GERUT AND THE QUESTION OF BELIEF Walter Jacob

QUESTION: A young woman wishes to convert to Judaism . She has given her reasons for doing so as follows: She will marry a Jewish man and wants to establish a home which shall be unified religiously. She has been impressed by the strength of Jewish family life and by its close-knit unity. Her ethical and moral values coincide with those of Judaism ; she is strongly committed to Jewish ethical values, and has considerable interest in Israel and Zionism . She does, however, consider herself agnostic and doubts whether her attitude will change. In all of these matters she is in complete agreement with her Jewish fiance. She feels no attachment to her former Christian background. Can we accept such an individual as a convert to Judaism ?(D.O., Pittsburgh , PA )*

ANSWER: The traditional approach to converts was to warn them that they were joining a persecuted community and that many obligations were incumbent upon them. This was followed by a

discussion of the ritual necessary for conversion(Yev. 46, 47; Shulhan Arukh, Yoreh Deah 268; Yad Hil. Issurei Biah 15). It is clear that the"obligations" were the mitzvot and, of course, it was understood that all of these were of divine origin. Therefore, the source of the mitzvot had to be accepted. Modern Orthodox authorities have generally rejected converts who join us for the sake of marriage. Some would accept them in order to avoid the conversion by Reform rabbis(Mendel Kirshbaum, Menahem Mesh, #9), because civil marriage has preceded, or because the couple is living together(David Hoffman, Melamed Lehoil, Even Haezer 8, 10; Yoreh Deah 85). Similar arguments have been advance by Meshulam Kutner in Uketora Yaasu, and by Moses Feinstein in Igerot Mosheh, Even Haezer 27. However, the greatest number of Orthodox authorities have rejected these arguments(e's. Joseph Saul Nathanson , Jacob Ettlinger , and Yehiel Weinberg). Their