March 31, 2005
20 Adar II, 5765

Response of the Chairman of the Jewish Agency, Sallai Meridor, to the decision of the High Court of Justice regarding conversion

The following is the response of the Chairman of the Jewish Agency, Sallai Meridor, to the decision of the High Court of Justice regarding conversion:

The entire acrobatic phenomenon in which people are forced to marry or convert abroad does no honour to Judaism or the State of Israel. The decision of the High Court of Justice provides a solution to the humanitarian problem, but it does not affect directly the central problem of the State of Israel regarding conversion, i.e., the conversion of approximately 300,000 new immigrants who came to Israel under the Law of Return but who are not Jewish according to Orthodox Jewish law.

Living in Israel today are thousands of such people who arrived in Israel under the Law of Return. They see themselves as part of Jewish society in Israel, live their lives as most Jews in Israel do, serve in the army and contribute to the state, but are not recognized as Jews according to Orthodox Jewish law.

Enabling the conversion of those who wish to convert is in the interests of the State. At this stage, only a significant change in the approach of the rabbinical authorities will provide a solution to the problem. It is particularly those who wish to maintain a connection between Jews and Judaism who must make the conversion process suit the interests and the reality of the Jewish People in the State of Israel.

For further information contact:
Michael Jankelowitz
Liaison to Foreign Press
The Jewish Agency for Israel
Cell: 050-7601706
Voicemail: 02-6202780
e-mail: michaelj@jazo.org.il