Most new conversion court judges will be ultra-Orthodox

Haaretz 10.3.2008
By Anshel Pfeffer
At least eight out of 10 new judges to be selected today to serve on the rabbinical courts for conversion will come from the strict ultra-Orthodox sector. Leading officials involved in the conversion process said the original objective was to choose more liberal judges who would make conversion easier.
The officials said the selection committee, headed by Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar, made a deal to appoint four ultra-Orthodox judges who currently serve in the private rabbinical court of Rabbi Nissim Karelitz in Bnei Brak and four rabbis who are affiliated with Shas or Amar's associates. The other two will likely be from the religious Zionist camp. "Over the last few weeks, there has been a lot of pressure on committee members from ultra-Orthodox quarters and also from religious Zionist rabbis who are hostile to the conversion issue. Ultimately they'll bring in judges who have no connection with or sympathy for the public that will appear before them," one of the officials said. A long-time educator who helps prospective converts learn about Judaism said the problem is that Cabinet Secretary Oved Yehezkel put all the authority in Amar's hands, without realizing that Amar cannot withstand the pressure from the ultra-Orthodox and Shas.