Reply To: Remember Lipman?

As to the DC story – that is clearly 100% relevant. The individual in question was not only the “manager of the Mikva” – he was the lead Rav in a number of conversions. As such (and particularly given the publicity that story has received), the whole idea of a man or men watching the Tvila of a woman for Geirus makes a number of sincere want-to-be female converts more than a bit squeemish. If you can’t understand the relevance of that incident to addressing a woman’s feelings about Tevila, I’m sorry – it seems to me to be quite obvious.

1. It isn’t so relevant–he could have done the same thing regardless of if he was in the room for tevilah. It’s like trying to kill a fly with a hammer–not only is it overkill, but you probably won’t kill the fly either. The solution is better oversight.

2. They’re squeamish? So let them not convert if they don’t want to. The men are also squeamish about the bris and hatafas dam bris. What mitzva is there to make geirus more attractive?