writer at
the Beis Din LeInyonei Momonos of the Jerusalem Religious
Council.
The first hearing was held on 23 Nisan 5757 (April 30, 1997)
with av beis din HaRav Avrohom Dov Levin, HaRav Shmuel
Bibbes and HaRav Boruch Shraga presiding. After the two sides
signed a shtar borerus (arbitration agreement) a long
hearing ensued, during which new and scandalous facts were
revealed when Rabbi Landsberg was cross-examined on the
conversion industry he heads.
By the end of the first hearing it had already come to light
that the plaintiff had lied and contradicted himself
regarding several matters, especially a letter he had sent to
Yated's editorial board listing his claims against the
various articles against him.
The transcript of these proceedings now serves as a salient
document in the campaign against wholesale conversion and
clearly substantiates all of the accusations lodged against
Rabbi Landsberg in Yated Ne'eman. In his testimony he
revealed himself to be one of the figures most heavily
involved in the conversion system and that many people turn
to him to advance conversions.
He was given a free hand in conversion matters and, despite
his original denials, Rabbi Landsberg eventually admitted
being a member of the "Prague Beis Din" and took part in
conversions there.
According to the ruling handed down by the Jerusalem beis
din, "The reliability of the plaintiff, Rabbi Landsberg,
as a shaliach beis din and a dayan presiding
over conversion cases, has been called into question by the
beis din after contradictions were found in several
remarks made in beis din on the topic of conversion.
As such a committee of expert rabbonim should be set up to
evaluate the conversion candidates and to stop relying on
Rabbi Landsberg and the other people issuing
recommendations." The beis din noted its decision was
based on opinions stated by Maran HaRav Eliashiv
shlita.
Despite the harsh criticism and the series of revelations,
Rabbi Noach Landsberg continued his conversion activities,
but maintained a lower profile. Recently-obtained documents,
however, clearly show Rabbi Landsberg is still active,
converting dozens of people each year in Prague. Since Prague
does not have a solid kehilloh of shomer
Shabbos Jews, it seems unlikely these "converts" really
intend to keep Torah and mitzvas in Prague.
"In response to your request," reads an official letter Rav
Yigal Krispal, head of the Israeli Chief Rabbi's Office, sent
to HaRav Avrohom Abbo Turetzky of the Rabbinical Center of
Europe (Merkaz HaRabbonim of Europe), "I hereby reply that
the rabbis signed on the conversion certificate — Rabbi
Noach Landsberg, Rabbi Eliezer Damari and Rabbi Menachem
Kalcheim — are not authorized to perform conversions
and their conversions are not recognized by the Chief
Rabbinate of Israel and their activities fall under the
rubric of `vegeir lo soneh.' " It should be noted that
the Merkaz HaRabbonim uncovered this latest scandal.
The Vaad HaRabbonim HaOlami LeInyonei Giyur founded by HaRav
Chaim Kreiswirth zt"l submitted a complaint to the
Chief Rabbinate against Rabbi Landsberg, who serves as the
official rav of Moshav Tzefariya in Israel, since according
to Israeli rabbinate regulations, rabbonim from Eretz
Yisroel are forbidden to perform conversions outside the
country. The Chief Rabbinate responded that the matter is
being addressed and Rabbi Landsberg will soon be summoned for
a hearing.
According to Vaad HaRabbonim a number of other rabbonim also
regularly travel abroad, generally under the auspices of
Rabbi Yosef Avior of the special conversion court at Or
Etzion, which has been arranging wholesale conversions in
European counties that lack an established Orthodox
community.
Gedolei Yisroel shlita say that all conversion
activity by such questionable figures should be completely
uprooted, leaving conversion to be performed only by
established, prominent botei din.
