IDF Chief Rabbi Brigadier-General Rafi Peretz defends IDF conversions to yiddishkheit, explaining the historic p�sak halacha by Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita gives the backbone to the military giyur.

The rav�s ruling legitimized the conversions of over 5,000 people who are now recognized as Jewish as a result of the IDF giyur. Peretz explains �That p�sak made them an integral part of our people, and set a historic stake�.

Rav Yosef wrote his p�sak after meeting with the vaad rabbonim that he appointed to investigate the giyur.

(YWN � Israel Desk, Jerusalem)