Question:
A lieutenant returnee from the Aleutians intends to marry a Protestant girl in the next month or so. The girl is very anxious to accept the Jewish faith, a desire which has not been influenced by the wishes of the lieutenant. The lieutenant wants the chaplain to perform the marriage ceremony and would like to know whether he will convert her. There is no civilian rabbi within a radius of 250 miles. As the chaplain sized up the situation it is a question of keeping a Jew in the fold (he has a Reform background) by converting the women whom he definitely will marry, or have a Justice of the Peace marry them and losing both.
Answer:
The general practice recommended by CANRA with regard to the conversion of proselytes is that the chaplain refrain from such conversion, referring all such cases to a nearby civilian rabbi. The reasons for our decision are, first the general disinclination of Judaism to encourage proselytism, especially cases connected with marriage, and, second, the fact that the military conditions where the chaplain is often in charge of men of different faiths (Catholic, Protestant or Jewish) lead us to the wish to discourage any kind of proselytism which might involve the conversion of soldiers. However, it is clear that there are certain special cases under which the chaplain must make his own decision guiding himself by his own conscience and by the specific religious background of the families involved. In the case mentioned by the chaplain there is no civilian rabbi within 250 miles. Secondly, the young lady is sincerely desirous of accepting Judaism, and according to principle of Rav (J. Kidushin 65b) such proselytes must be received in friendliness, for we may assume that they are converting out of sincere motives. Thirdly, the young man is of Reform Jewish background and according to the Reform Jewish practice such proselytes are accepted after instruction without ritual requirements. In these circumstances, the chaplain may use his own initiative and judgment as to the conversion.