Rabbi Gil Student writes:
I was able to confirm the statement with a reliable source who confirmed it with multiple attendees. It seems that R[abbi] Nochum Eisenstein did, in fact, say this. Presumably the RCA will have to deal with this in some way. Some of their members who perform geirus, like R[abbi] Barry Freundel, have public views on this matter (see R[abbi] Freundel's book, which has been quoted multiple times on this blog).
What is Gil Student confirming? This:
…In any event, my friend tells me that R[abbi] N[ochum] Eisenstein declared, FROM THE PODIUM IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE [Eternal Jewish Family] CONFERENCE [in Washington, DC this week], in the name of R[abbi] Eliyashiv, that anyone who believes the world is older than 5000+ years is a kofer b'ikar, and is therefore unfit to serve as a dayan on a beis din, and that consequently any rabbi that holds such a view cannot perform conversions, not to mention that all of his conversions would be posul.
Similar such pronouncements were made about anyone who maintains that Chazal made any error in science or metzeius. Another "distinguished" speaker lamented that he saw a "supposed" dayan actually wearing some "brown" article of clothing and "smelled of cologne"; the EJF speaker commented something along the lines of, "can you imagine such a person serving as a dayan?"…
Rabbi Hershel Schachter lent his name to the Eternal Jewish Family cause, even though there were ample signs of bad behavior from its leader Rabbi Leib Tropper and from men like Rabbi Nochum Eisenstein and Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv. (Search for "Tropper" here to see one example; see these posts for many others.) Yet Rabbi Hershel Schachter, the 'leader' of Modern Orthodoxy went along blindly, accepting the false praise from Tropper's lips and ignoring the pain and suffering of others.
Now the RCA must take a stand. But the Basil Herrings, Herschel Schachters and Mordechai Willigs of this world lack a key element needed to fight – beytzim.
Tropper, Eisenstein, Elyashiv and Amar must be stopped. If the 'leaders' of Modern Orthodoxy will not or cannot do the job, it will fall to us, the laity, to do it.
Do not make the mistake of thinking the actions taken by haredim are irrelevant to your lives. The day will soon come when your children or grandchildren will not be able to marry in Israel because they will not have a reliable ancestry because their parents are Modern Orthodox. Your yichus will be suspect, and your Judaism marginalized.
Act now, in this brief moment left before it is too late. Tell your rabbis and roshei yeshivot that they must not capitulate to haredi demands.
If they do not listen or they do not act then realize that we are truly a leaderless generation, even though many so-called men hold positions of prestige and authority.
Hillel said, "Where there is no man, be a man," in other words, "When your leaders are cowards you must have the courage to act."
Act now. The future is literally in your hands. Hazak u'barukh.