With Shavuot looming, all eyes seem to be on conversion! The Book of Ruth, which we read on Shavuot, has some competition this year.

Internet-trained conversion hopefuls less likely to pass”

Apparently, getting a PHD in Chabad.org and Aish.com is not enough learning to convert to Judaism. That’s why I also studied Simpletoremember.org.

Analysis: The rabbis vs the jurists”

Rabbis go head to head with jurists and thousands of converts, most of whom are immigrants from the former Soviet Union, are caught in the middle.

“Court: Justify conversion annulments”

“The High Court of Justice took a dramatic decision on Monday, giving the dayanim of the Higher Rabbinical Court and the Ashdod District Rabbinical Court 90 days to explain why they had revoked the conversions made by the special conversion court of Rabbi Haim Druckman.”

“The secret Jews of the Southwest”

“This Shavuot, as Jews around the world celebrate the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai and read the Book of Ruth — the story of the world’s most famous convert to Judaism — some of these Crypto-Jewish returnees will celebrate their bar and bat mitzvah with Leon at Congregation B’nai Zion, a synagogue with 400 families.”

“Explain conversion stance, rabbinic court ordered”

Converts, whose conversions have been annulled, are fighting back for their right to be Jewish.

“Interior Ministry refuses to recognize marriage of Nigerian converts”

“A Nigerian couple that wed under rabbinate supervision in Israel last year is continuing to push for official recognition after being told by the Interior Ministry that the wife underwent a private conversion to Judaism that cannot be recognized.” Is racism involved?

“Event unearths the deep Jewish roots of Boyle Heights”

“At Fiesta Shalom, Latinos and Jews unite to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israeli statehood in what was once the biggest Jewish enclave outside of New York.”

“The kind of humor you have to be Jewish to get”

A fascinating profile of convert/comedian Yisrael Campbell.

“Mexican-American family returns to Jewish roots”

I spotted this and many other interesting articles in the April 2009 Be’chol Lashon newsletter. Be sure to check it out.

“High Court praised for helping to stop Beit Din’s ‘inquisition’ of converts to Judaism”

“Women’s groups and those working with converts welcomed the ground-breaking decision of the country’s secular High Court of Justice Monday, which called on the Beth Din (Rabbinic Court) to justify its annulment of several Jewish conversions made by the government-appointed National Conversion Authority, headed by Rabbi Haim Druckman.”

“Problems in rabbinical establishment surface over conversions”

“The cases of the two women whose conversions by the National Conversion Authority were revoked by the Higher Rabbinical Court have brought to public attention a severe dispute between two government institutions allegedly having the same authority to convert non-Jews.”
“Reform convert bodies to get funds”

“In a landmark ruling, the High Court of Justice on Tuesday decided that the Immigration Absorption Ministry must set criteria that would allow equal funding to private Reform and Conservative institutions that prepare prospective converts to Judaism.”

“Reform Movement not overjoyed by conversion class ruling”

The Reform movement doesn’t think the conversion class ruling goes far enough and they have other ideas about how to effect change in Israel.

“Court’s conversion decision could cost state NIS 7m.”

Recent decisions with regards to Reform and Conservative conversion schools in Israel will cost much dinero.

“Menorah Illuminates Davis Jr.’s Judaism”

The menorah of what is arguably the most famous African-American convert is up for grabs.

“Window for Pluralism”

“Israel’s Reform and Conservative movements began calculating Tuesday how much money they would receive hours after Israel’s top court ordered the state to fund their conversion programs.”

“Analysis: Is the Orthodox funding monopoly ending?”

This article offers questions but few answers.

“Pastrami sans mayo: How one Greenfield Catholic became a Jewish mother”

“Greenfield native Sally Srok Friedes hadn’t been to Mass in more than a decade. She adored her fiancé, and had attended Passover seders and High Holiday services with Michael and his mother on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.”

““New Jew” Found Way in Larchmont”

Another article about Reform Convert Sally Srok Friedes and her memoir about her conversion, “The New Jew.”

“Funding conversion”

“Israel is a Jewish state. Yet, paradoxically, all too many of its native-born Jewish citizens are alienated from their heritage.”

Some of these articles make me thank G-d that I’m in America where conversion is simple…just kidding!