Rabbinic Conferences

Upcoming Conferences

2009

Jerusalem, Israel

2nd Jerusalem Conference
David Citadel Hotel
June 2009

To sign up to attend this conference, Click here.

2nd Jerusalem Conference on Universal Conversion Standards in Intermarriage.

Past Conferences

2007

Washington, DC Halachic Forum

Renaissance Mayflower Hotel
November 4-7, 2007

The nation's capital was the venue for the most important conference to date as leading Torah authorities from around the world warned "against any compromise" on conversions in intermarriage. Israel's chief rabbis, the Rishon Letzion, Chief Rabbi Harav Shlomo Amar, and Rabbi Yonah Metzger, Israel's Ashkenazi chief rabbi joined the four-day conclave. In addition to the Rabbonim Haroshiyim and other leading gedolei yisroel from Israel, MK Rabbi Avraham Ravits, an influential member of Knesset, also addressed the conference.

"The broad-based participation of leading rabbonim and dayanim is further proof of the consensus on the importance of adopting geris standards in intermarriage according to the highest standards of halacha," said Rabbi Leib Tropper, dean of Yeshiva Kol Yaakov in Monsey, NY, a major driving force behind the effort to adopt universally accepted conversions in intermarriage.

The Washington conclave addressed many important topics, including Havchana, the acceptance of Mitzvos at time of conversion, inviting an intermarried couple for a yom tov meal, conversion of a pregnant woman, status of a child in the conversion process, keeping Shabbos in preparation for conversion and delaying release of conversion certificate.

In addition to the chief rabbis, major presentations were delivered by Torah luminaries from around the world, including Harav Reuven Feinstein, (Staten Island), President, EJF Halachic Committee, Harav Baruch Dov Povarsky, (Ponevezh) Harav Yitzchok Scheiner, (Kaminetz)- via video link, Harav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, (Ateres Yisroel), Harav Moshe Shapiro, (Ulpana) Harav Hillel David (Sharey Torah) , Harav Simcha HaCohen Kook, (Rechovot), Harav Shmuel Lazer Stern, (Beis Din of Harav Hagaon Shmuel Wosner), Chairman, EJF Halachic Committee in Israel, Harav Shmuel Dishon, (Yad Yisroel, Karlin-Stolin), Harav Abba Bronspigel, (Touro Rabbinical College), Harav Nochum Eisenstein, (Va'ad l'Inyonei Giyur, Yerushalayim), Harav Yakov Velvel Katz ( Rosh Kolel, Yad Chaim Mordechai), Harav Mordechai Dov Fein (Rav, Machzikeh Hadas) Harav Moshe Meiselman (Toras Moshe) Harav Mordechai Neugroschel, , Harav Pinchus Rabinowitz, (Rosh Beis Din Ezer Mishpat), Harav Shlomo Ryback (Rabbinical Council of America), Harav Nota Schiller (Ohr Somayach International) Harav Dovid Schochet ( Beis Din of Toronto), Harav Mendel Senderovic, (Rosh Beis Din, Milwaukee), Harav Moshe Soloveitchik, (Merkaz Rabbonim, Chicago), Harav Leib Tropper, (Yeshiva Kol Yaakov/Horizons), Harav Avrohom Union, (Va'ad Rabbinical Council of California), Harav Yisroel Webster( Beis Din of New York), Harav David Yosef, (Yichaveh Daas and son of Harav Hagaon R' Ovadia Yosef as well as Conference Chairmen Mr. Marvin Jacob, Esq., Mr. Neil Auerbach, Mr. Malcolm Hoenlein and EJF Chairman Thomas S. Kaplan.

Tom Kaplan, Chairman of the Lillian Jean Kaplan Jewish Pride Through Education Project, said that "the Washington conference is part of the historic effort to preserve the Jewish family and to respond to the needs of those who wish to live their lives as fully-committed Jews, in accordance with halacha." To accommodate the large demand of rabbis wishing to attend the Washington conference, EJF upgraded to a larger hotel and added a third day to the conference.

2006

Boston, MA

Hyatt Harborside
October 29-31, 2006

With a new momentum that included the development of a new manual for dayanim and others involved in geyrus, the third major national conference on Universally Accepted Conversions in Intermarriage took place on October 29-31 at the Hyatt Harborside Hotel in Boston. The city was chosen because of its being a center of academia, including the presence of a large number of Jewish students.

The third national conference on Universally Accepted Conversions in Intermarriage continued the process of bringing together the foremost Torah authorities for the purpose of uniting behind halachic standards that will be used throughout the world. Amongst the topics to be discussed are The qualifications for a Dayan Sitting on a Beis Din for Intermarriage Conversions, Compromising Halacha in the Name of Kiruv and its Impact on Intermarriage Conversions; and the validity of a Convert in an Intermarriage who is No Longer Observant.

Major presentations were delivered by Harav Levi Yitzchak Horowitz, the Bostoner Rebbe; Rabbi Reuven Feinstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva of Staten Island; Rabbi Shlomo Amar, Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel/Rishon Letzion; Harav Yisroel Meir Lau, Chief Rabbi of Tel-Aviv; Rabbi Herschel Schachter; Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva University; Rabbi Nachum Eisenstein, Chief Dayan, Beis Din L'Giur of Jerusalem; Rabbi Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi; Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva Ateres Yisroel; Rabbi Shmuel Lazer Stern; Chief Dayan, Beit Din of Harav Shmuel Wosner Shlita, Bnei Brak; Harav Aharon Feldman; Rosh Yeshiva, Ner Yisroel, Baltimore; Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt; Chief Rabbi of Moscow; Rabbi Yaacov Zev Katz; Rosh Kollel Yad Chaim Mordechai, Cleveland; Rabbi Mordechai Neugroschel; Noted International Author and Lecturer; Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik; Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Brisk of Chicago; and Rabbi Leib Tropper, Rosh Hayeshiva, Yeshiva Kol Yaakov. The conference chairman were Marvin Jacob, Esq., Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Partner and the co-chairmen will be Malcolm Hoenlein, Vice Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and Nachman Auerbach, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs. The Master of Ceremonies will be David Rosengard, Esq. of Boston.

