QUESTIONS FROM ISRAEL ON PROSELYTISM
Solomon B. Freehof
QUESTION: How does American Reform Judaism view conversion, what is required in contrast to the tradition? Let me also ask a series of brief other questions on matters connected with conversion.(D. Moaz, Jerusalem )*
ANSWER: I shall be glad to answer your letter of July 29, but it is not possible to give a simple and direct answer to each of your questions in the order you presented them. The reason this is difficult is that some of the questions require an explanation of the basic philosophy of the Reform movement, and it would be misleading simply to say“yes” or“no.” This situation applies especially to Question 1, to what extent does proselytism by a Reform rabbi meet the requirements of the halakha as to(a) circumcision(brith-mila); (b) baptism(tevila);(c) acceptance of the commandments(kabalat ol mitzvor). If 1 answered simply that we do not do(a) or(b) or(c), I would fail to explain the reason for our basic attitude in such matters.
The attitude of Reform Judaism on ceremonial commandments is that they are secondary to the moral and doctrinal commandments. So our emphasis in proselytism is as follows: We do not require as an absolute prerequisite either circumcision or tevila but lay great emphasis on the instructions. This should not surprise you, for it is possible according to the halakhah to conceive of a conversion without circumcision or the mikvah because this was the very subject of the debate in the Talmud (Yevamoth 46a) where
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