Double Standards In Israel's Crises of Conversion

    A recent article in the Jerusalem Post "Converts' marriage still unrecognized," is yet another article about the conversion crisis going on in Israel.  I feel this story, which details the dilemma faced by a convert in the State of Israel provides great insight into the trials and tribulations of a convert-would-be-immigrant to Israel.  I myself, having come from a racially diverse background never met the kind of bureaucratic resistance that this man has faced:

A pair of Nigerian-born converts to Judaism who were married two years ago in a ceremony conducted by a rabbi recognized by the Chief Rabbinate remain unable to register themselves as a couple with the Interior Ministry, even though the husband has been an Israeli citizen since 2005, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

I have a feeling that there may be a racial element to this issue.  What causes me to think so?  Hundreds of thousands of Russian immigrants have come to Israel.  I witnessed their arrival as I came on the same aliyah (1998-2000).  Israel has seen a wave of issues with their arrival:

1.  Many of these Russians, if not most, are not Jews by Jewish law.  If they have conversions, they do not follow the basic tenants of Judaism after these conversions.
2.  Some of the immigrants have been connected to things that are not welcomed by some people in Israeli society:  drugs, prostitution, pork, absence of Jewishness or Jewish knowledge, and the use of Israel as a way to get to America or Canada.

Given the issues listed above, it causes me to suspect the actions of the Interior Ministry with regards to Nigerian Daniel Hiben.  Generally, those who come from poorer countries are more "suspect" with regards to conversion because the Israeli government worries that people want to gain Israeli citizenship for the immigrant benefits and citizenship to a more developed country.  However, there is no question that some of these Former Soviet Union (FSU) immigrants have ulterior motives in coming to Israel, but do not face the same scrutiny as Mr. Hiben.  What is the reason?  The Russians have a lobby in the US among American Jewry-not to mention their own (like Natan Sharansky).   
    Sadly, another contributing factor is that even though the Russians may be of a foreign culture in our generation, however their children will be Ashkenazi Israelis in full force.  Being that Jews of European origin have more political force in Israel (they will remind you that they founded the country), they have more authority as to who can attain citizenship.  One example of this was the collective recognition of Ethiopian Jewry by the Sephardic Rabbinical authorities, which was not shared by their Ashkenazi counterparts.  Despite the overwhelming secularism of Ashkenazi Jewry, there is a hypocritical tendency amongst its leaders to weigh in on who and what constitutes Jewishness.  These same people will, in a heartbeat, turn around and mock Torah and observant Jews.  In the case of Neve Gordon and his ilk, they use the State of Israel as a piñata in a masochistic, intellectuals only, self-hate party.  Sorry Mr. Hiben, you weren't invited...