Ivanka in spotlight as Israel mulls conversions

(26 Jan 2017) When an Israeli rabbinical court refused to recognize the conversion of a 31-year-old American, Nicole Zeitler, last year the issue of the court's stringent requirements for accepting Orthodox conversions came to a boiling point in Israel.
Zeitler converted to Judaism in New York after a year and a half of study that included Hebrew lessons, a weekly questionnaire on Jewish topics and twice-a-week meetings with Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, a senior rabbi in the US Orthodox community who also oversaw Ivanka Trump's conversion.
The daughter of the US President converted before marrying her Jewish husband Jared Kushner.
But, Zeitler's conversion ran into deaf ears with the rabbinical authorities in Israel that questioned Rabbi Lookstein's credentials.
In the end, after a public outcry in Israel, the supreme rabbinical court persuaded Zeitler to undergo a quickened conversion by reciting a special declaration of faith, rather than recognise Lookstein's conversion.
Lookstein declined to comment.
Although the move didn't directly affect Ivanka Trump, it raised questions as to whether Israel's powerful religious establishment would recognize her as being Jewish.
Activists who have long lobbied the rabbinical establishment to be more tolerant toward converts now say that since Donald Trump became US president the court has softened its stance.
Just weeks after Trump's election victory, Israel's chief rabbis said they would work to change the rules for recognizing conversions performed abroad and they singled out Ivanka Trump.
The Jewish Week, a New York newspaper, quoted an anonymous source with ties to Trump's presidential transition team as saying high-ranking aides had expressed concern to Israel regarding the legitimacy of Ivanka Trump's conversion, and that Israeli efforts to recognize her conversion would foster a closer relationship between the Trump family and Israel.
A spokeswoman for Trump did not return a request for confirmation, and Rabbi Levi Shemtov, a rabbi in Washington who is close to Ivanka Trump, declined comment.
Israel's Orthodox establishment does not recognize conversions performed by the more liberal Reform and Conservative streams of Judaism, to which most American Jews belong.
But immigration officials have more relaxed guidelines and do allow Reform and Conservative converts to gain citizenship in Israel as Jews.
Zeitler then moved to Israel and became engaged to an Israeli, but a rabbinical court would not grant her a marriage license, dismissing Lookstein's credentials.
Since Ivanka Trump does not live in Israel, for her the issue is largely hypothetical.
But for converts in Israel, such as Zeitler, the rabbinate's ruling affects their daily lives.
If they are not recognized as Jewish, they are not permitted to marry in Israel, and they are technically ineligible for a religious burial when they die.
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[@jerriw4869]

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Romans 10:12

[@christdiedforoursins8180]

Jerri W , in jesus christ , the statement is true but , orthidox jews reject jesus so therd is a difference thats why they have'conversion'to rabbinical judaisim.jews don't call upon jesus.

[@youknowiknow9846]

did you have to denounce Jesus as a God & he was just a prophet & say that Jesus is dead?

[@MichElle-sd6gj]

arrogant & ignorant

[@Statorah-wb2nz]

jesus is the son of god get ur fax right

[@TheJosephPrice]

Jews do not view Jesus as God, the son of God, a prophet, the Messiah, any of that.

[@lewalewa7509]

This is beautiful we live in a time that we can enjoy the privilege to change our faith .. I will take advantage and try to convert into every faith possible.. wish me luck humans ..

[@joshpranks3954]

She still could convert if she wants to accept Judaism truthfully. Not just to marry he bochur boyfriend. Once someone starts getting political about it i can understand why the court was turned off by her. Not to judge, but right when people start looking for shortcuts thats a problem. If someone really wants to be Jewish nothing can get into the way as long as they are doing it honestly. I am a convert. Good luck and a word of advice stay out of the political part of it if you really want to be Jewish. Not once did i hear reasons to want to be jewish but a lot about the political side of things and shortcuts finding lenient Rabbis that made controversial conversions. Ivanka's forsure a Jew as far as I understand.

[@joshpranks3954]

And yeah a orthodox conversion can take as long as it takes for that person to be completely sincere and honest about they're reasonings. Its not a short process. She should know that. It took longer than 3 years for me.

[@randallgaspard810]

Why don't you believe Jesus was the Messiah?

[@christdiedforoursins8180]

Its a political issue because it involves citizenship.in palestine.