JERUSALEM (VINnews) — For the first time in a number of years, the Central Bureau of Statistics in Israel (CBS) released figures regarding the number of Jews married to gentiles in Israel. The latest figures show that there are about 1.35 million couples in Israel including one Jewish spouse. 1.26 million Jewish couples are both Jews, and close to 85,000 are intermarried. In most cases of intermarriage the woman was not Jewish- 52,000 Jewish men were married to gentiles, the vast majority of whom were “without religion”, hailing from the former USSR. 32,000 Jewish women were married to gentiles.
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The figures were requested by Dr. Netanel Fisher, the head of the Governance department at the Shaarei Mada U’Mishpat academic center in Hod Hasharon. It should be noted that current Interior Ministry figures for mixed marriages are higher, claiming that 111,000 couples have one gentile member, but the CBS estimate is considered more precise.
Senior officials involved in conversion procedures warn that mixed marriages are a growing phenomenon in Israel and that the rabbinical conversion courts are not moving fast enough to convert young people. Chareidi officials says that if the courts will be too lenient they will need to create lineage charts to identify who is Jewish, but other officials say that anyway it will soon not be clear who is Jewish in Israel and the lineage charts will anyway be required but at least those who wish to convert should be encouraged to undergo the procedure.
Fisher says that “the phenomenon of mixed marriages is not just a problem for the diaspora but challenges the Jewish nature of Israel as well.”
What percentage of the non-Jewish spouse are Arabs?
“Senior officials involved in conversion procedures warn that mixed marriages are a growing phenomenon in Israel and that the rabbinical conversion courts are not moving fast enough to convert young people.”
In other words, we already have to watch out for what goes on there.
A Beis Din can’t move too fast when converting. They’re supposed to discourage because they’d be doing everyone, including the prospective convert, a gross disservice if they convert somebody who should remain a gentile.
Hashem Yiracheim.
I understand the issue, but how long can Jews remain safe when many of us react to this issue with such hateful and bigoted “solutions” to intermarriage. We are 14 Million of 7 Billion People. It is telling 6 Billion and 86 Million people they are unacceptable to us. That is self destructive besides ignorant. Lying about being Jewish is terrible to the spouse, but choosing who can and cannot marry?! Creating lists of who is NOT of “Jewish Blood” is EXACTLY what we tell the World to Never Forget. Yeshivas need to teach basic mathematics.
Look at it as a blessing in (not so much) disguise!
Those deficient Jewish men who married goyas won’t produce any Jewish offspring. Isn’t it good? Why would we mamash want them to procreate?
Problems that have no solutions are not interesting, and are not really even problems.