Israel – In another victory for the non-Orthodox movements in Israel, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday that converts through the Reform and Masorti (Conservative) movements should be allowed to use public mikvaot for their ritual immersion.
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After completing the conversion course and being accepted by a rabbinical court, converts must immerse in a mikve, a ritual bath, in front of a panel of three rabbinical judges to complete their conversion.
Until now, the local religious councils, which operate the public mikvaot within their regional jurisdictions, would not allow non-Orthodox converts to use them. Public mikvaot are funded jointly by the Religious Services Ministry and the local municipalities.
The Reform and Conservative movements began legal work on this issue in 2007 and formally approached the Beersheba religious council requesting that a convert be allowed to immerse in one of the city’s mikvaot, with three members of the rabbinical panel to witness it.
The religious council refused and the Reform and Masorti moments filed a lawsuit with the Beersheba District Court claiming their converts were discriminated against based on their religious choice.
The district court rejected the suit, ruling that the non-Orthodox conversions were private processes and not entitled to use state facilities. The movements appealed to the Supreme Court in 2010 and the ruling was handed down on Thursday.
The justices wrote that the denial of access to public mikvaot for non-Orthodox conversions is discriminatory and illegal. They said although non-Orthodox conversions can be considered private processes, the discrimination against the Reform and Conservative movements “is inconsistent with the duty of the administrative authority to act with equality in all its actions.”
“This ruling is another significant step on the path to full recognition of Reform and Masorti Judaism in Israel and we will continue our efforts to complete the path in the coming years,” said Rabbi Gilad Kariv, head of the Reform Movement in Israel.
Kariv called on “moderate Orthodox” and national-religious figures and institutions to support the drive of the non-Orthodox denominations to greater equality.
Attorney Yizhar Hess of the Masorti Movement in Israel also welcomed the ruling, saying it was “another step in showing the basic fact that there is more than one way to be a Jew.”
I think this ruling will result in the construction of a lot of “private” mikvaot, though that might depend on building codes, etc.
stop destroying Judaism!
That’s what happens when the non-elected-evil-Supreme-Court-judges-for-life grabbed themselves so much power – in a so-called democratic country. They’re the most powerful entity in Israel, even controlling the Prime Minister and general political matters.
Israel’s anti-democratic-corrupt-court is also to blame for the profanities and mockery of the Kosel by the Reform movement and the off-the-wall women.
If the Supreme Court will not be subdued, matters will get even worse as they’ll continue sticking their dirty nose into everything and anything.
The Supreme Court ‘tested the waters’ when they permitted the Reform to defile the Kosel and there was not much of an outcry. So they went a step further now with their new blasphemous shocking decree.
What everyone forgets is that Israel is a democratic country that happens to be Jewish. We have no right to insist that reform, conservative and unaffiliated follow halacha.
Like it or not, if these are public venues, funded with state and public funds, then they should be open to all to use. If you don’t want the state telling you what to do with your mikvah, then don’t use state funds to build it.
It’s really not different from the debate about government oversight of schools, invite the state in by taking money and you’ll also have to contend with state oversight.
1) correction to article.
“Converts must immerse In front of 3 rabbis” (paraphrasing).
CHAS VaSholem. How misinformed the irreligious are. Proper rabbis are not perverts. There is much difficulty in poskim how to deal with this. The two basic approaches are; the mikvah lady assists the convert (we’re talking female convert obviously) and then the rabbis glance from a distance at ONLY the very crown of her head when she is already in the water. OR they stand around the corner and listen.
Since I’m commenting here is an important fact regarding reform.
They loooove saying “equality”. Well they are equal in all aspects of Judaism. The problem is they don’t like Judaism as it was. And as their very name suggests they seek to RE-FORM Judaism. You can do what you want, but be aware you’ve created a new product using new rules. Your own reformed rules. Own it.
Parable; we don’t like violence in football; so from now on instead of tackle we will shout “got you- please”. In spirit of tikun olam.
And of course we will declare both teams winners in spirit of “darchei Noam”.
Beautiful product but it’s not football.
Or how about; I love blintzes but I’m on a diet so; we’ll take a whole wheat wrap, no sugar, imitation non dairy cream, no eggs (veegan), some other fillers etc…..
Now while we will call it a blintz; you and me know it’s not the real thing.
BOTTOM LINE; you’re free to do what you want, but if you change something have the integrity to yourself to recognize the fact that you have re-formed the original and just kept the trappings.
(BTW; on a side note, Judaism is much more than a series of “dont’s”, and certainly more than a cuisine. And if you aren’t aware, then you’re missing out. Ask a rabbi.
PS. I am ready to be challenged on what I wrote.
Once again, the haredi community has completely missed the point. What are you afraid of, getting cooties from the non-haredi? Will they contaminate your pure bodies by performing a mitzvah? What is next, forbidding them from buying kosher food? Shopping in your stores? You have created barriers to conversion that are counterproductive. If non-frum wish to convert in front of 3 Jews and in a mikvah, say YES. I can assure you that the percentage of Reform and Conservative Jews who become frum later on is much higher than the percentage of non-Jews whose desire to convert is refused by the frum. It was NOT like this in the past in Eretz Israel – don’t tell me that every convert spent a year studying (they were illiterate) and that they were turned away. We’re not living in the ghetto any more – stop acting like it and welcome people to join us. Spend your time afterwards helping them to increase their level of observance.
So sad in the 1980S I took it upon myself to opose the use of the Chicago central mikva for reform conversions. Unfortunately the so called yeshivish crowd and Rabonim fought to allow the use for fraudulent conversions it is well documented in articles of the Jewish press and Algemeiner in the 1980S era. In fact google Elchonon Ebert and articles in the Chicago tribune wil show the story. Harav hagoan Aron. Solovechik zl vehemently opposed the use of the mikva for reform conversions he was ignored. My rosh yeshiva Hagoan Rav Shmuel Berenbaum zl encouraged me to take a stand opposing the policy which still is the official policy.Also hagoan Rav Yechetzkel
gmail .
lichtman zl also was trying to stop the yeshiva _ Agudah crowd from pursuing this travesty.The loss of revenue was paramount to their thinking .if funds had to be raised for the Mikva upkeep there wouldi be less for the well known yeshiva gedola.I have the documentation to back up my statements and anyone can contact me through my email Elchononebert
In ruchniyos an avla in one part of Klal yisroel has an effect on another part. I heard this from Harav Berenbaum zl. Let’s hope BEH all things that need a tikun are resolved before the coming of moshiach bimheroh biyomeinoo
Wasn’t a similar issue addressed by the Igros Moshe regardimg an American (obviously not government funded) mikveh?