Comments on: The Converts In Our Midst – Rabbi Barry Gelman

By: Yael

Yael — Thu, 13 May 2010 07:22:52 +0000

As a convert (modern orthodox, Israel) with seven children – currently facing a situation in Israel where Various beit din have taken the power to Annul conversions – often decades after the date – thus suddenly annulling the Judaism of innocent Israeli Jewish children, I have one major point:
A convert must accept herself. A relationship with ha Shem cannot be given or taken away by anyone. She should stand in the truth and wisdom of her own heart. Take responsibility for the kind of Judaism she expresses to the world.
If Jews were to look to each other for acceptance and the right to exist – we would all be totally disempowered. The in-fighting between Jewish communities within Israel makes peace with any other nation a joke.
Perhaps part of the blessing of a convert is that she brings a certain unity in Jewish communities when they unite to reject her.
Also, I’m female. Arrest me for I have spoken.
Love to all from the heart of it all.

By: Schvach

Schvach — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:57:47 +0000

Bravo Rabbi Gelman; kol hakavod! The serious and dedicated convert to Judaism should be embraced rather than disgraced by Klal Yisrael. So too with the ‘lost souls’ of the Jewish community – those from India, South and Central Americas, from Ethiopia, and from other places, who seek to return to Klal Yisrael. In Israel especially, the Ethiopian olim have been accorded a rude ‘welcome’. I greatly appreciate your supportive position toward converts to Judaism and hope you feel the same toward returnees. (Just for the sake
of understanding, I am a Jew by birth).

By: amandel

amandel — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:21:24 +0000

Why did Shannon need a conversion at all? According to her My Space page, listed below, she was Jewish prior to 8/19/2009 (her last login date). Just check out her “details” below her picture and see for yourself! Her conversion was supposedly done 1/7/10. Also, now she claims she has Jewish ancestors on her mom’s side. Please tell us the truth about Shannon and why Rav Wender said she wasn’t ready for conversion 3 weeks ago. Why shouls we accept her?

http://www.myspace.com/shannonorand

By: Barry Gelman

Barry Gelman — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:34:21 +0000

For the record, I was never invovled in her conversion process. She was involved with another Beit Din in Houston.

By: Stranger

Stranger — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:14:43 +0000

Rabbi Gelman,

That’s both very impressive and sad that she got to convert by the Israel beth din. Was it because you and your community refused to convert her that she had to travel all the way to Israel to find rabbis willing to convert her and now you want to say your community accepts her too, after the fact? She obviously couldn’t find a local beth din who wasn’t torturing her.

By: RyanP

RyanP — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:07:44 +0000

I am somewhat taken aback by the fawning over this beit din as being the closest thing to royalty, and precisely by many people and groups who plead for ordinary pulpit rabbis to be able to do conversions (instead of centralized authority). This fawming plays into the strategy and objectives of those who seek to consolidate the decision powers for conversion “on high”. In addition, it almost creates the aura of a cast system of converts, whereby those who converted with the rabbinut are “unimpeachable”, while the poor shlubs who only make it to the local pulpit or Hillel rabbi are, what?, …impeachable?

It would seem to me that any special credence lent to this particular Beit Din because of its standing essentially flies in the face of an argument against centralization of conversions with the “Chief Rabbi” in Israel.