27. See S. Zvulun Lieberman,"A Sephardic Ban on Converts", Tradition 23(2), Winter 1988, Pp. 22-25. The last proclamation entitled"Reaffirming Our Tradition" was signed by the rabbis and presidents of the congregations of the Syrian and Near Eastern Jewish Communities of Greater New York and New Jersey at a special convocation convened for this purpose on June 3, 1984.
31. Ibid., chapters 1-8; David Ellenson , Rabbi Esriel Hildesheimer and the Creation of a Modern Jewish Orthodoxy, Tuscaloos and London , 1990.
I. Herzog , Responsa Heikhal Yitzhak, Tel Aviv , 1960, v. 1, Even Haezer, no. 20, sect. 1, pp. 104-105.
36. Ibid., section 2, p. 109: Herzog repeats his anxiety about the validity of conversions in his day in a manner very similar to the other two responsa(supra notes 29 and 34):
"You should know that even though the law from the time of the Mishnaic sages is that post factum, they are all converts(even if they did not accept the commandments),| have a very serious suspicion regarding the situation today. In the past in Israel , the violator of Jewish Law was despised and persecuted by his people, therefore when a gentile came to accept Judaism . even though the primary reason that motivated him was for the sake of marriage, he knew that his situation would be very difficult in Jewish society, if he did not behave in accordance with the Torah . This is not the case in our day when so many are free(hofshim= secular); not only do they not have any difficulty because of this, but they stand at the head of our people and communities. Therefore, we should be suspicious whether they really accept the mitzvot, or whether for some reason, they promise with their mouth but not with their heart."