The Supreme Court ordered the Interior Ministry Monday to show cause within 45 days why it refuses to accord Jewish status to persons converted to Judaism by Reform rabbis, despite a court order to do so in the case of Shoshana Miller.
The show cause order was issued by Justice Gabriel Bach on the appeal of a married couple in Kibbutz Mishmar Ha’emek who were converted to Judaism by a Reform rabbi in Brazil before they immigrated to Israel in 1985.
The couple was wedded after converting and was given Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return. But the Interior Ministry has consistently refused to register them as Jews. They said they were told by Ministry officials that their application would have to await the outcome of the Miller case.
Miller, an immigrant from the U.S. who was converted by a reform rabbi four years ago, was denied registration as a Jew. She appealed to the high court which ruled in her favor and ordered the Interior Ministry to issue her an identification card as a Jew, without qualification.
Rather than comply, Interior Minister Yitzhak Peretz of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, resigned last month. The Ministry was taken over temporarily by Premier Yitzhak Shamir who indicated he would postpone issuing Miller an ID card as long as legally possible. Shas has threatened to quit the unity coalition government.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
