by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com
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New York – The system needs a complete overhaul.
Picture a young woman who is struggling to put the funds together to get to seminary. Amazingly, she succeeds. Her excitement is palpable. She works, she borrows, and somehow, someway – she purchases a ticket.
But alas, upon her arrival, she is not accepted to the seminary. Since her mother was a giores many years ago, the gairus needed to be rechecked. This was all based upon the new criterion established and or promulgated by the EJF.
Mind you, the gairus was a good gairus. Indeed, it was checked and relied upon by Rabbonim with unimpeachable credentials. The mother’s level of observance is unassailable as well.
No matter. The girl must undergo another tevilah. Since almost every seminary and yeshiva in Israel checks with the EJF about whether a Gairus must be redone or not, she does not have much choice. It is off to the Mikvah with her – with three Rabbonim in tow.
A quick glance at the EJF website is revealing. Only 19 Batei Din are on the approved list – in the entire United States. Nineteen in the whole country. Every other Bais Din? The plug has been pulled on them.
And so, apparently, the girl has no choice.
Or does she? What about the Mitzvah of Kivud Av V’Aim? If she capitulates to the demands of the EJF – what does this have her saying about her mother?
“Sorry, mom – I don’t believe you are really Jewish – so I am dipping again just to be sure..” Is this true Kivud Av V’aim? Is this not a complete and utter abnegation of the Mitzvah of “VeGair lo sonu”?
And guess what? This remarkable young lady, who does not possess an ounce of Chutzpah within her, chooses not to budge. She did not dip again.
Instead, she waited for a phone call. Perhaps they may change their minds. Perhaps some more evidence would emerge from America.
It was a phone call that never came.
The young lady took a job helping a harried mother with her young children while she waited.. And waited. And waited.
The end of the story was that she never got into the seminary. But she remained pure of the horrific stain of hurting the two people in her life that she loves most – her parents. Her observance of Kivud Av v’Aim remained intact. And perhaps that devotion, that “Dama Ben Nesina” type of experience – may have been a greater spiritual elevation than any seminary in the world could have provided.
Unfortunately, this is not the only story.
The next one goes like this:
Picture a couple that cannot get married. They cannot marry because the gairus that one of them underwent years earlier was not acceptable to the EJF for some reason. Yet, all members of that Bais Din were frum Rabbonim. They were Talmidei Chachomim with rock-solid reputations.
There is no question that those who made that call were in complete violation of the issurei deoraisos involved in “veGair lo sonu.”
Of course, one may protest that everything that was done by EJF was done with the approval of Gedolei Yisroel. In light of recent events, however, the credibility of this claim must certainly be called into question.
There is a fascinating and most remarkable Yam Shel Shlomo (Bava Kamma Perek 7 Siman 37). The author writes that, according to his opinion, an actual blessing should be recited at a Siyum – a completion of a Talmudic tractate. Yes, the Maharshal – Rabbi Shlomo Luriah was of the opinion that the blessing of “SheHaSimcha B’mono” should be recited at a siyum – because “there is no greater simcha or rina before Hashem than a simcha of Torah.” And he writes further, “And so I ruled.”
But then at one such party – sheer pandemonium struck. The holy Maharshal writes, “And I pinned this terrible event on myself – for I have violated the words of the sages, who had never heard such a thing [about this new practice of reciting the blessing]..”
The point is clear. The retroactive undoing of Gairus – performed by kosher, erlicha Rabbis and Talmidei Chachomim, is unheard of. Never in history was this done.
Is it no wonder that sheer pandemonium would develop in regard to this organization? Is it no wonder that a chilul Hashem of such magnitude would develop here?
There are two steps that need to be taken. The first is that a Rabbinic organization in the right wing Torah world should denounce the avlah that has occurred. Why is it that the RCA is the sole organization thus far to stand up for Torah? Many Poskim have ruled that the new ideas that have come out of this organization are against Shulchan Aruch. Yes, against Shulchan Aruch.
