Recently, I came across this article.  Conversions in Israel are a major issue not only for the Jews living there, for the entire Jewish people.  At the time of the founding of the State of Israel, David Ben-Gurion made an agreement with the Orthodox rabbinate that they could run the affairs of state.  (I’m summarizing greatly).  Now, 62 years later it is time for the government of Israel to eliminate the control of the Orthodox rabbinate.  A summary of how we got to this place is here.