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Police Probing Petition on Conversion

March 18, 1987
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The police are investigating a petition prepared by several dayanim (religious court judges) which challenges the right of the Supreme Court to rule on the registration of converts as Jews.

The petition, initiated by Rabbi Yosef Axelrod, refers to the case of Shoshana Miller, an American immigrant to Israel who was converted to Judaism by a Reform rabbi. It holds that the high court had no right to order the Interior Ministry to register Miller as a Jew because the case is of a purely religious nature.

Attorney General Yosef Harish ordered the police investigation to determine whether Axelrod could be charged with contempt of court.

RULING PENDING IN ANOTHER CASE

In another case involving the religious establishment, the Supreme Court has been asked to rule on the complaint of Leah Shakdiel, whose appointment to the Religious Council in the town of Yeroham was rejected by the Chief Rabbinate Council earlier this month on grounds that a woman has been held up for more than a year. Shakdiel appealed to the Supreme Court to order the Religious Affairs Minister to make the appointment.

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