Netanyahu taps ex-justice minister to review conversion policy

Moshe Nissim, 82, a former chief rabbi’s son, will work to ensure ‘Jewish unity’ in studying controversial bill

17/08/2017 15:27

Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu · Moshe Nissim · Conversion Bill · Conversion

Moshe Nissim, source: Wikipedia

From The Times of Israel:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed a former cabinet minister to develop a new framework for state-recognized conversions to Judaism Wednesday.

Moshe Nissim, 82, a former justice and finance minister from Netanyahu’s Likud party, was charged with finding a new way forward on the contentious issue that has served as a key point of friction between the government and Diaspora Jewry.

A practicing attorney, Nissim is the son of former Sephardi Chief Rabbi Isaac Nissim.

His appointment “was carried out in fulfillment of the state’s pledge to the High Court of Justice, against the backdrop of the conversion bill, and with the prime minister’s commitment to reaching a wide consensus on this important issue,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said Wednesday.

If there was any doubt as to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's intention behind freezing the Supreme Court (Israel) hearings and the Knesset legislative processes on the issue of conversion, yesterday we received additional proof. Former Minister Moshe Nissim was appointed to coordinate discussions with the non-Orthodox movements on the matter of conversions "with the intention of reaching a broad agreement."

The Prime Minister's demand that the Conservative and Reform movements agree to freeze their conversion cases and prevent the Court from deciding in their favor, with his threat that the Knesset will pass the conversion bill demanded by the ultra-Orthodox parties should they refuse, was intended to minimize damage. He aims to separate the issue of "Who is a Jew" in Israel from the Western Wall crisis in world Jewry's eyes, in order to reduce the impact of the looming public relations explosion.

The appointment of Nissim, the son of the former Chief Rabbi of Israel, proves without a shadow of a doubt that despite the pretense of achieving "broad agreement," no deviation from the ultra-Orthodox political parties' demands will be agreed upon.

The appointment of Nissim, the son of the former Chief Rabbi of Israel, proves without a shadow of a doubt that despite the pretense of achieving "broad agreement," no deviation from the ultra-Orthodox political parties' demands will be agreed upon. Nissim was behind all of the deals with the ultra-Orthodox parties during his term in the Israeli government, including a deal with Agudath Israel of Israel in 1983 that bought Agudath's support of the appointment of Sarah Doron (Liberal Party) as a Government Minister, despite the Gur Rebbe's objection to appointing women to leadership positions. In exchange, the Liberal Party supported legislation defining "Who is a Jew" in the State of Israel according to Halakha (religious Jewish law)!

The stark and harsh disagreement between the opposing sides over "Who is a Jew" was recently expressed by Israel's President Rivlin who sharply criticized the missed opportunity to promote peace between Israel and the Diaspora through the implementation of the Western Wall agreement, particularly because, as he said, "on the issue of conversion it is hard to imagine how it could be possible to come to an understanding."

It's sad to see once again how the public and Jews of the world are being deceived. Instead of implementing Israel's basic values, as promised in its Declaration of Independence, i.e., freedom of religion and conscience... instead of responding to the will of the majority of Israelis who support religious pluralism and state recognition of conversions of all Jewish streams... the Prime Minister instead obfuscates reality, giving a misleading impression that he intends to reach an agreement with the non-Orthodox streams, rather than merely buying more time before the next, inevitable public relations eruption over religion and state in Israel.