Orthodox Judaism achieved a minor victory in this unlikely venue here Sunday when rabbis from around the Pacific region resolved to subordinate themselves halachically to the (Orthodox) Melbourne and Sydney Batei Din, (religious courts).
The rabbis, from such far-off communities as Singapore and Tokyo, decided to submit all their conversions and divorces to these ecclesiastical courts for halachic endorsement.
The rabbis, meeting under the auspices of the Asia Pacific Jewish Association (APJA), founded their own rabbinic fraternity and said it would be open to all members agreeing to accept the Australian Batei Din’s authority.
Rabbi Michael Schudrich of Tokyo, a graduate of the (Conservative) Jewish Theological Seminary of America, said: “I care about my converts. I want them to be recognized internationally.” He expressed confidence that his own teaching program for would-be converts would meet the Australian Batei Din’s requirements.
Rabbis Isaac Ben Zakin of Singapore, Meir Bensoussan of Hong Kong, Schudrich and other regional rabbis present conceded that by no means were all of their congregants Orthodox but they believed that if they as rabbis were dynamic and caring their congregants would not interfere in halachic affiliation.
A number of APJA communities — among them Bangkok, Taiwan, New Caledonia and Singapore — issued a call to Jewishly knowledgeable students or graduates in larger communities to come to the region for six months or a year of service with the communities, especially with their youth.
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