Tribal Report (27 November, 2012. 13 Kislev, 5773)
Contents:
1. The Situation in Norway.
2. Famous British hoaxes
3. Jews and Judah. Conversions to Judaism
1. The Situation in Norway.
We spoke to a sympathizers of Hebrew nations in Norway. He himself along with his family strongly supports Israel.
He reports however that in Norway there is a strong feeling against Israel.
People often criticize Israel. When he or others defend Israel they are liable to be meet with emotional, vociferous, and emotional responses against her.
There many Arabs and Muslims now in Norway. They are usually against Israel and they are listened to sympathetically by politicians and the Media in Norway.
2. Famous British hoaxes (educational and entertaining).
3. Jews and Judah. Conversions to Judaism
Points from Extracts Below:
Of the 4000 converted in Israel most seem to be from Russia or from Asia and Africa.
In the past most converts came from Western Nations but this seems to have tapered off somewhat.
There are now ca. 185,000 converts to Judaism in the USA with a rate of ca. 10,000 per year. How many of these are Orthodox is not certain, figures do not seem to be available. I once heard that the number could be ca. 50,000. Conversion through Orthodox Jewish authorities can be quite difficult but it is the only conversion considered valid.
The majority of converts who stay the course (and many who do not) seem to be of Israelite origin according to our studies.
(a) More Than 4,000 Israeli Converts to Judaism in 2011
More than 4,000 Gentiles converted to Judaism in Israel last year, according to government statistics.
by Hana Levi Julian
First Publish: 6/17/2012, 2:25 PM
courtesy of Shavei Israel
Extracts:
More than 4,000 Gentiles converted to Judaism in Israel last year, according to government statistics.
The data was announced at a weekend event sponsored by the Conversion Authority of the Prime Minister's Office.
A total of 4,239 people made the seminal change in their lives, including 1,936 people from countries in the former Soviet Union, and 1,647 who were from Ethiopia and other African nations. The remainder hailed from a variety of Western, Middle Eastern and Asian countries.
Judaism's newest "members of the tribe" had completed government-sponsored conversion classes and had passed the various tests that enabled them to join the Jewish People, a process that is considered quite rigorous and to which most converts dedicate several years of their lives to completing.
Included is an oral examination before a Rabbinical Court comprised of a panel of three rabbinic judges. The rabbis closely question the potential convert's intentions, as well as his or her knowledge of Jewish laws, rituals, traditions and history. It is customary for the candidate to bring with him or with her a sponsoring family or rabbinic adviser, who is also questioned by the rabbinic panel.
In addition, a convert must complete the Halachic (Jewish legal) process of immersing in a mikvah, the ritual pool of purifying waters. Male converts must also under brit mila - circumcision; those who are already circumcised must nevertheless undergo a symbolic form referred to as 'tipat dom' (a drop of blood) as well.
Under the Law of Return, anyone who can prove through documentation that they have a minimum of one Jewish grandparent on either side of the family, regardless of whether it is in the matrilineal or patrilineal line, is eligible to make aliyah.
This does not make one Jewish under Torah Law ('Halacha'), however, which states that Judaism is passed solely through the matrilineal line: that is, only one born to a Jewish mother, who was born to a Jewish mother, is considered halachically a Jew.
(b) Has anybody ever converted to Judaism recently?
about 10,000 people a year convert to Judaism in the U.S.;Â
(c) How Many Jews Are There in America?
According to the NJPS 2000, 5.2 million people in America today constitute the core Jewish population. Of these, approximately one million persons classified themselves as having been born Jewish, but having no identification with any religious group; 185,000 identified themselves as Jews by Choice, i.e., converts. (For the purpose of this article, all Jews by Choice have been considered Jewish, regardless of the denomination recognizing the conversion.) Thus, affiliated Jews numbered approximately 4.2 million in 2000, and constituted about four-fifths of all identified Jews.