In light of the horrendous events that have occurred and the track record involved here, one cannot assume that anything presented in the name of Gedolim is necessarily true. Anything that seems to go against Shulchan Aruch and the responsa literature must be re-evaluated.
The second thing that must be done is our Gedolei HaPoskim and Rabbonim have to step up and devise some alternative to the system of evaluation set up by an organization led by a suspect individual. Neshamos are crying out to us. Rabbonim and Talmidei Chachomim of unimpeachable credentials have been destroyed and devastated by this organization.
The words of Rabbi Shlomo Luria are screaming out at us! The question is – will we listen?
The author can be reached at [email protected]
Al eleh ani bochia…
Why did anyone ever look to EJF as the arbiter of who is a good Ger? Why would any community not rely on it’s own rabbonim who will find after 2 minutes of checking that the gerus is valid?
Since when do we have organizations and expert panels deciding halacha for klal yisroel instead of our own poskim?
I have been involved with Kiruv for over three decades. Close to thirty years ago a university student underwent a Giyur Kehalacha when he discovered that his mother was converted by Conservative rabbis. A week later he went to Yeshivas Ohr Sameach.
A few weeks ago EJF told him that his Giyur may not be good because they have questions of the Rabbonim who did it. Who is a erliche Orthodox Rav and does not do kulahs in Giyur. This shocking action is beyond belief. The EJF did not call the Rabbomin in question. They just put the Safek in the mind of this person 3 decades late
We need a proper structure in Giyur, and proper standards kept. However the idea that Rabbonim in Monsey, or Meah Shearim will suddenly begin to question Geirus done properly is outrageous. There is no historical precedent for this.
There are a small group of Rabbonim aligned with EJF that have attempted to impose their view on Gierus. They are overreaching and creating havoc in the Jewish community.
These kinds of situations arise because of the lack of clear leadership in the frum Jewish world. Until a generation produces real leaders, and not money-grubbing fakers and blind sheep followers, this is the kind of confusion we will continue to have, in geirus and other areas.
This scenario has nothing to do with EJF, there’s a Vaad lInyonei Giyur headed by Rabbi Nochum Eizenstein of jerusalem originally from the US. He is a yotzei vnichnas by Rav Elyashiv and he has power in the Rabbanut as well. His mission is to void any questionable geirus in the world. Obviously many people have been hurt by this. But this has little to do with EJF.
Thank you, Rabbi Hoffman!
in case 1, could the young lady marry a cohain?
if she had a brother that was a witness on a ketubah, what would happen to the marriage?
if the brother became a mohel, would the milah be kosher?
if the brother became a shohect, would we have to throw out our dishes?
Kavod Harav to Y. Hoffman who has taken many ‘questionable issues’ of society and addressed them BUT is this enough??? Does Rabbi Hoffman have the clout to begin action against the EJF? Can he convince Rabbi AZ Ginsburg of the 5 towns to band with him and confront Rav Ruvain, Rav Eisenstein and others? or will this once again be a subject to write about, debate, determine new halachos and teshuvos while immense suffering and injustice remains.
The whole problem with the seminary girl in the article could have been avoided if she had just kept her mouth shut that her mother was a giyores, also the Ohr Someach student in #3. It’s only when they open their mouths that the “problems” and “questions” arise. But most people have to learn the hard way.
This is the problem with the internet. It exposes all of these issues to examination. Sunlight is bad.
What a racket the EJF had going. Call into question every ger’s geirus that they can, and then exploit them for money or sex – or both, if they’re lucky.
Rashi comments that the levi and the ger and the son and daughter of Hashem) which is why when you support one of them financially, Hashem will support you in return. So anyone who abuses a ger is abusing someone who has a deeply special relationship with Hakadosh Baruch Hu – they are a daughter of Hashem the way the levi is the son. The rabbonim who are standing by silently, perhaps thinking that the situation didn’t involve them, are standing on the blood of these geirim.
