The Conversion Department at the Prime Minister's Office
issued an alarming press release boasting about 5765 "figures
indicating a large rise in the number of converts."
Rabbi Chaim Druckman, who heads the Conversion Department,
reported that one year after the Prime Minister appointed him
to sign the so-called conversion certificates at least 5,800
such certificates were issued, including 5,360 in the first
nine months of 2005, compared to 3,599 in all of 2004.
Vaad HaRabbonim LeInyonei Giyur, founded by HaRav Chaim
Kreiswirth zt"l warned against Rabbi Druckman's
appointment from the outset and against the transfer of
responsibility for the conversion industry to the Prime
Minister's Office based on fears the State would encourage
boosting the number of "converts" who undergo a conveyor-belt
conversion process at special botei din for
conversion.
Chareidi dayonim and public figures expressed deep
concerns over the rise in the number of conversion
certificates issued to goyim who underwent an accelerate
conversion process without a thorough inquiry to determine
whether they really intend to keep Torah and mitzvos after
the conversion, since according to rulings by the leading
poskim the conversion is invalid, even
bedi'eved, in the absence of a genuine acceptance of
the yoke of mitzvos.
A spokesman for the Vaad HaRabbonim Haolami LeInyonei Giyur
founded by HaRav Chaim Kreiswirth zt"l said in
response, "Conversions is not a number game to show the prime
minister. Rather it is a serious business that needs serious
attention and careful processing.
"According to a recent investigation made by the Vaad, over
90 percent of the Israeli Special Conversion Court system
converts never had a sincere intention to fully observe Torah
and mitzvos after their conversion."
The spokesman said that the Vaad was in contact with one of
the dayanim of the Special Conversion Courts and he openly
admitted to them that the Special Conversion Court system
never conducts follow-up investigations of those who
converted through them.
The Vaad is in contact with botei din kevu'im
vechashuvim that have conducted such follow-up studies
and they benefited very much from the effort and adopted
guidelines in the conversion process to address issues that
arose.
