Quite frankly, I cannot understand why anyone would want to belong to a religion that is run by such a bunch of racist pigs

Israel needs to stand up and stop this...now to avoid G-d's retribution for breaking Torah rules on treating converts well. So what is the Rabbi afraid of if he is not afraid of Christians with Jewish parents- Why is he afraid of converts? They will likely do better with Torah than a grandchild with another god such as Jesus. The fact is the Messiah is going to be a convert despite what the Rabbis say. (he shall be like Mosses and from amoung those returning from sin). Mosses was an outsider, raised by Pharoh and learned in the Book of the Dead. Returning, as in coming back. Sin such as in having another god and not doing Torah. Rabbis claim the Messiah could never be a convert just as they claim there can be no more prophets. There is no room in Torah (never mentioned once in Torah) for Rabbis once the Messiah comes (only Kohens and Levis) and he will expose how magic creeped into the tents of Jacob and how misteachings distanced Jews from the Mosses' intent (pashoot) while power was stolen. Hence the need for the red heffer to pay for mistakes the community had done unkowingly. The prophets warned the Jews and those who mislead. Rabbis may be at war against converts...but can they fight G-d's will? Welcome all who return to Hashem. It is a law of Torah to treat the convert well. For you were Gereem (converts) in Egypt. Rabbis-What are you doing and how much will one's soul pay for not doing the will of G-d?

israel is currupted with enemies all around us. to join us is difficult and unless you are a zionist and a dreamer with antisemetic problems in your country of birth there is no reason to make alia. and yet this country will only continue to be ours if we can end our internal conflicts and corruption. and we should be thankfull if anyone wants to join us.

It's ironic that people like Rabbi Amar want to put these potential converts through the ringer in order to become citizens of a country where a majority of the people aren't religious to begin with. And, frankly, anybody who's willing to become a Jew these days deserves to be welcomed with open arms.

wonderful people who put up with the Rabbis and their insinuations. As a child to holocaust survivors i find their behaviour not far different than the selection of people based on their religion during the war. Obviously you want to know if a person's intentions are pure, but why the 3rd degree. Being a jew today is not such a metziya, the world hates us, we are blamed for all evil, in the past and probably in the future..we are a dot on the map and yet we are in every bodys craw. I feel if anyone wants to convert to Judaism for all the rights reasons let them be, dont make it harder its not like people are converting en masse. The few people that convert should be welcomed with open arms and not made to feel inferior or be put under any more stress than they already feel whilst making the conversion. I think the Rabbis are trying to justify their need to be...they should find something more productive to do like look into their own society to make changes rather than hassle the secular and would be converts.

i think converts should be treated like any other jew. most of them are from the usa which is our friend. its wrong to do that.

on others. Only a pig himself would say what you said and believe it. You have 0 ability to think for yourself.

Well, you should know that people from the poor countries are checked thoroughly before they are perchance allowed to convert. If this wouldn't be done, there would possibly be thousands of arab muslims willing to convert to judaism in order to become israeli citizens. :))) So, no additional such a law is needed.

Dear Aussi, :) You want to change the Law of Return so that it only applies to someone who has at least one HALACHICALY Jewish parent?? Than the Jewish nation will day out soon. Don't you think?? Or are you that selfish? And why not to let those who had been "cast out" of judaism, when their jewish father married non-jewish mother, to cme back through convertion??

There has always been israelis and hebrews. There is a difference they follow the laws. Let them live in peace just like you want to.

"In the bad old days, not all that long ago, an abused wife who finally dared to turn to the authorities would often be told to go back home and try harder, for the sake of "shalom bayit" (household harmony)."

if the Rabbinate had been more humane vis a vis potential converts then tens of thousands of Soviet Jews and their non Jewish (or converted) spouses might have chosen to settle here. for while in the 1970s the Jewish Agency, Lishkat Hakesher, JDC and the Israeli Rabbinate offered "quick" conversions in Vienna for those wishing to come here. Due to Orthodox Jewish pressure from Brooklyn the operation was closed down.

now, this latest tactic of Amar, very stupid, I am sorry and without apology, VERY STUPID !

holding the power to deport and import of imigrants.The Rabbi has become Nuts! Tell him the duty to be fair to the converts.

Most Jews welcome new members into the tribe. Don't let a few idiots upset you.