Someone needs to stand up for them, to shut down this EJF. But they remain silent, as in $$$H!
Good article. I just have a question:
When something smells like a rat (as these stories show), why can’t anyone who in involved with these stories speak up and questions the actions of such an organization?
We now have plenty of great forums to debate all kinds of issues, and there should not be any reason to sumbit to fearmongering.
Ours a true Dor Yasom. Sadly, we no longer have the kind of Manhigim during whose times these things wouldn’t wreak the havoc this scandal has wreaked.
Hashiva Shofteinu K’VaRishona.
Thank you Rabbi Hoffman for publicly stating what many of us have been saying for years. Why did it take a scandal of this magnitude to reveal what everyone knew was going on with gerus? The system was being manipulated by the EJF and they were setting standards that are not in line with how gerus has been done up until now; there is no mesorah for this. Yet there has been deafening silence from all but one rabbinic organization. Is the silence because the EJF plans on continuing in Tropper’s ways and using his framework to move forward? This issue needs to be reexamined and there are many questions that need to be answered regarding how the gedolim allowed it to get to this.
I love the fact that R’ Y Hoffman always seems to think that he knows better than everyone else. The multitudes of choshuve Rabbonim whom, while not actively doing geirus, approved and still approve of the EJF standards. One of Maran HoRav Elyashiv’s 2 right hand men is intimately involved in the standards set by EJF at the behest of Maran Shlit”a.
But Rabbi Hoffman knows better.
The idea of a “Geirus l’chumra” is an idea that was not invented by EJF, rather one that EJF has made easier to facilitate, meaning that when you have a sha’ala of someones status, in any way, they help get rid of it.
But Rabbi Hoffman knows better.
When someone has a situation where according to the standards set down by R Reuvein Feinstein etc., she might not be jewish, isn’t it ludicrous to say that not resolving that issue is “may have been a greater spiritual elevation than any seminary in the world could have provided”?
But Rabbi Hoffman knows better.
To say RCA is standing up for torah, while lumping them in with Eida Chareidis’ issues with EJF is simply a lie. RCA wants laxer standards, while EC, believe it or not, wants stricter.
But Rabbi Hoffman knows better,
C’mon!!!!
I don’t mean to sound callous by saying this, but why did the woman have to go to a seminary that cares what EJF thinks? Why did the young couple have to use a mesader kiddushin who cares what EJF thinks?
You can always find someone who disapproves of a geirus. Even if the EJF puts its imprimature on a conversion, I’m sure you can find one rov somewhere who’ll say no. So then what? Giyur lechumroh becomes an impossibility, and they’ll be no such thing as geirus anymore.
We seem to be collecting a lot of elephants. Is our room big enough for all of them?
Without knowing the details of any the cases brought up in the article, it’s hard to pass judgment one way or another. Maybe “never before in history” was geirus questioned this much because never before in history has the office of “Rabbonus” been so fragmented among competing political agendas. Or maybe it’s true that standards for accepting geirim are more lax than they’ve ever been before, making the reaction of EJF understandable. We can’t really understand from this article, which so clearly takes on only one side of the story.
I believe that the rambam writes that if an ehrliche bais din performed a geirus, it is supposed to be accepted. I think that when we start questioning hashkofos (even though I see that there are botei din from all walks of the Jewish Spectrum) a family will have to under go giyur lechumrah everytime they attempt to do some sort of ritual.
I think facts speak for themselves. When you see a women that had undertaken the yoke of mitzvis correctly etc. What more proof do you need that the intentions were good?
I am sorry to disagree with Rabbi Hoffman but he has his facts wrong. The story he mentioned never happened as described! It is a theoretical scenario that he is afraid may happen in the future. There is very little correct about this article. The EJF is a kiruv organization that is trying to prevent the above mentioned scenarios. They often advise people to be toivel lechumrah to avoid any future problems. They are not and never have been the validators of previous conversions for any other organization other than for their own educational programs.
