Responding to the appointment of Tzohar rabbi Benayahu Brunner as the new head of the state conversion system, MK Avi Maoz, head of the Noam party, has described his dismay at the decision.
"Just a few hours ago, we discovered that members of Religious Affairs Minister Kahana's own office are concerned that his reforms will open the door to Reform 'conversions,'" said Maoz, "and now we learn that he has appointed Rabbi Benayahu Brunner of the Tzohar organization to head the conversion system.
"Minister Kahana is dividing the Jewish People," he continued. "After promising that his outline for conversion reform would be according to Jewish law, and after promising that he would only develop the outline with the approval of leading Religious-Zionist rabbis, we see - as we have seen again and again - that Kahana does not keep his word.
"Rabbi Druckman is opposed to the new conversion outline just as the Chief Rabbinate is. Davka Kahana, who grew up in the Religious-Zionist community, is the one who is damaging the Chief Rabbinate, our heritage from Maran Harav Kook."