Tom Kaplan, and his nephew Guma Kaplan Aguiar, Co-chairmen of the Lillian Jean Kaplan Jewish Pride Through Education Project, said that "the extraordinary interest by rabbis from disparate backgrounds who have bought into the EJF program is nothing short of an historic effort to preserve the Jewish family."

Jerusalem, Israel

1st Jerusalem Conference
David Citadel Hotel
July 2006

The International Conference in Jerusalem was an extraordinary testimonial to the work of EJF. Rabbis from across the spectrum in Israel united behind the historic efforts of EJF to develop standards worldwide for intermarried couples who desire to live their lives in accordance with halacha and authentic Jewish values.

Hollywood, FL

Westin Diplomat Hotel
March 5-7, 2006

As a follow-up to the first Conference in Newark, the Florida conclave turned out to be one of the largest gatherings ever assembled of leading Orthodox rabbis on the subject of conversion in intermarriage. Rabbonim from 25 states and more than a dozen countries participated in the second conference on Universally Accepted Conversions in Intermarriage. It took a major step towards overcoming one of the most critical challenges confronting the Jewish community: formulating universal standards for conversions in intermarriage.

Heralded by participants and observers alike as an "unprecedented" and "groundbreaking" initiative, important and historic presentations on the subject of conversion were delivered by prominent figures within the global rabbinic community, including Rabbi Reuven Feinstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva of Staten Island; Rabbi Shlomo Amar, Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel/Rishon Letzion; Rabbi Herschel Schachter, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva University; Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu, Av Beis Din, London; Rabbi Nachum Eisenstein, Chief Dayan, Beis Din L'Giur of Jerusalem; Rabbi Simcha Hakohen Kook, Chief Rabbi of Rechovot, Rabbi Leib Tropper, Rosh Hayeshiva, Yeshiva Kol Yaakov and Rabbi Yoel Adelman, Rabbi of the Young Israel of Smithtown, NY.

"By facilitating and streamlining the conversion process in intermarriage throughout the world, we are meeting the challenge - and opportunity - of maintaining a Jewish future for those who wish to preserve it for future generations," said Thomas Kaplan who, with his nephew Guma Kaplan Aguiar, co-chairs the Eternal Jewish Family ("EJF") under whose banner this initiative is being held. He continued:

"This conference is an extraordinary tribute to the rabbonim for their courage in creating Jewish unity through the adoption of universal standards in conversion. To have observed their sincerity and genuine commitment to help the Jewish people is a huge Kiddush Hashem."

The Conference chairmen were Marvin Jacob, Esq., Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Partner and Nachman Auerbach, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs. The Master of Ceremonies was David Rosengard, Esq. of Boston. Under their auspices, more than 260 rabbonim and spouses (who are often involved in the conversion process of women) shared their experiences at the resort, which was converted into a kosher banquet center and huge synagogue. The presence of so many rabbonim from overseas gave the conference an international perspective. In addition to the US and Israel, rabbonim came from Australia, South Africa, Canada, France, Switzerland, Holland, Poland, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.

Rabbi Leib Tropper, dean of Yeshiva Kol Yaakov and head of Horizons, called the conference “a monumental achievement by daas Torah throughout the world.” He added:

"We are well on the way towards adopting universal standards for conversions in intermarriage. In so doing, we will be sending a strong message that when it comes to geyrus in intermarriage, there is one reliable and consistent halacha...the pivotal step in creating an integrated and inclusive response to the needs of the Jewish community at large."

The Eternal Jewish Family conferences were extremely well received. More than 1000 rabbis applied to attend the two conferences which have thus far been held.

2005

Newark, NJ

Newark Sheraton Hotel
September 18-19, 2005

The first conference was also the first opportunity to gather rabbonim from around the world to craft an effective plan to adopt universal standards of conversion in intermarriage. Rabbi Leib Tropper, dean of Yeshiva Kol Yaakov/Horizons called the conference "a trailblazing conclave to deal with intermarried couples who opt for an authentic Jewish future. For too long the assumption was that the Jewish spouse in intermarriage was lost to the Jewish nation forever, but increasingly many are making choices to return to Jewish life."

Tom Kaplan and Yehuda Dovid Kaplan, Chairmen of the Lillian Jean Kaplan Jewish Pride Through Education Project, also chaired the conference. Some of the topics that were discussed included:

The New Challenges of Intermarriages, The Changing Scene of Intermarriage in the US and Canada, Establishing Universally Accepted Conversion Standards, Shiur on Ger Koton, Forum with Rabbi Yonah Metzger, Chief Rabbi of Israel, Film: Converted Lives, Life of an Intermarried Couple, The Children of Mixed Marriages, Sensitivity When Dealing with Mixed Marriages in the Conversion Process.

The conference heard several major presentations and addresses by Harav Reuven Feinstein, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva of Staten Island, Harav Yonah Metzger, Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi Chief Rabbi of Israel, Harav Leib Tropper, and Harav Nachum Eisenstein, Rav of Maalot Dafna, Jerusalem, Chief Dayan of Bais L'Giur of Jerusalem.