The major issue today is as it has been for the past 60-70 years is that we have no universally accepted standards. Unfortunately there are dozens of rabbis that will do geirus without kabolas mitzvos. If a rabbi knowingly, or out of neglect does a few such geirus then unfortunately all his conversions will be in question. In one or two generations who will be able to verify which of his geirus, even one done totally correct, was a good geirus? As long as a bais din or Rabbi does some questionable conversion unfortunately all his conversions will be brought into question! In order to avoid these problems, many people are advised to
It appears to me that EJF is a tamei organization and should be disbanded and not cleansed of its tumah. Chazal teach in Chaggigah that Koheinim Am Haratzim are considered Chaverim on Regalim. After the Regal the kelim in the Beis HaMikdash must be toveled because lemafrea anything the touched is taamei. Can this organization be cleansed in a mikvah? I don’t think so. Please disband it.
before posting this, did you go to the gedolim and ask them why they didn’t publicly protest? is it possible that there isn’t suffocent evidence halachiclly of wrongdoing .? what about r reuvein feinstein and rav elya ber wactfogel a, are they aware of these situatuins that you described ? I think that if you would first go to them before using VIN , you’d would get a proper resppnse
Kudos for printing this article. I especially appreciate the last few paragraphs. To publish this takes courage.
It is true that the state of Geirus is now in trouble and has been for the last few years. There have been numerous scandals and irregularies coming out of Batei Dins for years.
Unfortunately when there is no level of self regulation, problems occur. When problems occur, a higher level of regulation is needed. This was probably the reason the great Torah Sages of our generation felt the need for an organization such as the EJF. We know we can’t go back to the old system before the EJF. It didn’t work and the people in charge back then didn’t know how to regulate themselves. Too bad the RCA and others didn’t take up a stronger voice during the bad years.
The EJF is still a relatively new organization. It has leadership of the highest level in all Kal Yisroel. They may have a few problems it needs to work out but they have the leadership and are doing the job in a strict way.
Lets not kid ourselves on this. Strictness is the best approach to Geirus.
The events of the past few days is a good reason for us to understand the need and purpose for an overreaching Geirus board such as the EJF. May Hashem bless their honest efforts.
“Gedolei HaPoskim and Rabbonim have to step up and devise some alternative to the system of evaluation set up by an organization led by a suspect individual.”
I said virtually the same thing in my post when the story first broke. Your examples of EJF’s follies are more than outrageous. my reaction was visceral immediately after I rread the first story. I shook with anger that an organization comprised of so many rabbinic leaders of our generation can be involved with the kind of organization that does this!
I have since learned via some personal contacts that many of the rabbis listed in EJF’s website as supporting them had dropped out – long before this story broke. Their personal experiences with EJF and Tropper led them to believe the organization was no good. These stories confrim it! Like you – I wonder why there has been no public condemnation of this yet by the right?
The major issue today is as it has been for the past 60-70 years is that we have no universally accepted standards. Unfortunately there are dozens of rabbis that will do geirus without kabolas mitzvos. If a rabbi knowingly, or out of neglect does a few such geirus then unfortunately all his conversions will be in question. In a or two generations who will be able to verify which of his geirus, even one done totally correct, was a good geirus? As long as a bais din or Rabbi does some questionable conversion unfortunately all his conversions will be brought into question! In order to avoid these problems, many people are advised to save themselves of this chashash by redoing a tevilah in front of a Bais Did that does not have such credibility problems. This is the problem that the EJF is trying to address
It is not true that “almost every seminary and yeshiva in Israel checks with the EJF about whether a Gairus must be redone or not”. In fact the batie dinim on the EJF website don’t even checks with the EJF about thing as important as this. The EJF is a Kiruv organization not a geirus validation organization. A simple phone call to any yesiva can prove this.
