Chair of the Knesset Law Committe David Rotem will be bringing a slightly amended version of his conversion bill for discussion in the Knesset Law Committe.  According to Rotem’s bill, city rabbi will also have the authority to conduct conversions, but these will be under the full authority and responsibility of the hands of the Chief Rabbinate. 

The goal of Rotem's bill is to ease the conversion process of thousands of Israelis from the Former Soviet Union, who today face many obstacles on their path to conversion.  Placing the authority to convert in the hands of local rabbis will do away with need to travel to another city for preparation classes, make the process more personal and meaningful, and give the local rabbis a chance to get to know their conversion candidates and understand their needs.

"We cannot allow thousands of Israelis to be stuck in an ambiguous stage of being at once Israeli and not Jewish because of religious bureaucracy.  My bill is about helping these Israelis and will have no legal effect or otherwise on Diaspora Jewry," explained Rotem