[net.religion.jewish] Correction of Re: Israeli basketball players

fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) (05/06/85)

In article <harvard.98> chefitz@harvard.ARPA (Harry Chefitz) writes:
>
>I see this as a conversion scandal, not a basketball scandal!
>But the fact is that these basketball players were allowed
>into Israel as Jews.  The whole matter could have been avoided
>if the only conversions recognized were halachic ones.  Then
>these basketball players would have been told that they were not Jews
>BEFORE they became integrated into Israeli society.

If these players are in danger of losing their citizenship, the why can't
they NOW simply obtain REAL halachic conversions?  Are Orthodox Jews
forbidden to play pro-basketball?  E.g. would it violate the Shabbas laws?

I can see that you might be suspicious of the motives for conversion,
but if the guy has already been living as a Jew in Israel for several years
and has put down roots in the Israeli Jewish community, then doesn't
that demonstrate sufficient sincerity?

	Frank Silbermann