I have no knowledge at all in this field but i have a question. Doesn’t a person who goes thry the geirus process get a CERTIFICATE or LETTER from the BEIS DIN which oversaw thier geirus process?? And if so how can the EJF discredit a “ehrliche” Beis Din? And if they are not an “ehrliche” Beis Din then aren’t the EJF right?
And if they don’t issue a CERTIFICATE or LETTER the question is, why not?? Wouldn’t that just be a simple solution to this problem??
Please Advise……
Rabbi Hoffman uses the term “picture” which reflects that these “case studies” are hypothetical or he is in great need of an editor. I am not an advocate for the EJF by a long shot but throwing up stories like this is not constructive.
By the way who ever made up the first story is just plain silly. No need to expound.
I also have no idea what he is referring to when he says that “the credibility of this claim must certainly be called into question”. Many still live. Ask them.
As to his story about the M’harshal. I don’t know if the story is true but does the Rabbi wish to convey that we cannot rely upon Shailos Utushvos seforim for guidance? Or does Rabbi Hoffman wish to convey that he is the sole arbiter for Halacha? He is walking on dangerous ground.
not only should the ejf be closed down right now, any person, Rabbi included who continues to be involved should be considered highly suspect in all regards.
A perusal review of Reb Moshe Feinstein’s tshuvos will show you that he was against Giyur l’chumra if there was kabolas mitzvos with a frum beis din and actually discourages one girl who’s asking the question if she needs to retoivel who admits to certain things that she questions might affect the geirus she went through but nevertheless Reb Moshe tells her NOT to redo the conversion. In most cases except for the runaway flyby conversions Reb Moshe is very careful not to passel the beis din where there was kabolas mitzvos but later the ger slipped in his shemiras mitzvos. Thank u Rabbi Hoffman this IS a travesty on the highest level. Unfortunately today everything is done with geshpanke of Gedolim but anyone involved with this Apotroppers larayos even the gedolim should be questioned for taking money or kovod from him. Perhaps a new committee should be set up to examine gedolim L’chumra to see if they are not taking money on the side or any ulterior motive is not interfering with their rulings like their dislike to certain kreizin like Lubavitch Young Israel etc as you all saw another case where a ger was turned down for believing that the Lubavitcher Rebbe ztl could be a ‘potential’ Moshiach. Lo Y’uman ki yesupar that this sincere prospective Ger who was gantz in shemiras kol hamitzvos shabbos kashrus bhiddur etc but was ‘oiver’ on a serious aveira that he believed that he left open the possibilty that someone min hameisim could be Moshiach (a gemora mifureshes in Sanhedrin)?! These types of ‘chumras’ and holier than thou attitudes is destroying our holy Torah and WAKE UP ALL FRUM YIDDEN it is destroying our kids who are leaving yiddishkeit in droves it is mamosh a plague r’l as our kids see through our motives and this sinas chinom amongst yidden should be driven from our camps.
This is all good if there was a geirus. today there are rabonim marrying people without even realy looking into their backgrounds and these people make up stories that their parents and grandparents are jewish and the rabonim believe it. then they go to some other rav and have him write a letter. But the truth is their marriage is worthless, the rabonim in the case are worthless and the person has to have a proper giur.
However what happens if the husband was a cohen who pulled of such a stunt and for him to marry this shiksa he had to get rabonim to play ball. In this case there is no claim of giyur. now the rabonim who were cought are trying to backtrack and write up new halochos.
Point is EJF and others are playing games and not being real. I think the Syrian way is the best. Obviously they forsaw that rabonim would slip thereby causing all these problems.
bottom line the case above is a true case and exists in a large jewish community and they have children and they are in a frum school. But according to all those who reviewed this case the children are goyim since there was no giyur. The caviot is that no raboim want to do anything either. so what now??
The reason EJF imploded recently, is due to its proseltization of non-Jews — trying to get them to convert to Judaism. THAT is why Hashem did to EJF what Hashem did.
