The conversion law of Minister of Religious Services Matan Kahane will allow conversion outside the Chief Rabbinate. This is according to the latest draft of the law, which was obtained by Matti Tochfeld of Israel Hayom.
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The wording of the law indicates that despite Minister Kahane's commitments that the authority of the Chief Rabbinate will be maintained within the framework of the reform, a review of the sections of the law reveals that the powers of the Chief Rabbinate are being stripped from it and transferred to a new district to be established - a district of city rabbis - that will not be subject to the rulings of the Chief Rabbinate.
Minister Kahane also pledged that his law would be approved by Rabbi Chaim Druckman, the elder of the religious Zionist rabbis, in all its clauses and details.
However, as reported in Haredim 10, the Chief Rabbinate Council discussed the conversion plan today - and stated: "Calls for an immediate halt to the proposed conversion plan." Did Rabbi Chaim Druckman, who participated in the special meeting, also sign the resolution against the plan?
Those close to the Minister of Religious Services admitted that Rabbi Druckman surprised them with his strong opposition, but they said the dialogue with him will continue.
According to the new framework proposed in the law - the District of City Rabbis - every city rabbi will be able to establish a conversion court, not only in his city but throughout the country, and not just one court but as many as he wishes, and the Chief Rabbinate will have almost no possibility of torpedoing the establishment of the courts or removing judges it finds unworthy.
The current law states that the Chief Rabbi has the sole authority to approve conversions. This authority allows the Chief Rabbi to set the halachic standard for conversion. The new law eliminates the Chief Rabbi's sole authority, transferring it to an official appointed by the Minister himself.
The law also sets lenient thresholds for rabbis who convert outside the framework of the Chief Rabbinate. This section will in fact create a significant priority for conversion outside the framework of the Chief Rabbinate.
Minister Kahane also promised that the Chief Rabbinate will be given the authority to remove a judge, through the steering committee that will be established, which will have five members.
Minister Kahane's office denies the allegations.
According to sources close to him, since the minister began working on the law, the proposal has undergone many amendments and drafts, and the current proposal will also undergo changes.
