The Conference of European Rabbis Will only Recognize Conversions in Rabbinical Courts

For the first time in Israel, the Conference of European Rabbis dealt with the issue of establishing uniform criteria and cooperation for all European batei din and their counterparts in Israel. The conference, which was led by the European Gavad HaRav Chanoch Ehrentreu, affirmed a group of important decisions including: "The Conference will only recognize conversions and rulings passed by local recognized and important batei din. Rabbonim and members of the Conference will be obligated to reject outside rabbonim and their conversions. No conversion will be made in places where there lacks a solid infrastructure of religious communal life where converts can maintain a proper life of Torah and mitzvos. An international data base will be created which will be accessible to the batei din in Israel and abroad in order to cement joint activity between those courts in Europe."