Observant Jews clearly do not recognize the Supreme Court as a religious authority, and will not relate to people who undergo such "conversions" as Jews. The children of such "converts," in fact, will not be considered Jews for purpose of marrying into observant and traditional communities.
All living former and present Chief Rabbis - Avraham Shapira, Ovadiah Yosef, Mordechai Eliyahu, Shlomo Amar, Yona Metzger, Yisrael Lau and Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron - said today that non-Orthodox conversions are not religiously valid and will not be recognized.
However, today's decision does allow the new "converts" to become automatic Israeli citizens by virtue of the Law of Return, which grants Israeli citizenship and new-immigrant status to any Jew in the world who immigrates to the country.
"Anyone who feels like becoming an Israeli citizen, can now do so," said MK Benny Elon this morning bitterly. "This option does not exist for any other country in the world."
New immigrant citizens receive an "absorption basket" from the government, worth 15,000 shekels over the course of eight months.
"This decision will turn conversion into a fictitious process," Rabbi Metzger said. "What's next, conversion by fax or by SMS?"
MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) warned that a data base will have to be formed for Orthodox congregations." He said that the Supreme Court continues to undermine Israel's Judaism, and that its rulings "deepen the split in the nation, as we will have to prepare a 'book of ancestry' only for the Orthodox. The significance of this latest ruling is to deepen the split amongst us."
The fundamental religious difference between Orthodox and non-Orthodox conversions is that the former require the convert to accept the obligations of traditional Jewish Law [Halakhah]. Non-Orthodox conversions suffice with a general commitment to the Jewish People and some or no aspects of observance of Halakhah. Judaism discourages converts, largely because of the many Halakhic responsibilities that they must assume.
Today's decision marks the end of a six-year case that began when 15 tourists and foreign workers demanded that their "conversions" be recognized. They studied here, and "hopped over" to foreign countries such as Argentina to receive the final approval from non-Orthodox rabbis. A special judicial panel of the Supreme Court ruled, in a 7-4 decision, that such conversions are acceptable for purposes of Israeli citizenship.
The core issue of non-Orthodox conversions that are carried out solely in Israel was still not addressed, however. Such ceremonies will continue not to be recognized.
MK Effie Eitam said, "The Supreme Court is carrying out a hostile takeover of the character and identity of the State of Israel as a Jewish state in accordance with Jewish tradition. Judges who represent an extremist and marginal worldview within Israeli society are forcing their opinions on the general public."
MK Zevulun Orlev, leader of the National Religious Party, said that the decision is "another link in the long chain of predictable Supreme Court decisions against the Jewish religion that blur the State's Jewish character. The Supreme Court judges place themselves in the position of issuing religious rulings."
All living former and present Chief Rabbis - Avraham Shapira, Ovadiah Yosef, Mordechai Eliyahu, Shlomo Amar, Yona Metzger, Yisrael Lau and Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron - said today that non-Orthodox conversions are not religiously valid and will not be recognized.
However, today's decision does allow the new "converts" to become automatic Israeli citizens by virtue of the Law of Return, which grants Israeli citizenship and new-immigrant status to any Jew in the world who immigrates to the country.
"Anyone who feels like becoming an Israeli citizen, can now do so," said MK Benny Elon this morning bitterly. "This option does not exist for any other country in the world."
New immigrant citizens receive an "absorption basket" from the government, worth 15,000 shekels over the course of eight months.
"This decision will turn conversion into a fictitious process," Rabbi Metzger said. "What's next, conversion by fax or by SMS?"
MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) warned that a data base will have to be formed for Orthodox congregations." He said that the Supreme Court continues to undermine Israel's Judaism, and that its rulings "deepen the split in the nation, as we will have to prepare a 'book of ancestry' only for the Orthodox. The significance of this latest ruling is to deepen the split amongst us."
The fundamental religious difference between Orthodox and non-Orthodox conversions is that the former require the convert to accept the obligations of traditional Jewish Law [Halakhah]. Non-Orthodox conversions suffice with a general commitment to the Jewish People and some or no aspects of observance of Halakhah. Judaism discourages converts, largely because of the many Halakhic responsibilities that they must assume.
Today's decision marks the end of a six-year case that began when 15 tourists and foreign workers demanded that their "conversions" be recognized. They studied here, and "hopped over" to foreign countries such as Argentina to receive the final approval from non-Orthodox rabbis. A special judicial panel of the Supreme Court ruled, in a 7-4 decision, that such conversions are acceptable for purposes of Israeli citizenship.
The core issue of non-Orthodox conversions that are carried out solely in Israel was still not addressed, however. Such ceremonies will continue not to be recognized.
MK Effie Eitam said, "The Supreme Court is carrying out a hostile takeover of the character and identity of the State of Israel as a Jewish state in accordance with Jewish tradition. Judges who represent an extremist and marginal worldview within Israeli society are forcing their opinions on the general public."
MK Zevulun Orlev, leader of the National Religious Party, said that the decision is "another link in the long chain of predictable Supreme Court decisions against the Jewish religion that blur the State's Jewish character. The Supreme Court judges place themselves in the position of issuing religious rulings."