Israeli newspapers report that Rabbi Shlomo Riskin of Efrat severely criticized the haredi rabbanut, including both chief rabbis in a radio interview with Dov Halberthal. He was referring to those who would not recognize his and other Modern Orthodox and Dati Leumi conversions as valid and accused them of using “scare tactics and lies to prevent conversion reforms and standardization. He attacked haredi MKs who tried to prevent the bill from passing. It was passed last week.

During the interview Riskin said: “…I think there is a [Torah] commandment of ‘you shall love the convert.’ Yes, I think that the Chief Rabbinate until now did not know what it is to get someone who wants to convert treated properly, with love and care. How dare they say that my conversions were not done according to Jewish Law? …The halakha itself talks about love. Don’t you know a very simple mishna: ‘Be disciples of Aharon, loving peace and pursuing peace?’ Love people and bring them closer to Torah through love.”

Halberthal: That applies to “Jewish people and not the Gentiles.”

Riskin: “There is no place in [the Mishna or any other authoritative primary text] where it says that ‘people’ means ‘Jews.’ It means ‘human beings’ – period.”