JTA : Conflict Within Chief Rabbinate over Beth Din Conversions in Vienna (1971)

 Here is a reprint of an article that appeared in the JTA in 1971.

Judge Konstanze Thau converted to Judaism
under the certification of Chief Rabbi Paul Eisenberg.

February 25, 1971

A bitter conflict has broken out within the Israeli Chief Rabbinate over the question of conversions to Judaism performed by the Beth Din (religious court) of the Jewish community in Vienna, the main way station for Jewish immigrants going to Israel from Eastern Europe. The dispute arose when two delegates sent by the Chief Rabbinate to look into the situation in Vienna, returned with a negative report alleging that the local Beth Din members were not always qualified rabbis and did not properly examine the would-be converts. The Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, Isser Untermann, nevertheless favored upholding the Vienna conversions. He was supported by Brig. Gen. Shlomo Goren, the military chief chaplain who is also Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv. Sephardic Chief Rabbi Itzhak Nissim has taken no stand so far. But other members of the rabbinate insist that the Vienna conversions cannot be recognized. The conversions carried out in Vienna are chiefly of non-Jewish wives of immigrants. Unless they are converted, their children are refused recognition as Jews when they enter Israel.

Observers noted that the underlying problem is that most of the immigrants are not religious and are not interested in the religious aspects of conversion. But the non-Jewish wives must undergo the rites in order not to jeopardize the status of their children in Israel. The Israeli rabbinate insists that the only valid conversions are those carried out by Orthodox rabbis according to strict Orthodox procedures, even though the converts are neither Orthodox nor religious. The issue has caused a rift between the National Religious Party and Rabbi Menachem Schneerson of New York, leader of the Lubavitcher Hassidic sect. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned today that the Lubavitcher rebbe refused to receive Dr. Joseph Burg, Israel’s Minister of Interior and a leader of the NRP when he was in New York recently. According to the report, he snubbed Dr. Burg as an expression of disapproval of the NRP’s alleged “soft” position on the Vienna conversions.

Rabbi Menachem Schneerson of New York, leader of the Lubavitcher Hassidic sect

 

New York Times - Vienna Conversions in the 1970s

[DISCLAIMER: This article was published in 1971. The purpose of this post is not to be critical of anyone who has genuinely converted to Judaism through respected bodies after the due process. There are many reputable organizations who carry out conversions to Judaism in a responsible manner and to the highest standards. Anyone who has done so deserves our utmost respect and admiration. Unfortunately, when the conversion process is abused as indicated in this article, it is vital that the Jewish world responds since it undermines so much of what it means to be Jewish.]

As published here www.nytimes.com

Current Chief Rabbi of Austria, Rabbi Paul Eisenberg. He succeeded his father, Rabbi Akiba Eisenberg, in 1983, and also carried out conversions whilst in office.

Judge Konstanze Thau converted to Judaism under the certification of Chief Rabbi Paul Eisenberg.

 

CONVERSIONS STIR A JEWISH DISPUTE

By HARALD BRAININ FEB. 21, 1971

 

February 21, 1971, Page 10 The New York Times Archives

 

VIENNA, Feb. 20 — What might be the pride of another religious faith is threatening to grow into an international scandal for Judaism: Converts have been made here at the rate of about three a month.

Throughout its history the Jewish faith has avoided missionary activity; conversions are uncommon.

The “Vienna conversions,” carried out under the super vision of Chief Rabbi Akiba Eisenberg, went on for about 18 months until about two months ago. There is evidence that at least 55 would‐be immigrants to Israel from Eastern Europe—most of them Gentile wives of mixed marriages and their children, but also some men—were accepted into the faith.

Visitors to the Vienna synagogue on a Jewish holiday are Mayor Franz Jonas and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Ludwig Steiner. Left: Chief Rabbi Akiba Eisenberg.  Akiba Eisenberg

 

That was confirmed here Tuesday by two rabbinical judges from Israel who came last week to scrutinize the procedure following widespread protests by zealots against what they denounced as “a conversion factory.”

The judges, Rabbi Shmuel Werner and Rabbi Itzhak Kolitz, said they would report to the Supreme Rabbinical Council in Israel and could not divulge further details now.

Rumors that thousands of refugees from Eastern Europe had been converted in a “conveyor‐belt operation” were discounted by the visiting rabbis. An allegation by Benjamin Schreiber, president of the Orthodox Aguda Israel organization in Austria, according to whom the number of converts was at least 300, was also not confirmed by the Israelis. They concur with Chief Rabbi Eisenberg in the view that 55 people, all now in Israel, were involved.

Conversions Were Speeded

Dr. Eisenberg, who is 63 years old, seems most hurt by the criticism by the so‐called “Lubavitcher rebbe,” Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson of Brooklyn, a Hasidic scholar who is a leading authority on religious law.

Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson critical of Dr Eisenberg,

“He himself could not have done it any differently,” Dr. Eisenberg said. “I strictly applied our book of ritual law, and I was proud all the time of doing good works. We instituted instruction in Judaism and the male converts—about seven or eight—were circumcised.”

According to Dr. Eisenberg, the conversion took about six weeks in each case, as compared with up to two years in Israel.

“The Jewish Agency asked me to do it,” he added, refer ring to the executive arm of the world Zionist movement.

The three members of the court in charge of the conversion were furnished by the immigration department of the Jewish Agency, which is headed by an Orthodox Rabbi, Mordechai Kirshblum, formerly of New York.

According to Jewish law, rabbinical court must assess in every case whether the would be convert wants to embrace Judaism for its own sake and whether he is likely to lead a religious life. Only if affirmative answers can be given is the conversion valid.

“Religious ultras,” Dr. Eisenberg said, have distorted the facts and at least one critic, an Israeli rabbi, has withdrawn his objections.

Charges by Orthodox

“Judaism knows no hierarchy,” he went on, “and one rabbi is not responsible to another, but I did answer the questions of the two visitors because by conscience is clear.”

In Orthodox Jewish circles here it is said that the con versions were primarily made to allow the Jewish Agency to finance the immigrants' journeys. The funds are for such purposes. Jews become citizens with full rights as soon as they enter the country, whereas non Jews have to go through protracted naturalization procedures and do not qualify for initial Government aid.

The Israeli Embassy and the Aliya Agency office here have refused to comment, but source close to the embassy said Chief Rabbi Eisenberg was being “attacked from both sides.”

“There are those who say he makes conversion too easy and these who say he makes it too hard,” the source explained.

Rabbi Kolitz, asked to stipulate how long, in his view, a genuine conversion requires, answered thus: “A tailor was asked how much cloth he needed to make a widow's dress and he replied: It depends on the widow?“