Shavuot brought with it a table full of dairy goodies, white clothes and Torah studies into the night. In addition to digging into Talmudic polemics, it is customary in most Jewish communities to read the Book of Ruth, which deals with a Moabite woman who joined the House of Israel and from whom King David was descended. And just as every year, the discussion brought up the controversial topic of giyur (conversion) in Israel.

Israel can be confusing, and it can also be paradoxical. It’s a unique country that self-determined itself as the Jewish state, thus building a home to a once wandering people. The determination of ‘who is a Jew?’ is done by Judaism, meaning the Halacha (Jewish Law). In this way, an Israeli’s nationality is interchangeably linked to his religion, or to the halachic definition thereof.

So, you may ask, what’s the problem? The Israeli Jews have serious concerns.

After WWII, when 6 million Jews were swallowed up by the Nazi beast, nobody asked any...

Israel Today Membership

Become a Member

• Read all member content

  Get exclusive in-depth reports from Israel.

• Get exclusive in-depth reports from Israel

  Connect with Israel, right from your home.

• Lift up the voice of truth and hope

  Support Jerusalem-based Zionist journalism.

Become a Member

Already a member? Login here.