There would be no Israel, to be a Jew is not just to be part of religion, its to be part of a nationality, like joining a tribe. One is always identified as a Jew even if they do not follow any of the laws. You can never leave who you are. If they dont want to be in Israel, give them some financial support to send them to America or Canada. PS: Just look at Arik Sharon's plan of Gush Katif, you kicked out your own people, havent really allowed them to continue their past lives, jobs etc. It is costing billions and now you a training camps going on in exGushKatif. HE WAS A HUGE FAILURE AND WAS HEAVILY CORRUPT.

While I agree it should be Halacha I dont think it should be over burdonsome. We should assist all who want to convert and encourage them along the way. My wife converted before we married in the US. She went before the Beit Din. Once people know what Judaism is I dont see why more wouldnt convert. I hope Israel can be the center of this. I see millions of people around the world who are potential converts. They just need to be exposed to Judaism to realize this is who/what they really are.

TORAH SAYS THAT NATION OF ISRAEL WILL BE SMALL IN NUMBERS IN THIS ARTICLE IT SAID THAT HALF THAT REACHED THE LAST PROCESS OF CONVERSION FAILED... THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE.. THEY WOULD HAVE FAILED AS JEWS... WHAT SENSE WOULD IT BE TO ''PASS'' FAILED PEOPLE. THEY COULDNT PASS THE TEST , WHAT THE RULES TOBE A JEW ARE. AND YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE TEST ? TO LOWER THE STANDARDS? WHY BE A JEW THEN... GO TO THE CHURCH... OH...... YOU WANTED FREE ASSISTANCE. BUT YOU DONT WANT TO SERVE THE 'GD' OF ISRAEL THE RUSSIANS ARE CONFUSED? AND SUSPICIOUS? WELL SO ARE THE RABBIS THAT GIVE THE RUSSIANS THE TEST.. THE RABBIS ARE CONFUSED AND SUSPICIOUS... THEY ARE APPLYING THEY DO NOT MAKE THE RULES TO APPLY... MOSES BROUGHT DOWN THE RULES ACCORDING TO 'GD' IF YOU'RE A BELIEVER OF 'GD' THE RABBIS IMPLEMENT THE RULES.....

It is a priesthood, whose members are obligated to serve G-D in accordance with the 613 commandments in the Torah. It is obvious from your article that these "converts" have no interest in becoming religious, so the whole process is a cruel hoax. Why not leave them alone and simply tell them that they can remain righteous gentiles, who simply observe the seven basic ethical rules that apply to gentiles?

You know how the media and Ynet distorts the truth and make everyone but the Rabbis right. Well this tops it. Lets not blame the husband for marrying a Gentile, He meant well right. Lets not blame the govt for letting in 300,000 non Jews when the Rabbis were against it because of the outcome which we constantly see till today. Lets blame the Rabbis for being Jewish. Sorry Lady but we will not change conversions of 3000 yrs for you. Keep at what you're doing and if you are sincere G-d will help you. Good things don't come so easy. We are not a christian or moslem religion. If it were so easy to win the lottery then it wouldn't be so special.

admits that the process is problematic. “I am uncomfortable asking the immigrants to know more than the average secular Israeli” So why don't you change the average secular Israeli and yourself to know more about your religion so you can benefit others to become Jewish. And if you would rather stay dumb then leave the conversion in the hands of the Rabbinate. Just like you get nuts when Rabbis get involved with politics others get nuts when you involve yourself in Torah issues. To the lady having a hard time: When and if you succeed trust me you will be happy you did it the way the Torah says to do it and not the way Ynet and chaim bar on says to. Because if they truly cared for you or if any secular or reformed cared for you and want to see you with your husband in the World to Come they would not right these funny insensitive articles. They would push you to not give up, and tell you do it like the Rabbis of 3000 yrs did it so you will get there and be forever with your husband. But because they have no interest or care for who they are, and where they belong how can they truly care for your conversion and for you to be with your husband. The orthodox on the other hand care for you to be considered a Jew according to Jewish law so you can be in the world to come and it would be much easier if people like ynet and bar on were more supportive for your needs to help you succeed.

It is time to export all 300,000 non Jewish Immigrants to Germany.

I agree that the government bureaucracy is a nightmare, but "quickie" Reform conversions do not create dedicated, observant Jews. The solution is not to make conversion "easier" but to have a process that is CONSISTENT and TRUE TO JEWISH LAW and not subject to whims and caprices or this or that political agenda. Obviously hundreds of thousands of "converts" with no belief or observance of Judaism are not beneficial to Israel, but the system is so bleeped up that even sincere gerei tzedek are falling through the cracks.

sharon coused this problem intentionally, with the purpose of destroying judiasm. The orthodox should NOT buckle under to the reform/secular world.

