Israel – Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar on Wednesday accused some Orthodox rabbis outside of Israel of authorizing conversions to Judaism in exchange for bribery payments.
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“We have received reports of several rabbis who convert for money,” Rabbi Amar said at a special meeting of the Committee for Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs at Amar’s offices in Jerusalem.
Amar claims that the phenomenon takes place in North America, South America and Europe and referred to the example of a convert who testified to him that he was converted by an Orthodox rabbi for the sum of one million dollars.
Rabbi Amar’s remarks were made in support of the policy of the Chief Rabbinate and the Interior Ministry for the last two years to not recognize the conversions of most Orthodox rabbis outside of Israel.
Many Orthodox rabbis, especially from the Modern Orthodox movement, do not belong to the RCA, and they say this decision was aimed primarily at reducing their power. But Amar insisted that the decision’s sole purpose was to create an “orderly” conversion process run by “worthy” rabbis.
Read full article at Haaretz
In my opinion, conversions based on IDF servise is just as wrong. So modern orthodox rabbis get bribed with money and israely rabbis get bribed with military service.
What the diff?
Someone actually paid $1,000,000 to become Jewish? Not saying it’s right, just saying he must have really really wanted it.
and some Israeli Rabbis sell their votes
If the person is willing to pay so much money to become a shomer/shomeret torah umitzvot, why wouldn’t we accept their sincerity and assume the conversion is legitimate?
I saw the other article that says 1 in 8 NY’ers is taking Oycontin. No wonder Gerus is for sale – those pill are darn expensive!!!!!!
I don’t believe that someone paid a $1,000,000 some so called Rabbis will do it for much less
maybe Amar is upset that he didn’t get such a deal
people PAYING to become Jews??
We’ve come a long way baby!
Israeli rabbis are just mad that they don’t get 100% of the conversion business–a big joke in the religious monopoly market. They change rules and regulations to conversions 20 times a year as long as it helps line their pockets.