Among the speakers addressing a one-day seminar on giyur hosted in Moshav Beit Meir was Rabbi Chaim Druckman Shlita and Rishon L�Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita.

Rabbi Yosef had harsh words for those wishing to become giyorim without the acceptance of a Torah-adherence lifestyle � explaining there cannot be one without the other and the concept of giyur is premised on one accepting the yoke of a Torah observant lifestyle.

He quoted Rav Kook as well regarding the conversion of children, stating �If there is not an �umdena� that he will keep Torah and mitzvos, which he must, then he is not to be converted�.

Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef added his late father, HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT�L was lenient whenever halacha permitted but in this case, there is no room for leniency.

(YWN � Israel Desk, Jerusalem)