Israel – Yad L’Achim Takes On Phony Conversion Documents

Israel – Haredi organization Yad L’Achim is launching a struggle against 1,000 Christians’ intent to convert to Judaism, make aliyah, establish cooperative kibbutzim beyond the 1967 lines – and settle there.

Following the publication of a Ynet article outlining the initiative, the organization’s chairman Rabbi Sholom Ber Lifshitz claims that those involved in the initiative are missionaries whose goal is to bring Jews closer to the Christian faith and belief in Jesus, and called on the government to fend off the attempt.

According to Yad L’Achim, hundreds of Christian missionaries use a similar method to infiltrate the country every year but this time the plan is “destructive and concerning on a much greater level”.

Yad L’Achim activists claim that they have a thick dossier with information on the man behind the initiative; Baruch Abramovich from Portland which they believe proves that the man is unequivocally an “active veteran missionary”.

The activists quote Abramovich saying that his declared goal is to bring Jews closer to believing in Jesus, during his local radio show. They also note that his wife is the editor of various Christian publications.

Jewish publications published ads over the weekend with pictures of Abramovich showing him covered in a Jewish prayer shawl, holding a Shofar with a caption stating the picture was taken after a baptism ceremony.

The ads called on the Jewish residents of the West Bank to join the struggle against the “devastating enterprise” claiming that Christians are seeking to undergo a conversion the “nature of which is unclear”, so that they can freely engage in missionary activities.

Yad L’Achim has called on the Chief Rabbinate and official conversion elements to tighten conversion supervision in order to “prevent the issuing of phony conversion documents”. Rabbi Lifshitz has asked that those wishing to convert be forced to fill out detailed questionnaires with hopes that the religious prohibition to lie about their belief in Jesus – will reveal their true intentions.

The ads also include a personal attack on Knesset Member Lia Shemtov (Yisrael Beiteinu) alleging that “the plan to bring 1,000 missionaries to settle the Shomron got a boost last week, when its advocates met with MK Lia Shemtov”.