117:, the Beth Din had a series of long standing chairmen, beginning with Isaac Rapaport and Sholem Gutnick. Under Gutnick's leadership, the Beth Din was accused of nepotism, lack of transparency and financial irregularities in what was described as a "one-man operation". Gutnick would appoint judges without consulting other rabbis in the community, despite the protests of the communal rabbinate. Following Gutnick's tenure, the Beth Din was closed down and restructured under the joint control of the
144:. In this environment, the MBD is one of the few internationally recognised conversion programs. However, the program regularly takes several years, and requires extensive examinations before the Beth Din will consider a convert. However, in spite of this most Orthodox synagogues in Melbourne will direct conversion candidates to the MBD.
154:
The conversions performed by the Ark Centre caused some controversy when MBD rejected all their conversions, although they offered a path to conversion for those who were converted through the Ark. It is unclear what the status of the converts who did not take up the path to conversion. This decision
136:
One of the roles of the MBD is to oversee
Orthodox conversions to Judaism. This process is often mired in controversy, with London at times overruling the decisions of the Australian Beth Din, and the topic causing tension between Joseph Abrahams and his community, forcing the rabbi to briefly resign
171:
The other main focus of the MBD is in the area of divorces. In Jewish law a divorce can be vetoed by either side (but the consequences are more serious for the woman) there are a number of instances of both the man and the woman refusing to give the bill of divorce
137:
his post. This difficulty in conversion in the early days of the settlement of
Australia led to many Jews marrying non-Jews and assimilating into Australian culture. Today many of the conversions performed are done for marriage or due to Jewish ancestry.
213:
The Beth Din at times have attempted to establish a civil tribunal, but these attempts have thus far failed. Despite this the MBD have called for all Jews to approach them and have strongly discouraged people from going to the secular courts.
187:
ruled that gett refusal constitutes psychological and emotional abuse, however there are limits on this and there is danger that any law to try and force one party to provide a gett could run foul of the
Australian constitution.
176:). The MBD have a number of ways of dealing with this, including a pre-nuptial agreement, although this agreement in Australia is more of a guide and is not binding in any way on the two parties in the event of a divorce.
67:
The MBD has existed in various iterations. The first Beth Din was set up with the assistance of Moses Rintel, who later served as the head of the Beth Din. This was the first Beth Din in the
1374:
739:
1379:
203:
The MBD has made a number of rulings over the years. An earlier ruling was made by the Beth Din during the tenure of Rabbi Brodie against communally organised ball sports on
Shabbat.
1226:
1384:
128:
In 2017, the MBD conducted a wide-ranging review of its procedures that included rabbis currently sitting on the Beth Din, other communal rabbis, and lay people.
147:
In recent years a number of conversion courts have been set up independently of the MBD. These have been run by rabbis Yaron
Gottlieb, Meir Rabi, and the
525:
1150:
1202:
Dear Chief Rabbi: From the
Correspondence of Chief Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits on Matters of Jewish Law, Ethics, and Contemporary Issues, 1980-1990
1369:
763:
1359:
1364:
1050:
1210:
654:
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184:
118:
1200:
44:
626:
206:
More recently the MBD has made strong statements against same sex marriage, and against the establishment of an
1126:
971:
644:
191:
While the Beth Din have tried to ease the suffering, they are very conservative in their interpretation of
998:
883:
78:
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56:
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48:
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Today, the process of converting internationally is mired in controversy and politics especially in
1246:
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52:
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229:
There are a number of religious courts that claim jurisdiction in
Victoria besides the MBD. The
908:
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122:
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The MBD deal with about 40 divorces per annum, and have at times needed to rule in cases of
24:
671:
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74:
There were a series of
Melbourne rabbis who served on the Beth Din, including:
244:
In addition to these there are a number of ad hoc
Orthodox conversion courts.
195:, and their procedures can cause cases to extend a lot longer than necessary.
148:
1026:
715:
40:
36:
1075:
1151:"Melbourne Jewry Excited over Alleged Beth Din Saturday Sports Permission"
855:
423:. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
406:. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
389:. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
369:. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
349:. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
332:. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
32:
1333:
192:
160:
999:"Woman refused to accept Jewish divorce - The Australian Jewish News"
550:
180:
884:"'Our converts are as kosher as yours' - The Australian Jewish News"
121:(RCV) and the Council of Orthodox Synagogue of Victoria (COSV), and
1175:"Australian orthodox rabbis interfering in civil marriage (again)!"
159:
who oversaw the conversions from Israel, and in opposition to the
972:"Retroactive Annulment of Giyyur (Conversion)? | jewishideas.org"
1101:"Court ruling eases Jewish divorce - The Australian Jewish News"
207:
113:
Having been re-established in 1961 after communication with the
1247:"Rabbis hit out at rise in use of civil courts - theage.com.au"
933:
103:
Isaac Jacob Super, head of the
Melbourne United Shechitah Board
1051:"The Melbourne Beit Din - Please G-d you will Never Need Them"
878:
876:
934:"Cancelling Conversion - Torah Musings - Jewish Ideas Daily"
831:
572:
570:
343:
Rutland, Suzanne D. "Freedman, Harry Mordecai (1901–1982)".
221:
for the purposes of marriage within the Orthodox community.
