Conversion

Grapevine, May 29, 2026: Meaningful conversation

Movers and shakers in Israeli society

|ByGREER FAY CASHMAN
A general view of Jerusalem's Old City shows the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, in the foreground as the Dome of the Rock, located on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, is seen in the background.
THE EXPECTATION that citizens should roam the length and breadth of the country in order to find an appointment slot somewhere to renew a passport is preposterous.

Proposed Law of Return amendment sparks debate over conversion standards in Israel

Religious coalition lawmakers frame the bill as a return to halachic conversion standards, while opponents say it would hand the religious establishment greater control over Jewish identity

|ByGABRIEL COLODRO/THE MEDIA LINE
RAISING THE flag before prayer services in the field.

Making it official: Inside the Nativ program training IDF soldiers to 'join the tribe'

Nativ began with a Trustee Committee in 1998 and was adopted as a military program in 2000. To date, over 58,000 soldiers have begun the program, and close to 20,000 have completed conversion.

|ByJUDITH SEGALOFF
Kidist Mengistu, a lone soldier from Ethiopia, was surprised by her mother at the Western Wall for bat mitzvah ceremony, Februrary 23, 2026.

IDF lone soldiers mark bar and bat mitzvah at Western Wall, including some family surprises

The event was organized by Ach Gadol (Big Brother for Lone Soldiers), a nonprofit that provides one-on-one mentorship and community support for soldiers serving in Israel without immediate family.

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Majority of Israeli public believes conversion process needs a change

A survey was published that showed the opinions of the Israeli public regarding conversions.

JANUARY 13, 2022ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
PROTESTERS GATHER outside the Chief Rabbinate offices in Jerusalem, against the Rabbinate’s 2016 disqualification of American rabbis’ conversions

A Jewish convert’s hunger strike for Israeli citizenship

David Ben Moshe is Orthodox, married to an Israeli, and a father of two, but that is not enough for Israel's Interior Ministry. So he protested.

JANUARY 9, 2022ByPEGGY CIDOR
David Ben Moshe hunger strike.

David Ben Moshe: A Hunger Strike for Israeli citizenship

I love Israel and will always defend it, but the treatment that I have received since applying for citizenship, my automatic right as a Jew, is an embarrassment.

JANUARY 6, 2022ByDAVID BEN MOSHE
David Ben Moshe

Storm sparked as Tzohar rabbi recommended to head Conversion Authority

Rabbi Benayahu Brunner, a member of Tzohar and a judge in rabbinical courts, has been appointed to head the Conversion Authority.

JANUARY 5, 2022ByTZVI JOFFRE
Rabbi Benayahu Brunner

A conversion, a surfboard, and a pilgrimage to Nazareth

Although I’ve been surfing for most of my life, I’ve never done much surf travel. Seizing this opportunity, I extended my trip. My plan was to have three days of vacation and one day of work.

JANUARY 1, 2022ByHAYIM LEITER
The surf at Nazaré.

Chief Rabbi Lau threatens to stop approving conversions if reform passes

Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman threatened to remove the chief rabbi if he stopped approving conversions.

DECEMBER 29, 2021ByTZVI JOFFRE
Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi David Lau.

Jewish conversion debate ignores actual converts - opinion

With all the disputes about the conversion process, we have not paid enough attention to the people.

DECEMBER 23, 2021ByDAVID M. WEINBERG
The Conference of European Rabbis' (CER) Standing Committee discussing a conversion bill proposed by Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana in Munich on November 22, 2021.

Mahanayim rosh yeshiva expresses support for Kahana's conversion reform

The rosh yeshiva of Mahanayim expressed support for Matan Kahana's plan to reform the conversion system in Israel.

DECEMBER 23, 2021ByTZVI JOFFRE
Rabbi Shlomo Wilk (left) and Religious Services Minister Matan Kahana (right)

New organization formed to give support to Jewish converts

Ohev Ger will seek to give a framework of support to converts who can feel isolated after their conversion and educate communities as to how best to assist those who have converted.

DECEMBER 20, 2021ByJEREMY SHARON
A WOMAN seeking to convert to Judaism appears before Rabbinic Court in Jerusalem

Religious parties form joint campaign to fight government

Shas and United Torah Judaism will not be joining a right-wing rally planned for Tuesday in Tel Aviv by Likud and the Religious Zionist Party.

DECEMBER 4, 2021ByGIL HOFFMAN
The egalitarian section of the Western Wall last week with new wooden floorboards.