Joint committee agreed between Mormons and Jews over posthumous baptisms

Jews and Mormons have decided to jointly scrutinize a Mormon database that includes the names of thousands of deceased Jews, including Shoah victims, who were given unwanted, posthumous baptisms. A committee with members of both religions will study how names get into the International Genealogical Index, which has an estimated 4 million entries, what processes are followed, and how greater order can be brought to the unwieldy listing. "The church did not compromise its principles. The Jewish community didn't compromise its concerns," said David Elcott, director of inter-religious affairs for the American Jewish Committee in New York, one of five Jewish leaders who have met with Mormon officials. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes individuals' ability to choose a religion continues beyond the grave. Through its unique practice of proxy or vicarious baptisms, names are forwarded for baptism, and church members stand in for deceased non-Mormons. The church believes the ritual is required for the dead to reach heaven. Researchers found the names of Holocaust victims in the church's massive index more than a decade ago. After Jewish leaders protested, the two sides signed an agreement in 1995, and about 380,000 names of Holocaust victims were removed.