According to Haaretz, which first reported on the denial of Armstrong’s appeal, the Interior Ministry told Armstrong in a letter that they believed he was converting only to play on the team. It also cited the fact that his conversion classes were held via Zoom.
“It makes me crazy. Hasn’t Israel experienced COVID as well? I mean this decision shows so much disconnect,” Rabbi Michael Beals, the Wilmington, Delaware, rabbi who supervised Armstrong’s conversion, told Haaretz.
Beals, who has a longtime relationship with United States President Joe Biden, called the decision by Israel’s government “racist.” Armstrong is Black.
This is not a smart decision on the Israel's government's part. It has always been understood that "Jewish enough" for Israeli citizenship isn't Jewish enough for Jewish citizenship.
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