Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Re: Conversion Question
From: Yaakov Kayman <YZKCU@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Date: Tuesday, 10 Nov 1992 12:16:02 EST
 <92314.212922CARIAN@auvm.american.edu><1992Nov10.160234.1074@speedy.aero.org>
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center

In article <1992Nov10.160234.1074@speedy.aero.org>, nadel@attatash.aero.org
(Miriam Nadel) says:
>
>In article <92314.212922CARIAN@auvm.american.edu> <CARIAN@auvm.american.edu>
>writes:
>>In contradistinction, the Orthodox non-acceptance of Conservative
>>conversions is based not on the form of the conversion but the identity
>>of the supervising rabbis, since the procedure and ritual in Conservative
>>and Orthodox conversions is identical.
>
>
>It's not as simple as that.  I've heard several Orthodox rabbis say that
>some Conservative conversions may be legitimate.  The issue involves the
>converts acceptance of halacha and whether the bet din has adequately
>addressed this.  Which is a procedural issue from the Orthodox viewpoint.
>The identity of the supervising rabbis is primarily of concern as to whether
>or not it may be presumed that the convert was adequately questioned as to
>intent to follow halacha.

Were there no other problems than that of fundamental Conservative
Movement ideology or belief, and there are, I wonder how any Orthodox
rabbi can legitimize any Conservative conversion, given that the official
position of the (Conservative) Jewish Theological Seminary and its ideo-
logues is that the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy) is somehow not divinely-
authored(!), which is outright minnut and kefirah (heresy and denial of
G-d)! The concept of "Torah min HaShamayyim" (Torah authored by G-d, and
therefore the *binding* Word of the Master of all that is), is one of
the Jewish faith's fundamentals - NOT the "<x> Jewish" faith, but the
Jewish faith.

If this position has changed, and perhaps some Conservative authority
might enlighten us on that score, there would still remain the problema-
tical situation of Conservative clergy who themselves do not accept all
of Torah, Written and Oral, as divinely-authored and therefore binding,

    (and I HAVE *personally* heard, IN SO MANY WORDS, from at least one
     member of the Conservative clergy, that there is at least one Jewish
     law he does not consider binding, even though he observes it(!?))

who consequently could certainly not be relied upon to ensure a prospec-
tive convert's willingness in principle to adhere to all of halakha, a
willingness absolutely required for a conversion to be effective.

The only possible exception *I* could personally see (and NO, I DON'T
personally see everything! :-) ) would be those cases of individuals
accepting ALL of halakha as binding and serving as Conservative clergy
for other-than-ideological, e.g., (NOT "i.e.,") financial, reasons.

>Miriam Nadel

Yaakov K.
--------
Yaakov Kayman      (212) 903-3666     City University of New York
BITNET:   YZKCU@CUNYVM            Internet: YZKCU@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU

"I will teach willful transgressors Your ways, and sinners will
return to You" -- Tehillim (Psalms) 51:15

After all, I speak the lingo!
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish