Encourage descendants of Jews to come back into the fold, rabbi urges

Written by Atara Beck
Wednesday, 13 January 2010

TORONTO – “In our generation, the topic of conversion is a unique one,” said Rabbi Haim Druckman, head of the religious Zionist Bnei Akiva youth movement and Center for Bnei Akiva yeshivot, who, at the invitation of local Zionist activist Larry Zeifman, led a roundtable discussion on the importance of encouraging Israeli immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) to become Jews according to halacha (Jewish law).

Visiting here from Israel, Rabbi Druckman, rosh yeshiva of Ohr Etzion hesder yeshiva, a former deputy minister of religious affairs and, until recently, head of the State Conversion Authority, has long been advocating for a more ‘conversion-friendly’ system for olim [immigrants] from the former Soviet Union. He spoke in support of the newly launched AMI – Personal Ulpan for Conversion, through which small groups of potential converts could undergo the process with the continual guidance of a religious mentor family. Program organizers would be willing to accommodate a single potential convert as well, if necessary.

AMI “represents a revolution,” Rabbi Druckman stated. It “transforms the process of conversion into an intimate, familial experience.” The program, which includes formal classroom education as well as informal learning through the mentor family, should significantly increase the number of converts through this personal approach, he explained.

“We are 18 years too late,” he declared. “It would have been much easier had this been dealt with in a better way from the start. They [Russian olim] are already part of Medinat Yisrael [the state of Israel]. They are Israeli citizens…study in Israeli schools, serve in the army. Eighty thousand are considered non-Jews. What will happen to the next generation?”

Indeed, “among the many who made aliyah are some 350,000 immigrants who are not Jewish according to halacha but came to Israel because of their deep connection to the land and people about which, sadly, they know so little today,” according to Natan Sharansky, chair of the Jewish Agency for Israel, adding that he was “very pleased” to learn about AMI and sees the program as a “blessing” and “timely.”

The majority of these olim claim Jewish ancestry; in fact, Rabbi Druckman read a list of names of individuals eager to convert to Judaism, including, for example, Rosenbaum, Landau and Kaplan.

“It is clear that we are commanded and it is our responsibility to bring these people closer to the Jewish people and to assist them in fully connecting to and becoming part of our nation through conversion,” Rabbi Druckman stated. “The truth is that all the immigrants are our family…and we must embrace them and help them.”

It was because of persecution and the forbidding of Jewish practice, including circumcision, that Jews from the FSU have been assimilated, “and the restrictions were enforced with brutal force like nothing we’ve ever seen. And the non-Jewish side suffered because of his connection to a Jew.”

The descendants are from zerah Yisrael – literally, Jewish seed – and therefore should be encouraged to become full-fledged Jews, he stressed. In fact, this viewpoint has been expressed in rabbinic literature and supported by some of the greatest spiritual leaders in the last generations.

Nevertheless, Rabbi Druckman affirmed that Jewish law must not be compromised in the process and the convert would have to demonstrate acceptance of the “yoke of heaven” and commitment to observing the mitzvot (commandments).

Regarding the permanence of conversion, “all those who were converted to Judaism are Jews,” he stated. “No one can take that away from them.”

For more information about AMI, contact Naftali Kandler, executive director, at 972-52-423-9740 or naftali@project-ami.org, or email info@project-ami.org.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 January 2010 )