764:"5 things to know about Israel's failed conversion reform"
1027:"Compass: Divorce According To God: Set Me Free - ABC TV"
643:
Apple, Raymond; N.S.W.), Great Synagogue (Sydney (2008).
309:
OAM - Introductory Assessor of Candidates for Conversion
1076:"Gett Refusal - Family Law | Melbourne Sydney Law Firm"
909:"Ark conversions rejected - The Australian Jewish News"
740:"Government cancels conversion reform in cabinet vote"
81:, a widely respected scholar and senior translator at
464:. Jewish Publication Society of America. p. 375.
400:
Rubinstein, Hilary L. "Blaubaum, Elias (1847–1904)".
646:
The Great Synagogue: A History of Sydney's Big Shule
1296:"Masorti Beit Din of Australasia | Aleph Melbourne"
788:"Recognized Rabbinical Courts for Conversion -ITIM"
1375:Buildings and structures in the City of Glen Eira
217:They are also attempting to create a register of
59:although it does rule on other matters as well.
1380:Religious buildings and structures in Melbourne
237:movement each maintain a Beth Din, as does the
602:"Melbourne Beth Din to reviews its procedures"
163:, and a longstanding convention in Orthodoxy.
1272:"Marriage Authorisation - Melbourne Beth Din"
16:Orthodox Jewish court in Melbourne, Australia
8:
383:Levi, J. S. "Abrahams, Joseph (1855–1938)".
183:, or gett refusal. In a landmark case, the
417:Levi, J. S. "Danglow, Jacob (1880–1962)".
526:"Melbourne Beth Din under reconstruction"
326:Levi, J. S. "Rintel, Moses (1823–1880)".
109:, who later served on the London Beth Din
1385:Jewish organisations based in Australia
495:"Overview of Melbourne Beth Din - COSV"
458:Adler, Cyrus; Szold, Henrietta (1961).
318:
286:Elka Gaensler - Director and Secretary
91:, later Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth
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993:
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710:
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518:
516:
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7:
716:"Compass: Ike's Conversion - ABC TV"
378:
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1320:Bloch, Arnold (1961). "Australia".
1227:"Special court for Jewish disputes"
627:"What Power Does the Beth Din Have"
672:"Chapter 1: The Jews in Australia"
420:Australian Dictionary of Biography
403:Australian Dictionary of Biography
386:Australian Dictionary of Biography
366:Australian Dictionary of Biography
363:"Brodie, Sir Israel (1895–1979)".
346:Australian Dictionary of Biography
329:Australian Dictionary of Biography
14:
1199:Jakobovits, Sir Immanuel (1995).
670:Australia, National Archives of.
289:Rabbi Yoseph Nerenberg - Director
302:Rabbi Schneier Lange - Registrar
1205:. KTAV Publishing House, Inc.
744:The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com
435:"Rabbi Super - St Kilda Shule"
119:Rabbinical Council of Victoria
1:
1370:Jews and Judaism in Melbourne
1322:The American Jewish Year Book
477:The American Jewish Year Book
264:Rabbi Avrohom Yehudah Kievman
1360:Hasidic Judaism in Australia
475:Bloch, Arnold. "Australia".
283:Rabbi Chaim Cowen - Director
125:was appointed senior judge.
1365:Jewish courts and civil law
1125:Safran, John (2015-05-16).
856:"Kalman Gradman – pitputim"
578:"Melbourne Beth Din - COSV"
185:Victorian Magistrates Court
1401:
1105:The Australian Jewish News
1003:The Australian Jewish News
913:The Australian Jewish News
888:The Australian Jewish News
1155:Jewish Telegraphic Agency
1131:The Sydney Morning Herald
768:Jewish Telegraphic Agency
461:American Jewish Year Book
241:Adass Yisrael community.
155:was a rejection of Rabbi
551:"JEMP's Partners - JEMP"
292:David Lindell - Director
21:Melbourne Beth Din (MBD)
267:Rabbi Yisroel Greenwald
958:Shulchan Aruch, Ch 268
273:Rabbi Menachem Sabbach
270:Rabbi Mordechai Berman
1127:"Breaking the chains"
361:Rubinstein, Hilary L.
51:, it rules mostly on
260:Mordechai Gutnick AM
976:www.jewishideas.org
832:"yarongottlieb.com"
439:stkildashule.org.au
71:outside of London.
225:Alternative courts
1251:www.theage.com.au
862:. 9 February 2016
836:yarongottlieb.com
696:"Yom Kippur 5774"
676:guides.naa.gov.au
248:Current personnel
123:Mordechai Gutnick
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94:Joseph Abrahams
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35:in the city of
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43:. Located in
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1304:. Retrieved
1300:aleph.org.au
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1181:. 2015-06-09
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1107:. 2015-03-09
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1082:. 2015-07-17
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1057:. 2012-02-16
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1005:. 2017-07-09
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915:. 2017-08-10
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892:. Retrieved
890:. 2017-08-22
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864:. Retrieved
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812:"Conversion"
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771:. Retrieved
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608:. 2017-08-28
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532:. 2002-10-29
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33:Jewish court
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1328:: 372–376.
860:pitputim.me
297:Other roles
231:Progressive
132:Conversions
57:conversions
1349:Categories
1306:2017-12-31
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444:2017-12-31
314:References
149:Ark Centre
1355:Batei din
41:Australia
37:Melbourne
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