We would also like to convert i.e. becoming Israeli citizens. Just don't try to do this in South Africa if you are not living in Johannesburg. The Rabbinate would rather see you becoming poor, destitute and unemployed in Johannesburg than to convert you in one of the smaller towns, and it may take from 2 to 5 years! I can only pay $ 5000 once and the problem is we are 5. We want to become frummies, we are already keeping Shabbat. We are religious - Torah / Tanakh. Even attended Shull a few times. We are willing to sell our properties in SA and invest the money in Israel. I intend to resign in few years time so that I can bring all my retirement money to your country - few million Skekel. No need to support us, we will support ourselves. We already have a small investment account in Israel. Must I become a criminal to become Israeli? I can only pay $ 5000 once and the problem is we are 5. We want to become and are to a large extend frummies, we are already keeping Shabbat. We are religious - Torah / Tanakh, nothing to do with idol worship. Seems we are not good enough, yet you have ample space to harbour arabs, palestinians etc that are procreating like sex crazy rabbits. What do they contribute to Israel, your economy, culture etc? Sorry, I'm just a bit upset & desperate. Is there anyone that can help without us becoming criminals? No problem if Ynet forward my email to someone who can assist. Shabbat Shalom.

Was looking forward to meet a jewish girl to get married, so he sign up in jdate internet. He met online someone from Argentina but same story, she did knew nothing about judaism so both agreed she have to study. He paid for a observant orthodox teachers for her studies in New York, after months in new york she married a Rabbi. I guess was love at first sight. He is still single.

Whatever his daughter in-law converted was not Judaism.

this editorial is very upsetting, in every way. obviously. "conversions for sale" is corrupt and wrong. but so is the mud-slinging, whether it is the chief rabbi of israel defaming all american orthodox rabbis, or the head of the masorti movement in israel implying that the rabbinate can be "fixed" for $5,000. lashon hara is a sin either way.

In Brazil it is pretty easy to get a "conversion certificate" entitled to alyah, it will cost you a few hundred dollars (yeah! cheaper than these $5,000). indeed, you need to follow a 3 months study plan...voilá you are as jewish as moshe rabenu was! the conver$ion used to be carried by one of the most prominent rabbis and the "president of the israelite congregationl"...the same guy who was arrested in the US for stealing a few Louis Vuitton ties in 2007!

This corruption has been going on for years already.

If these stories (including comments) are true, it is no wonder that the Orthodox community is so set against conversion. Close and tight as that community is, one would expect such information to be widely if covertly known.

If you don't want to keep G-d's Torah, not even the basics - Shabbat / Kosher then why do you care about being jewish!

It is absurd that rabbis would charge anything to prepare someone for conversion! Since when does it cost an arm and a leg to embrace the Jewish faith?

Firstly, the conversion you are talking about is not recognized by the Brazilian Orthodox community, let alone by the Israeli Rabbinate. Secondly, some of the Orthodox rabbis in Brazil are as greedy and hypocritical as the one mentioned in the article: pay them enough and they'll convert your dog. I had first hand experience with that before my allyah. And it wasn't cheap at all. Thirdly, religion, like politics, is just a way to ensure that those in power remain in power; it doesn't matter if Judaism, Catholicism or any other "ism."

Every year thousands of the so called 'lost tribes' arrive in Israel. They are not Jewish yet the government labels them as Jewish. They go in absorption centres where they get converted before they even are considered Jewish. Something most of you probably don't know. And you people still complain about people who are doing an easy conversion. Maybe start with stopping those fake tribes.

...any more than you can buy your way into heaven. You missed the point if thats what you want to do. My advice to you, don't convert, just be good for goodness sake. I recommend you read the book, 'The Moral Landscape' by Sam Harris

No facts shown here I would think this is just another hate filled anti religious article that YNET is so famous for where are your facts badly written article this will never be posted for sure

offered the guide book of his creation to the world,the Jewish people was the only one to accept to follow G-D's laws' Hence non-Jews who want to convert must know that one of the conditions is to be obedient to G-D's laws even after the conversion. Otherwise their expensive conversion attest is worth the paper of an oral contract.

it can be annulled even many years later and that is a big risk. I think the best conersion is the Rabbinate's conversion course done through religious kibbutzim. It costs nothing, it's an excellent learning experience and takes between a year to two years.

Rabbis & Rabbinate don't make -- or break -- conversions. Historically and Biblically, only commitment to Hashem to keep commandments in Tora, originally requiring witness of 3 reputable Jews. The 3 witnresses don't have to be rabbis at all, much less medieval Haredis. Requiring Haredi rabbis is nothing more than a power-grabbing 1800s Haredi REFORM.

In my opinion, for those that are not jews, conversion is a technique to learn how to practice the jewish religion. For those that born jews, judaism is more than a way to practice religion, is the capacity of oneself to understand why you are jew, and in a much broader perspective, how you can teach knowledge to others. :-)

For shame Yitzhar Hess. You write that "The following story is evidently not connected to Metzger directly. It is also not intended to tarnish the entire Rabbinate, or all Orthodox rabbis. But...." But...that's exactly what you try to do with this article. To tarnish all Orthodox rabbis and make sure that your Conservative rabbi came out smelling like roses. If you can find me one group, one community, one society in which there aren't the stinkers along with the roses, I'll convert to whatever brand of Judaism you want. There simply is no such thing. You just happened to hear about a stinker within the orthodox hierarchy and wrote your story in a way that implicates the entire rabbinute. I have a few stories myself. Over the last few years I was involved with three conversions, all of which went through the Rabbinute. In all cases the rabbis were open, respectful, understanding and welcoming, and in all cases, the individuals completed their conversions and were welcomed into the local Jewish community. I also know of a recent case in the States where a non-Orthodox rabbi was discovered to have never completed her ordination after several years of serving in her Temple, conducting services, conducting weddings, etc. It was an embarassment but I didn't see any publications writing anything slamming the entire non-Orthodox community because of one individual cheated. Yitzhar Hess, I don't expect you to develop any love for Orthodoxy but for goodness sakes, maintain a bit of honor and objectivity when you write for a national publication!

People who "buy" a conversion and then walk around leading a secular live, eating treif, not keeping Shabbat etc., like the couple described in the article, give a bad name to all honest converts. Because fo them, all converts are regarded as a bit suspicious, even those who after years of hard study lead a fully Torah observant live. And because of fakers like these, the Rabbinate had to install procedures for revoking conversions, something that was unheard of in the past. But not just the buyers are to blame - Rabbis who sell "conversions" should be removed from any office they hold and be prosecuted.

I came here 20yrs ago and was willing to convert for my wifes family.We went to the local rabbinate to see how to go about it and the then chief rabbi in our face told us for 3000 dollars it could be done in a week with no learning or nothing.

Because medieval Haredi rabbis say so doesn't make it so. Rabbis cannot overrule Tanakh. Period! Once converted a person is a Jew. Period! They can only be excised by kareit - as long as it's no differently than any other Jew.

It is NOT legitimate!

The rabbinate sometimes annuls conversions done within itself. Around 5 years ago there was a big scandal around Rabbi Haim Druckman. He was part of the rabbinate and they wanted to annul over 40 000 of the converts that went through his court. Conversion today is not about god but rather about human politics.

This is NOT Lashon Harah...This is exposing wrong-doing !