Thursday, July 15, 2010

The Iranian Spy / Conversion fever

The story of the Iranian nuclear scientist, sound just like a "story" .It reminds me of the espionage-spy novels that as you get toward the end, you proclaim to your spouse "you don't have to read this -it's unrealistic.
Of course we will never learn the truth.
Did he get homesick after defecting?
Did he get 5 million dollars from the CIA?
If he did, is the money tied up by the sanctions?
Despite the hero welcome, what is his future in Iran? Will they ever trust him again?
Did he really give us valuable information?
And, in the novels he should have been killed before he went home!Why the mercy?
I guess we will have to wait to find out.

The attack by a number of Jewish Senators against the proposed Israeli conversion law is sign that the reform-conservative camp are panicking again.In fact the law while it will not pass,is already in effect.
Why?
If you are a "convert" from the US or abroad and wish to marry an Israeli,the Chief Rabbinate will demand papers that you were converted according to halacha.In the US, if someone wants to marry an orthodox Jew,again a proper conversion is required.Even some orthodox conversions done in the US are not acceptable to the Israeli rabbinate unless they (the American Rabbis)have been pre-approved.
The whole issue of Who is a Jew ? comes up every few years.But as more Reform and seculars,and even conservatives intermarry without any conversion,the fight gets less relevant except to the leaders of the 2 left-wing non-orthodox movements.