Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mit-athena.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcs!lsuc!pesnta!amdcad!decwrl!decvax!mit-athena!martillo From: martillo@mit-athena.UUCP (Joaquim Martillo) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: Re: Questions about conversion to Judaism Message-ID: <72@mit-athena.UUCP> Date: Fri, 22-Feb-85 08:42:15 EST Article-I.D.: mit-athe.72 Posted: Fri Feb 22 08:42:15 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 24-Feb-85 09:22:57 EST References: <16@unc.UUCP> <76@unc.UUCP>, <1162@aecom.UUCP> Organization: MIT Project Athena Lines: 34 >> 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. >> >> University of North Carolina > > The law of return does *not* apply to non-jews because they do >not practice the Jewish religion, but rather because they aren't members >of the Jewish race. Denying their Jewishness as a religion does not say >that they aren't decendents of Jacob. > > I must say though it is nice to see someone who communicates >instead of argues. It's a pleasant change. > michab > berger @ aecom > > > The technical reason under halakah why a Jew who converts to Christianity would be excluded from the law of return while a Jew who is practicing Reform Judaism would not be excluded is that as the Rishon leZion Yitshaq Nissim stated, "Reform is not a religion." Therefor we have a difference between a Jew who is committing a treasonous act under Jewish law and who is probably liable to execution and a Jew who is merely committing a criminal act under Jewish law. Of course, the non-Religious Jews who passed the law and who administer it do not worry about such things. Their position is intellectually inconsistent. Yehoyaqim Martillo