RA Celebrates Israel High Court Decision Affirming Conservative and Reform Conversions for the Law of Return

March 1, 2021

New York, NY – The Rabbinical Assembly, the international association of Conservative/Masorti movement rabis, celebrates the decision today of Israel's High Court that affirms Conservative and Reform conversions to Judaism, performed in Israel, are valid for the purposes of the Law of Return. The vote of the expanded nine-justice panel maintains a nearly two-decade Israeli practice of recognizing for the Law of Return Jews who convert under the auspices of either movement, and rebukes recent Knesset efforts to restrict religious freedom in Israel.

“This was a very long time coming,” the Rabbinical Assembly said in a statement. “Not swift justice, but sweet and righteous just the same.” The ruling ends a 15-year appeal that began when 12 people converted to Judaism through the Conservative/Masorti movement.

We learn in Jeremiah (29:14) “And I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will return your captivity and gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will return you to the place whence I exiled you.”

“We call on all parties in Israel to respect the decision of the Court and to proactively protest attempts to legislate against religious freedom in Israel, as well as Jewish communities abroad.”