IT'S A SCAM! It could not have been any different given who started it... They are telling people that they can BECOME Jewish while living like non Jews or picking and choosing the Mitswoth. For THREE THOUSAND YEARS the rules to be ACCEPTED INTO the Jewish People were to accept the WHOLE OF TORAH and the YOKE OF MITSWOTH. Now someone is TRICKING well meaning non Jews into believeing that can BECOME Jewish without respecting Judaism. It;s like telling someone that they can become part of the NBA without learning how to play basketball, or even if they play with they feet. NO ONE EXCEPT THOSE WHO TRICK THEM will consider them part of the team. Too bad that some people respect Judaism less than they would respect any sport. Some confuse BECOMING JEWISH with being Jewish and with being BORN JEWISH, NOT OBSERVING, and having an open account of infractions with G-od. One can be a very good gentile without needing to BECOME a bad Jew!

The JOURNALIST is ignorant: NO SUCH A STAMP ON THE ID CARD! May be people who PRETEND to inform others should be INFORMED! The part about NATIONALITY, and NOT religion, which was NEVER there, was eliminated from the ID cards OVER FIVE YERAS AGO!

Religion is no longer listed on the ID card.

The author doesn't understand Judaism more than these poor people who seek a conversion for bad reasons. Converting to Judaism is not receiving a stamp, it is changing your life through 613 mitzvot. As a consequence, these people shall fail to pass the test in front of the Beit Din. And the YNet journalist will once again blame the rabbinate... By the way, (orthodox) conversions outside Israel are not easier or quicker !

the creator created TIME and on this Time, the creator created everthing....take the book of bereshit....to the maccabees...run through all the horrible israeli characters in the Torah especially Solomon....the daveing rules, in the mean time the shabbat and along the high holidays.Introduce the Talmud, finish they will get engaged and chained...they will fall in love to have love for the Lord G-d Of Yisrael to madness. You see there is a great secret to Orthodox Judaism, time , space and intention ! About that identity card, Ynet please FIRE the Reporter,Natasha Mozgovia .... Just Joking ! Just thinking when will all those in that class will be ready for Kaballah ? :)))) LOL

You could absolutely make the process easier without dropping halachic standards one iota. The crew that demands the spouse show up, do they think to pay to cater a few Shabbat meals for the student so they can focus on observing Shabbat without the craziness of cooking for it while learning Kashrut? When they enter the programs, are people willing to come to their home and Kasher their kitchen with them? Look at how Chabad and Aish Hatorah do Kiruv in the states and you can see how one can warmly invite someone. Let's not kid ourselves, the conversion process as practiced now is NOT 3000 years old (3000 years ago one joined the Jewish people and after a few generations lived amongst the Israelites, they were considered Israelites). The conversion process that we adopted was a response to Roman persecution and prohibitions on public religious displays, make us nervous of outsiders trying to enter. It's important, has a tradition, but it stems from a time of exile. The last time that the Jews were sovereign in Israel, there was much more compassion for the proselyte in our midst and much less distrust.

for 70 years, millions of jews, were trapped behind the iron curtain we prayed for their freedom and their return to zion. when finally the miracle took place, and they came, the rabbis noticed that many many of them, came without shtraimels und vithout shaitels. oy oy oy, some were married to goyem, oy oy oy. all we can do now, is pray to God to take them back.. wether we like to hear it or not, this is a racist state, a racist religion and a racist rabbinate. further, if we can't deal effectively with our own, is there a chance in a million to deal with our partners in this land the palestinians? our condition as a state, is hopeless. the way we are, we are not mature yet to run a 21st century state, not with this attitude, not with this religion. more to follow

one big trouble is that the seculars among ours, aren't any better. in fact the only link of the secular to the people, the land and nation, is racism towards the outsiders. forget the nobel prizes and the shining scientists. we have at least one fascist nobel laureate. we cannot keep comforting ourselves that we are better than the arabs. first, it's not much comfort, next we are not better than them in everything. and what is the meaning of better? the rabbis don't care and the people donot care either. if this is not modern day sdom? what is?

TO be a jew, as I have seen is not so much a gift as a responsibility.It is an obligation to teach others and to share the Rabbinical WISDOM but not just with other jews or among only us , but to teach all humankind.That is the very basic idea, dont give them Spinoza or Hillel, they might run away from the class or suck tumb and wander as a wandering Jews :))) LOL

The main point the article missed is the rigorous process is made to test a Jewish soul. A convert must first posses a Jewish soul before they can even be accepted into any conversion process. Maybe that is why Sharon resides in a coma now? Without a Jewish soul a true conversion will never happen. No goyim did not automatically become Jewish after living in ancient Israel for ten years, that is a reform rumor, lol. The reform movement wants to open Israel up to hundreds of thousands of marginal reform Jews who want Gay and Lesbian rights along with the very far left agenda the reform movement always is a big part of. Let the converts toil in their proof of a Jewish soul, if they have one they will suffer to prove they really are Jewish.