I , a Jewish born Israeli , made Alyah some 5 years ago . Do you think that only for you there are lifestyle and mentality changes ? That only for you there is a change in living standard ? Do you think that only you left behind many friends ? This occurs to everyone who is making Alyah for a certain ideal , for feeling home , for returning to our HISTORICALLY country . It's not an easy decision to take , there are many burdens on us , not only on converts , but on everyone making this step . And finally WELCOME in our mids .

not wip up the converts.You see people have eyes to see, the local conditions in Israel. It would be helpful if Amar could raise the correct and important issues- a corrupt nation. I am displeased with the road taken by Israel,Amar could do better in his position .

This kind of rhetoric makes me wonder if Dr. Garfinkel attended the fetish convention in Tel Aviv a few weeks ago.

Firstly, those who abuse Rav Amar obviously know very little about him and about the issue. The Rav is a renouned scholar and a pious man.So shame on you. Next , he is not against Converts but whats the conversion to be properly. What can possibly be wrong about that?

And do you feel at home in Singapore ?

As you,Renee Garfinkel,don't live in Israel,you may be unaware that not only Converts face the fear of "religious and social stigma",which I,as a Bona-Fide Jew (and 2nd generation Holocaust Survivor) experienced;which may explain why I now live in the U.K.Good Luck when you make "Aliya".

A handful of converts who want to come to Israel, or 300 million Moslems who want to destroy Israel. Be honest, Ayatollah Amar. Which is a bigger problem for Israeli Jews?

We , Jews , contrary to you Christians , do'nt look to convert others , even they are dissuaded to do it . You , Christians did it by force , murder , and you dare to ask where is love ? Or is murder , conversion by force a sign of love for you ? So , mr Abel , melez vous de vos affaires , et pas des notres .

Did you wait for her there ?

And in Chesterfield you are fine ? no social stigma , no religious coercision ? maybe not , but you are certainly hidding your Jewish and Israeli roots ? There are many things i do not like here , but there are others you do not see in the whole world , and of course , the most important , THIS is OUR HISTORYCAL HOME , not UK

Give me a break Judah. Amar wants to forbid EVERY convert to immigrate to Israel. It is not a war against fraudulent converts, it is a war against the independance of Batei Din in Galut. This war is waged against halakhic principles in order to make the chief rabbi of Israel to some kind of jewish pope. I am personnaly an orthodox convert (ultraorthodox beit din before you slander) and I am totally outraged by amar's proposition. Amar is a not a scholar, he is not even a good Jew. He is putting shame on all rabbinate. This guy is just a disgusting politician lusting for absolute power. Amar is a 'hmar !

My Wife was adopted as a child. Her parents were married in an Othodox Synagogue. They adopted my wife as a baby and felt they could not keep the strict level required of an Othodox Beit Din, They had my wife converted under the auspices of a Reform Beit Din. She was brought up in a large Jewish Community with Jewish values and considers her self Jewish. After all she knows nothing else. So under the proposed change in the "Law of Return", she has no rights. Further more telling that she is not really Jewish is a great problem after all what religion would she go back to if she stopped being Jewish. Many people talk about a Jewish ne' shama. What they really mean is someone who is culturaly Jewish with a sense of belonging to the Jewsih world something Rabbi Amar is determined to destroy.

Dr Renee Garfinkel, you are misguided and you needlessly slander the (Orthodox) Jewish system/institution, revealing an underlying biased resentment or aggression towards their way of life. Shame. Your ideals are clearly those of a warped American society. You talk as though becoming a Jew is anyone's human right that can be demanded. No. Being a Jew is not just a status, or a social thing, like a club. Jews carry on their shoulders the awesome privilege and responsibility of being an "Or Lagoyim", a Light to the Nations. We're not just another tribe, another culture, another nation. We have been chosen by God to spread the light of His Wisdom, His Torah, His masterplan for how the world should run, how people should behave, how a society can be moral, creative, uplifted and uplifting, meaningful, kind, lawful, sensitive, and human. (Read 'Defending the Human Spirit', by South African Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein) Having this in mind, if Joe wants to convert to Judaism, the Beth Din will very carefully check out why he wants to do this. If it's to be more acceptable for a (potential) spouse, or it's for social acceptance, or it's for any other non-spiritual gain, he will be rejected. He just wants to be "in the Jewish club"; he doesn't truly want to be a Jew. ... to be continued...