Conversion law: Stern and Ben-Dahan battling head to head

Tomorrow the chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee David Rotem from Likud Beiteinu is expected to bring the conversion bill initiated by MK Elazar Stern for a first reading, and not to wait for the final and agreed version of the law.

The law was brought by Stern for approval by the government, was passed by vote provided that before the law will be brought to the Knesset, it will be brought to Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan who would make the necessary corrections.

Rabbi Ben Dahan who declared several times that the law will receive the consent of the Rishon Letzion Hagaon Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, indeed held negotiations to regulate particularly the trouble spots such as the problem of wholesale conversions and more. But tomorrow the law is expected to go to a vote despite the explicit obligation given to Rabbi Ben Dahan.

Consequently the Chief Rabbi called today to strengthen Rabbi Ben Dahan, so that he could operate that the law will not pass until the enactment process will be completed.

At the Dayanim conference held today at Kinar Galilee Hotel with dozens of Dayanim, the Chief Sephardi Rabbi Hagaon Rabbi Yosef called: "I want to commend Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan, a very dear Jew who works by night and day, we work in cooperation on the conversion bill and I urge members of the Knesset to completely stop the legislative process and give us the time to complete a final version accepted by the rabbis."

Hagaon Rabbi Yosef also addressed the "One Chief Rabbi" law and said, "I and my colleague Rabbi Lau are in office for more than six months, our load is very great, if they already want to change the law I suggest appointing ten chief rabbis."

The Rishon Letzion also addressed another regulation which the Justice Department wishes to pass according to which candidates for Dayanut will have to pass a psychological test to determine their qualifications for the job. The Rabbi criticized the regulation and especially the current timing which will delay the completion of the judicial appointments process which is currently underway.

Prior to the elections as chairman of the committee of rabbinical judges which will take place in two days at the conference, the Rishon Lezion called on Rabbi Mordechai Ralbag to return and run for the job, although Rabbi Ralbag announced that he did not want the job, following a letter from the Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Ralbag accepted the role.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!