I think every Yid is safek unless they can prove 10 generations of shomrei Torah Yidden.
Since this is virtually impossible in most if not all families of Ashkenazic descent then we either get real or stop calling ourselves Jews.
With a few rare exceptions, we have two types of “Gedolim” today.
The first are the “survivors”. Twenty years ago, no one heard of them. The real Gedolim are gone, so now they’ve become Gedolim.
The second group, are the “children”. Daddy or Zeidy was a great man, ergo son or grandson is, too! If you want to sit in your father’s chair, you must fill his shoes first!
The elephants are so large and stink so bad because the people we consider(ed) leaders have abdicated their positions of responsibility. Don’t expect a response, let alone an overhaul. Gedolim don’t read blogs and for the most part are likely oblivious to the fact that people are outraged by what Tropper has done, and perhaps more instructively for the future, what he was enabled to do. These aren’t the failings of an individual — they are systemic.
Isn’t there any normalcy left in this world! Why are there only ‘extremes’ today? The above two stories are heartbreaking because it is truly sinful, and these same ‘extremist’ rabbis are commiting the sin of shaming a true convert; there are chumras today of all kind which can only dissuade any Jew to returning to Torah. Someone, who let’s say comes from an assimilated home, and decides to become a baal tshuva – why would he want to return if he sees so many ‘mishagasin’ and stringencies that make no sense. In the cases of geirus, I truly believe it should be to the letter of the law (k’fi halacha) by sincere, righteous rabbanim on the highest level, and that should be enough! To do this, as the above stories relate, is a chilul HaShem. The seminary is overboard and why would parents want to send their children to such a fanatic school? All this sinas chinam, for what, to hold off the coming of Moshiach? We need ‘ahavat chinam’ now more than ever. Love the ger tzedek, not one iota less than the born Jew!
Dear Rabbi,
What will you say if he is vindicated & is able to pick a liable check?
Not that I approve or disapprove, but the man is down, don’t beat him please. Even an enemy it says Binfoil Oyvecha al tismoch, uvehikoshloi al yogel libecha?
of course many feel mi somcha loish, & don’t like self appointments to controversial places, but there is a time & place for all. Now isn’t the time to bank on him. IMHO
Yes, the RCA and the Eidah are worlds apart. Perhaps they are not malachim on other matters. But neither got money from Tropper which may be why both of their responses are more authentic than those more closely associated with Tropper.
Rabbi Hoffman appears to be very misinformed. EJF has no such powers or authority. Nor do they approve or disapprove batei dinim (they only recommend certain battei dinim – not being on the list doesn’t mean they are not qualified). Yes EJF personnel are active in geirus issues and arguably are influential, but that is it. There is also no seminary the checks the status of its applicants that come from a home of shomrei torah umitzvos to determine if they are jewish. I suspect that the story is phony.
Thinking about all that is happening today with this geirus issue, I think the fault started with mass conversions of all the peoples that arrived in Israel, who either were not Jewish to begin with, or with communities
that say they stem from the lost tribes, etc. Some of the rabbis in Israel started with mass conversions (which is wrong to begin with) and then the army promoted this idea, and converted many of the Russian non-Jews who are serving in the army. These tactics are what promoted the creation of the EJF and started all these investigations into the background of conversions. The sin started with bringing in all non-Jews and then converting them. They knew full well when they arrived that these people were not Jews. This is the reason for all the balagan now! Now these poor true righteous converts are being punished for the reasons stated above. Very wrong!
The writer clearly has little knoledge of what’s going on in the world of Rabbonus or the world of kiruv. There are hundreds of “geirim” who were never mekabel ol mitzvohs out there. Many more who went through “orthodox” geirus by “Rabbis” who don’t know which cheilek in shulchan oruch hilcos geiru is in.
By the way the loshon haposkim is “Shlosha haKsheirim Lodun” not Tom Dick and Harry.