What is that, like, a jewelry store that sells hamsa and magen david? "Be Jew" instead of "Bijou."

considers himself a part of the Jewish people. There are some born to a Jewish mother (who are considered Jewish) who in reality act and examplify the worst anti semite in our history. Yet there are some who in accordance with the Jewish Halach , not born to a Jewish mother (no fault of their) have contributed and given of themselves to the Jewish causes, including sucrificing their lives. Let us be realistic, and adjust our true rational thinking to accept those stranded, and embrace them with the love of Judaism that is to be a priority in this matter.

they will make it. I remember a girl on a kibbutz who could only become a member if she converted; guess what - 6 months later - instant Jew; complete with same outer shell and inner diet of treife foods. She had fooled the Rabbinate but she hadn't fooled G-d. Several years later, we wonder why the Rabbinate is acting tougher??? Where I live, I know of several converted people, all living sincere, Torah lives. It just shows that if a person TRULY wants to live a Torah life, the way is cleared for them.

Sorry,yf you re unwilling to implement the law,go back to russia...

has no Jewish Soul ????? :) persons where their father is a Jew has no jewish soul ????? :) persons where their mother is aJew has no jewish soul ???? Is G-d Jewish ??? :) Was Avraham Jewish ??? :) who is a JEW ? who is an Israelite ? who are the Children of Yisrael ? who is a hebrew ? what is the purpose of Law of Return ? Jewish Soul we know when we see one ! :) Person with Jewish Blood flowing in their Vein also has no Jewish Soul ? Let me tell you fellows, it is the poor who get such harsh treatment, the rich walk in, the whole process is a humbug. We will be responsible for the sins of sending away, making them wait for a indefinate term and enjoy discouraging the righteous souls. One more info, the gentile know the book better then the Jews. So Rabbinate please, cut the CRAPS and allow the righteous in,it is high time the Beth Dins start funcioning ! Some Beth Din's are such a control freek and a conriariety, e.g the Melbourne Beth Din ! Rabbi S Amar the Chief Rabbinate has to check these Beth Dins out. He should come out of his closet and look at the righteous application pending a long wait for years and aions. It is sinfull to make them wait ! Beth Dins should answer the applications for conversion, now that is common courtesy ! Rabbis who sit on the application lack Jewish Ethics and Responsbilitry ! The whole thing about a person must have a Jewish Souls is being beaten out of proportion . In Israel, when I saw the Jews there, I wondered if those were realy Jews ? Very Shamefull , I say ! The whole issue of conversions and the training is very humiliating, degarding and oppressive.The Chif Rabbinate should take some strict measures on the Beth Dins effeciency and the effectiveness. Dont judge your fellow man until you are in his place . Now the Russian Jews should have passed the test by now ! PERIOD !

Orthodoxy and orthodox conversions, or the strict observance of halachic traditions are no litmus test for Jewishness or Jewish sincerity. Jewishness is internal, and begins with knowledge and understanding, along with the sincere desire to live the good and holy life of sound judgement and good deeds. It is the effort investested into becoming a kadosh or a mensch. The strict observance of halachic commandments are only the externals, some of which are no longer practical nor appropriate to modern existence, and often depict a lack of understanding of traditional Jewish intent. The world over there are orthodox Jews who are leading double lives. From being gay, unhappy and unfulfilled, to being falsely pious, to being outright criminals. They were born into a movement that they neither know how to shed nor how to influence for their own good. In essence they are trapped because everything that they know or do is wrapped up in the facade they maintain called orthodoxy. Their only solution is to coerce others to their method of approach for their own survival and safety. When HASHEM created the universe and all that is in it, he created human beings of differing tastes and temperments and different levels and potentials for understanding everything, especially their Jewishness. Each human is a different vessel of size , shape , depth and proportion for containing the divine. To disregard this is ultimate folly.

ok so you say that it is all in the heart. you say that some of the torah is "no longer practical nor appropriate to modern existence". i feel bad for the picture that you have of G-d. you think that you know better than Him, you think that He didnt know that we are humans and that we have feelings. you think He gives us hundreds of commandments and actions to do for no reason. you think that God doesnt know what the future holds and didnt think about the modern times of the 2000's? we all know that our Creator is bigger and wiser than us. all who belittle His will as manifested in the Torah are ignoratn of His existence. you have a choice- you can live with this limited picture of G-d for the rest of your life or you can start thinking and learn about what it is that He wants of us in this short life span....

"Let's not kid ourselves, the conversion process as practiced now is NOT 3000 years old (3000 years ago one joined the Jewish people and after a few generations lived amongst the Israelites, they were considered Israelites). " Actually, we see in the Talmud, which is based off of teachings FAR earlier than the Romans, that this statement is far from true.