Conversion Activism: The Evolution of the Laws of Conversion and Its Relevance to LGBTQ+ Inclusion
Tuesday, April 27
Rabbi Kalman Pesach (Chuck) Davidson has been active in establishing Orthodox, non-coercive conversion alternatives to Israel’s Chief Rabbinate (CR) for over a decade. Rabbi Davidson is undaunted if not fearless. He is one of the few Orthodox rabbis in Israel willing to marry people (k’halakha) but outside of the Rabbinate, a crime on the books punishable with up to 2 years in jail.
Rabbi Davidson will share with us his extensive knowledge of Hilchot Gerut (the laws of conversion) from the Talmud to the codes to contemporary piske halakha (responsa). He will demonstrate how the process of conversion can legitimately welcome many more sincere prospective converts, including those who are LGBTQ+.
