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From: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Questions about conversion to Judaism
Message-ID: <16@unc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 7-Feb-85 10:08:56 EST
Article-I.D.: unc.16
Posted: Thu Feb  7 10:08:56 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 9-Feb-85 05:38:02 EST
References: 
Reply-To: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann)
Organization: CS Dept., U. of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill
Lines: 35
Summary: 

In article   sms@eisx.UUCP (Samuel Saal) writes:
>
> It seems to me that conversion should be done in such a way that the
> *results* will satisfy the most people. A Reform Jew will accept an
> Orthodox conversion but not the other way around. In order for everyone
> to accept each other, the strictest must be observed. Although I truly
> believe that religion is a purely personal matter (I detest proselytizing
> by anyone), the issue of the act of conversion is a *public* matter. If I
> as a Jew wish to marry only another *Jew* I must have no doubts about
> the fact that the prospective spouse is, in fact, Jewish....
>  ...If, however, the conversion would have been according to the strict
> procedure (ie according to Halachah) this whole issue would have been
> avoided.
>

This seems reasonable on paper, but it may contain a catch-22:

Suppose I were a gentile who wished to become a Reform Jew.
I ask my rabbi to perform a Halachic conversion.  Can he do this?
Or is a conversion performed by a Reform rabbi un-Halachic by definition?

If all conversions performed by Reform rabbis were suspect, then suppose
that I sought an Orthodox rabbi.  Would any sane Orthodox rabbi perform
a conversion for a gentile wishing to become a Reform Jew?

Would it be any different for a gentile wishing to become a Conservative Jew?

My impression is that only Orthodox conversions are universally accepted,
and that to have an Orthodox conversion, I would have to demonstrate
sincere desire to live my life as an Orthodox Jew.  If this is correct,
then your suggestion has little practical value.

		Frank Silbermann
		University of North Carolina