A compromise has apparently been found in the ongoing problem of non-Orthodox conversion ceremonies. The Knesset Law Committee will be asked to agree to the erasure of the \"nationality\" clause in Israelis\' official identity cards, thus obviating the Interior Ministry\'s need to determine whether a person is Jewish or not. (The Chief Rabbinate\'s continued use of its own criteria for recognizing Jews was not affected by the recent Supreme Court decision recognizing the non-Orthodox conversions.)
The hareidi parties, which had planned to propose legislation stipulating that only Orthodox-converted Jews (and Jews born of Jewish mothers) be listed as such, have agreed to the new arrangement. The opposition National Religious Party objects to the move, as does Herut MK Michael Kleiner, who said, \"This is a dangerous step towards turning Israel into a \'state of all its citizens\' instead of a Jewish state.\"
Interior Minister Eli Yeshai (Shas), whose refusal to adhere to the Supreme Court ruling that he list Reform- and Conservative-converts as Jews ticked off the present crisis, explained today, \"I would rather that there not be such a clause on the identity card, rather than have non-Jews be listed there as Jews - a classification for which hundreds of thousands of people, including foreign workers and Palestinians, are just waiting to take advantage of...\"
The hareidi parties, which had planned to propose legislation stipulating that only Orthodox-converted Jews (and Jews born of Jewish mothers) be listed as such, have agreed to the new arrangement. The opposition National Religious Party objects to the move, as does Herut MK Michael Kleiner, who said, \"This is a dangerous step towards turning Israel into a \'state of all its citizens\' instead of a Jewish state.\"
Interior Minister Eli Yeshai (Shas), whose refusal to adhere to the Supreme Court ruling that he list Reform- and Conservative-converts as Jews ticked off the present crisis, explained today, \"I would rather that there not be such a clause on the identity card, rather than have non-Jews be listed there as Jews - a classification for which hundreds of thousands of people, including foreign workers and Palestinians, are just waiting to take advantage of...\"