Listen now | Dr. Marva Shalev Marom on the Israeli Ethiopian community, on the occasion of an insufficiently well known day meant to memorialize those who perished on the way here.
My father's opinion, is that anyone who says they are a Jew and is willing to suffer the tribulations of being Jewish and commit to the welfare of the Jewish people and the land of Israel, should be accepted as Jewish for the sake of Aliyah. I wish those in the position of power would honor that notion. If the Rabbinate is unwilling to follow that precept, then the power to determine "who is a Jew" should be taken out of their hands.
Next week we celebrate Shavuot and we read the Book of Ruth which is the story of our first convert. Here is her conversion: [16] But Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God; [17] where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you." [18] And when Na'omi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.
There were no Rabbis, no tests, no certificates, just commitment. I believe it is the true halakah.
My father's opinion, is that anyone who says they are a Jew and is willing to suffer the tribulations of being Jewish and commit to the welfare of the Jewish people and the land of Israel, should be accepted as Jewish for the sake of Aliyah. I wish those in the position of power would honor that notion. If the Rabbinate is unwilling to follow that precept, then the power to determine "who is a Jew" should be taken out of their hands.
Next week we celebrate Shavuot and we read the Book of Ruth which is the story of our first convert. Here is her conversion: [16] But Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God; [17] where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you." [18] And when Na'omi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.
There were no Rabbis, no tests, no certificates, just commitment. I believe it is the true halakah.