Israeli Jewish Clergy Disappear in Ivanka Trump's Haribaan
The top Orthodox Jewish authorities in Israel are changing their strict rules about converting one's religion to Judaism in favor of Ivanka Trump, the daughter of US President Donald Trump. Activists accused shrimp of being behind the rock for this attitude.
Rabian through a religious court in Israel in July 2016 refused to convert to Ivanka Trump in 2009 after marrying Jared Kushner, a real-estate entrepreneur who is Orthodox Jew. The reason is that the rabbi who guided Ivanka's conversion was known to be problematic.
But in early December, just weeks after Trump's election victory, the head of the Rabbinate of Israel said he would change the rules to recognize conversions abroad - specifically the name Ivanka Trump.
"Under the proposed new plan, her [Ivanka] 's conversion will be legalized without the need for additional investigations to be carried out," read a statement by Rabbi Israel, quoted by the Associated Press, Thursday (26/1).
Jewish activists in the US who previously opposed the Rabbinic ruling on Ivanka frowned. They say that since Trump became president, Jewish affairs between the US and Israel have been very smooth, even on the usually complex conversion issues.
"The timing is suspicious. My biggest fear is if Rabbi can admit that Miss Trump is Kosher, but not thousands of other people," said Rabbi Seth Farber, director of ITIM, a Jewish activist organization in the US.
There are four schools of Jews in the world, namely Reformation, Reconstruction, Conservative and Orthodox. When it comes to conversion, Orthodoxy is the most difficult. Orthodox rabbis between 2013 and 2015 have rejected the conversion of 5,000 people because they are viewed as insincere and their motivation is questioned.
For people who convert to Orthodox Judaism outside of Israel, the Rabbinical recognition does not have much effect. But in Israel, if it is not recognized as a Jew, it is prohibited to marry and not get a religious funeral procession if you die.
According to the Jewish Week newspaper in New York, citing sources close to Donald Trump's team, Ivanka's case is different because her father is the President of America. It is hoped that the recognition of the Rabbis will further strengthen the relationship between the Trump family and Israel. Trump's spokesman has yet to comment on this report.
