Regardless of the setting, if Halaka is followed, then there should be no debate. As per Nehama's post, all solider in the program are taught by Orthodox Rabbis and go to the same Bet Din as non-military members. Why is there a difference? What is the protest about? Rabbi Elyashiv needs to state the reasons and if there are indeed errors in the process, help fix them rather than organize protests against soldiers who are risking their lives to protect his freedom.

Converts must commit to keeping Shabbat, Kashrut, Family Purity, and sending their kids to religious schools. The problem is that most of the IDF converts do not do these things. There are plenty of Jews that do not keep these commandments, but they had the luck to be born Jewish.

The invasions of 67 and 73 were stopped by Sharon's tanks, not God's soldiers. Certainly God was on our side, but He did not send legions of angels against our enemies. Fighters of the Palmach, not of of Archangel Michael, stopped the Egyptians a mile short of Tel-Aviv in '48. Without the brave men and women of the IDF, the Rabbi's prayers would have been in vain.

many more such examples. Thank you family Sephardi for giving such good ones.

Rabbi Goren the IDF Chief Rabbi (and probably the best chief rabbi the IDF ever had) "poskened" (wrote a responsa) that made it possible for the IDF to carry out conversions and with the reality being that the converts would not observe Shabbat, Kashrut, Family Purity (Taharat Mishpaha) and sending their kids to religious schools (that's a new "humra" (new stringency)) provided that the converts remained in Israel. There are those who have conversion certificates signed by Rabbi Goren which say that the person must live in Israel and do his best to observe the mitzvot and that is all it says. Those conversions are still valid and the children of those converts are normative Jews. So really what is all of this shraying and belly aching from the good Rabbi Elyashiv about? Probably he's bored and it has some sort of political or monetary request attached to it.

Is it so difficult to understand that we need both?Ask soldiers, who wear Tefilim on the front, why they do that

You're so wrong, like Rav Eliashiv is. It's true that many converts are not serious in their intensions for conversion, but putting them all together is unfair. "You shall not opress the convert" sais something to us (and to Rav Eliashiv also)?

Dov, the prayers of Yeshivah bocherim are not the reason for the success of the Israeli militarily against its surrounding enemies. The reason Israel was victorious was due to its secular soldiers who fought not only with weapons, but were willing to give up their lives for their goal. Are the Haredim willing to give their lives for their country???

So why is there a double standard for converts and born Jews. Once a person goes through the conversion process, it is their right to pick what kind of Jew they want to be, just like a born Jew.

Ask , the very many so called secular soldiers if at the time of war they don't feel close and pray to Hashem. They do , this matter has been logged and reported on many ,many time. Prayer and the Jewish soldier go hand in hand.

WHEN WILL TRUE RELIGIOUS JEWS RISE UP AGAINST THEIR TRUE OPPRESSORS!

DNA tests show that all Jews, Ashkenazim, Sefardim, etc are not pure Israelites, but mixed with other peoples from the areas where they lived. This mixture came from conversions,intermarriages, rape, adoption, etc. Ethiopian Jews are mostly descended from converts plus a little Yemenite Jewish blood. Bnai Menashe from India do not have genetic proof of Israelite blood. The Lemba tribe of Africa shows Israelite DNA, including Cohen DNA, on the paternal link. This means that Cohenim went south in Africa and married local (black) women. North African Jews have the most Israelite genes. For more information, google "Jewish DNA" and you will see the results of the latest DNA findings.

Always the same baseless hatreds, and backbiting amongst our people! We should ALL be ashamed!!! May Hashem have mercy on the Rabbi that started this, as well as those who make horrible hateful messages of l'shon hara to other Jews. How sad that we cannot persue shalom bayit in our Holy Land. We should love all converts like any other Jew, once they convert they should be called nothing more than a Jew (not convert).

Can you take a fish seriously,that wants to convert to a dog,but is not willing to bark?