Muli Jesselson was recently selected to serve as director of
the Chief Rabbinate's conversion administration in place of
Moshe Klein, who was forced to resign for technical reasons
after his predecessor, Rabbi Chaim Druckman, was forced into
early retirement.
Vaad HaRabbonim LeInyonei Giyur, founded by the late
Gavad of Antwerp HaRav Chaim Kreiswirth, denounced the
appointment, which was decided independently despite a
promise that the selection would be coordinated with the
Chief Rabbinate. Vaad HaRabbonim claims the job tender was
directly influenced by Government Secretary Ovad Yechezkel,
who on several occasions has declared conversion candidates
should be given leniencies and their numbers should be
increased. The Vaad has learned that Chief Rabbi Amar met
with Jesselson and promised him full cooperation, despite the
fact that Chief Rabbi Amar was not in favor of the
appointment.
"It's absurd for secular people who do not subordinate
themselves to halacha to have the authority to appoint
officials to the Conversion Authority without requiring the
Chief Rabbinate's consent, particularly in the case of this
appointment, which is a position involving spiritual matters
and should be manned by a talmid chochom yirei
Shomayim in order to reach decisions and set policies on
the delicate issues related to conversion affairs. Jesselson
is not known as a rabbinical figure and his unacceptable
views on conversion are well known. He is currently serving
as director of the department for conversion preparation at a
Jewish studies institute that has been banned by all
gedolei Yisroel shlita and by the Chief Rabbinate as
well because it collaborates with Conservative
organizations."
The Vaad also expressed concerns that an unsuitable
appointment for the post of Conversion Administration
chairman could be next.
Vaad HaRabbonim is calling on the Chief Rabbinate to absolve
itself of responsibility for the Conversion Authority and
stop recognizing the conversions it performs. "The Chief
Rabbinate cannot certify conversions that are not under the
control of rabbonim yirei Shomayim from the early
preparation stage through the end of the conversion process
if the conversion candidates do not undertake genuine mitzvah
observance in full," said a Vaad HaRabbonim spokesman.
According to directives issued by maranan verabonon
shlita the entire conversion issue should only be handled
only by a limited conversion system run by knowledgeable
dayanim with a fear of Heaven and in accordance with halacha
in its unadulterated form, and the conversions themselves
should be performed at reputable, permanent botei
din.
