#3 The subtext Barak makes is an indirect criticism of the Orthodox Rabbinical Counsel in Israel.
The counsel is currently headed by a fellow who feels a stringent standard should apply to both converts from people who serve in the IDF and converts from people outside of Israel. Basically, people have to swear to abide by all the provisions of orthodoxy with no reservations (e.g., you can't say, well, I'd do everything except I can't afford to leave my lights on for Sabbath and I can't predict when I'm ready to sleep so I'll turn those off via hand).
This issue gets into additional minutia pretty quickly but let's just say the Counsel has made some enemies (in the IDF and the Israeli govt and among Orthodox American Rabbis) with their approach. |