Sticking to the book could be painful sometimes! But emotions don’t change halacha!
No one is happy that Tropper is down – but the evil he perpetrated must be stamped out completely – and because of his cat of nine lives chameleon like qualities he must be utterly destroyed!
If the would-be seminary girl had agreed to tevilah, would that–in addition to showing disrespect toward her mother–mean that the girl was admitting that she herself was not born Jewish? If so, that would mean she couldn’t marry a Cohen, and others might also look down upon her.
Something like that happened to a friend of mine, her mother converted in the USA and many years later having been shomer shabbat her entire life she tried to get married in Israel. The Rabbinute told her she was a goy and to get lost. She eventually was able to get married but it was a lot harder then it should have been.
The irony here is that EJF is now claiming that all geirus done with their blessing is unquestionable. It is laughable because you would be hard pressed to find a “rav” with less moral fortitude than tropper.
what is the EJF ??
who runs it?
what is it all about?
I would like to limit my comments to one point, that being that the proff Rabbi Hoffman brought from the Maharshal is not a proof. He said
“But then at one such party – sheer pandemonium struck. The holy Maharshal writes, “And I pinned this terrible event on myself – for I have violated the words of the sages, who had never heard such a thing [about this new practice of reciting the blessing]..”
The point is clear. The retroactive undoing of Gairus – performed by kosher, erlicha Rabbis and Talmidei Chachomim, is unheard of. Never in history was this done. “
All the Maharshal says is that which he did based on sevora, reciting a new blessings was improper, and he should have given greater consideration to the fact that earlier, greater Rabbonim did not institute such a blessing before he hemself recommended doing so. Perhaps by geirus, he would claim a particular gierus was improper if he felt that to be the case.
There have been cases of Rabbonim who are too lenient regarding geirus. In such a case there should be a protest. Regarding the best way to deal with such a problem in general, or the approach of EJF, I have no comment. My comment is only regarding the proof brought.
This really hurts legitimate geirim, but in the long run, is long overdue. We must prevent the erev rav from joining us in the first place. In the end, those with a strong desire to keep the mitzvot will do whatever it takes to gain legitimacy in the eyes of the Beis Din, wherever it may be. Let’s daven for a speedy resolution to this problem before more people are put in impossible situations.
The bottom line of all of this is, any sane person considering to convert to Judaism will be turned off to do so for good.
My story, and current position: Converted Conservative at age 12 (not knowing there was a difference) and converted Orthodox at age 21 before being married. 30 years ago conversion standards were different, and one was allowed to be on the path of growth without being completely shomrei mitzvas. Today I am shomrei mitzvas, wear pants, don’t cover my hair all the time, and I am still growing. This makes my orthodox conversion “suspect”, and calls into question all of the Rabbi’s conversions. One of my children is frum, and the other is on the path of growth in a Yeshiva. My oldest child was advised to do a L’Chumrah for Shidduch purposes, which was done. Today, a gair is held to a much higher standard than a natural born Jew, & status is judged as a whole family as well as individually. Jewish conversions need standards, and I fully support the Rabbis’ decisions, even if I don’t understand. Halachic decisions change in response to the times. I am sad that my Jewish status and the status of my descendants will always be in question, and thankful that we remain Ben Avraham V’Sarah. This is the burden we carry. May Hashem judge us favorably.
From reading the comments on this subject matter:
It is a shame that so called “Frum Yidden” act like street thugs and vigilantes regarding the Yichus of thier fellow Jews and families.
In an age of the emergence of the Bal Teshuvah movement and the tragedy of the silent Holocaust of intermarriage maybe people should work on the yasherous of thier own lives and personal dealings before posting hersay and slander about thier fellow Jew and Rabbonim.
Seems some are willing to jump to judgment without hardcore facts ready to cowardly tear down families and children with Loshon Hora and lies.
“Hashem Yvakesh Es Haneirdof”