Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site unc.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!mcnc!unc!fsks From: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: Questions about conversion to Judaism Message-ID: <76@unc.UUCP> Date: Fri, 15-Feb-85 13:25:24 EST Article-I.D.: unc.76 Posted: Fri Feb 15 13:25:24 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 20-Feb-85 05:38:53 EST References: <16@unc.UUCP> Reply-To: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) Organization: CS Dept., U. of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill Lines: 36 Summary: In article schechte@csd2.UUCP (asher schechter) writes: >The 7 Noachide laws correspond to over a hundred of our mitzvoth. > >If a conservative rabbi is shomer tora and mitzvoth then he is >orthodox by definition. Otherwise we can't accept his converts. >Thus the issue is halachic not political. > > Asher Schechter I believe you are implying that Reform and Conservative Rabbis are really not Jewish rabbis. I understand the reasoning. If you believe that the Talmudic tradition is essential to Judaism, then a religion that rejects this tradition (in whole or in part) is not really Judaism. This brings up a related point. A Jew who converts to Christianity is no longer considered to be a member of the Jewish people. In Israel, the Law of Return does not apply to such a person (N.B. this does not mean that a Christian is forbidden to become an Israeli citizen, only that he may not demand citizenship as his right). Since Reform and Conservative congregations are viewed as practicing a non-Jewish religion, then perhaps Reform and Conservative Jews should be denied this right as well. A Jew should be "excommunicated" upon joining such a congregation. This will clear up the controversy of "who is a Jew" by attacking the problem at its source. Being a non-Halachic semi-Conservative "Jew" myself, I do not favor such an approach. I merely state that this is the logical consequence to Orthodox attitudes on the conversion question. Frank Silbermann University of North Carolina UNLESS WE CHANGE DIRECTION, WE WILL END UP WHERE WE ARE HEADED.