THE Conversion Crisis

The conversion crisis or conversion conflict is confusing, overwhelming, and infuriating. In a nutshell, this is the crisis: there are four main movements in Judaism (really at least seven) and they lie on a spectrum. Each movement to the right does not accept the conversions done in the movement to the left. That is, the Conservative movement does not accept the conversions done in the Reform or Reconstructionist movement; the Orthodox movement does not accept the conversions done in the Conservative, Reform, or Reconstructionist movements. Conservative accepts Orthodox and Reform and Reconstructionist accept everyone's. Israel makes things more complicated. Any conversion done outside eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel) is valid for aliyah purposes: any convert can get immediate citizenship. But only converts who complete RCA Orthodox conversions are considered Jewish by the rabbinu, meaning only they are allowed to marry and be buried in a Jewish cemetery (that is, without having to reconvert).

What... a mess.

This was the simplified version. The reality is, many rabbis from all movements recognize the problem and call for a solution. The reality also is, that the Jewish community just can't seem to find a solution. From 1978-1983 there was an attempt at a solution that ultimately failed called the Denver Program. Potential converts to Judaism would study with rabbis from all movements in a pluralistic way and the convert in front of a beit din, again with rabbis from all movements. The project ultimately collapsed when the Reform movement issued the acceptance of patrilineal descent. The Orthodox and Conservative movements couldn't fathom something that deviates from traditional halacha. Rabbi Joseph Telushkin (author of Jewish Literacy - buy it, now), a well respected Modern Orthodox rabbi, has advocated for a solution accepting converts of all movements among all movements.

It seems it would be impossible to get everyone to agree. There are so many opinions, how could everyone agree to a standard for conversion? Well, it would be simpler if everyone looked at the halacha prescribed in the Talmud and then said OK let's do it. The Talmud gives very view tasks for the conversion process. Only to study and go to the mikvah, and circumcision for a man. But everyone views "study," the beit dein requirements, and acceptance of the mitzvote differently.

The cut and dry version I outlined above, also, isn't so cut and dry. I started to realize this when a reform convert I know told me she would probably join a Conservative shul when it was time for her children to go to Sunday/Hebrew school. I emailed several rabbis asking their opinion on the state of the conversion crisis. The email generally went as follows.

Dear Rabbi so and so,

I was wondering, in your professional opinion, where do you think the American Jewish Community stands in solving the conversion crisis (that is, orthodox not recognizing nonorthodox conversions, conservative not recognizing reform, israel only recognizing RCA orthodox)? It's been apparent since the 19th century in Germany that there is a major problem, yet here we are in the 21st and nothing seems to be solved. As someone who is ready to begin serious study with a rabbi, I find the crisis overwhelming and confusing. Any born Jew can move from movement to movement if he/she so chooses. That does not seem to be an option for the convert. It would make sense to me if we converted first then chose a movement/shul to belong to. 

Some rabbis replied immediately, which was surprising since I did it late in the evening, but by the end of the day Tuesday, I had gotten all the replies I was going to get. What I learned is that not every Orthodox rabbi rejects converts from the liberal movements and most rabbis are understanding and sympathize with converts. It is a mess and they know it. The reform rabbis are the most hopeful that acceptance is coming and progress is being made (especially in Israel). Unfortunately, the conservative rabbis were the most negative. They believe that the movements are diverging and things will only get worse. The Orthodox were certainly the most understanding and kind. Everyone (almost) said to follow my heart.

I had a follow up phone conversation with the director of the Jewish Outreach Institute (a reform rabbi) and he gave me some pretty interesting and helpful statistics. They did a study a few years ago in which they asked conservative rabbis if they would accept the conversions of a reform rabbi, if they were done according to halacha. The study showed that about 50% of the rabbis would accept those conversions and about 50% wouldn't. They didn't do the study asking traditional or Orthodox rabbis, but he said he imagined the numbers would be the same. Ultimately, he said, it is up to the individual rabbi whether or not my conversion or my children would be accepted. In the case of my children not being accepted, they would need only to dip in the mikvah to solve their status problem. And in the end, there will always be someone standing to our right, questioning us, but that need not stop us from pursing Judaism and G-d.

In truth, I know of a case in my town, at my college, in which a person's status was questioned and the fix was not a simple trip to the mikvah. But I am going to go ahead and believe the reform rabbi and call that an extraordinary case. I am going to be hopeful with the reform rabbi. Why am I going to be so hopeful? Because of the Orthodox rabbis. One of them said to me,

I couldn't agree with you more... Know that I identify strongly with your feelings and your suggestion that we convert first in some generic fashion and then choose a movement was once the position of a right wing Orthodox rabbi, but he was shot down but his colleagues so he retracted the responsa.   It is a fractured world and we too are fractured people.  I do hope that I haven't dissuaded you.

He offered me no solution, I know. But a right wing Orthodox rabbi suggested generic conversion? Perhaps there will be no solution, ever, but not all Orthodox rabbis or Orthodox people are set on guarding Judaism like a secret club. They are the people we should seek out as allies, but more importantly, as friends. In truth, we will never know or come into contact with every Jew on the planet. Our communities are what matters, and if we make a community filled with accepting people, including the Orthodox, then we are doing exactly what we should. It's all we can do. 

Through this little project I have become much more comfortable with the idea of conversion in the context of the Jewish world. Much of my discomfort has come with the non-Jewish world accepting it and I concentrated on dealing with that first. Now I have dealt with both. That's not to say I have completely reconciled either issue; I am just in a place now where I am very comfortable with the idea in respect to the Jewish and non-Jewish worlds. In my opinion, that's a pretty good place to be a month before my conversion class starts.

There is no truth. Adonai Eloheichem Emet. 

G-d is truth. Not us. -Rabbi Andrea