Who is Halachically Jewish?

[muffler dragon]

Just figured I would start a poll regarding the membership of this forum.

Who is Halachically Jewish? This would mean that you were:

1) Born of a Jewish Mother.
2) Had a halachic conversion.

If you were born of a Jewish mother; then please feel free to share your tribal lineage (if you have one).

 

[muffler dragon]

I am a Gentile.

 

[christianmomof3]

Born of Jewish mother and father. Don't know tribal lineage - never heard of it. Most of my family traces back to Russia and Russian satellite countries.

 

[simchat_torah]

Here's what's funny....
I was told by an Orthodox (Chabad) Rabbi that I didn't need to convert since I could show my Jewish heritage through my mother's side (even though my mother was not Jewish by religion). He said I merely needed to do Teshuvah (repentance) and return to Judaism. The Reform Rabbi said in order to be counted at the minion (or be considered "Jewish") I had to undergo formal conversion.

I think that may be a first for Reform having more stringent standards than the Orthodox

But yeah... none the less, I formally converted eventually, so I voted "Yes, I had a halachic conversion to Judaism".

 

[GeratTzedek]

Here's what's funny....
I was told by an Orthodox (Chabad) Rabbi that I didn't need to convert since I could show my Jewish heritage through my mother's side (even though my mother was not Jewish by religion). He said I merely needed to do Teshuvah (repentance) and return to Judaism. The Reform Rabbi said in order to be counted at the minion (or be considered "Jewish") I had to undergo formal conversion.

I think that may be a first for Reform having more stringent standards than the Orthodox

But yeah... none the less, I formally converted eventually, so I voted "Yes, I had a halachic conversion to Judaism".

You were born of a Jewish mother, but as a baal tshuva you underwent conversion like a gentile?

Oh my gosh.
Is there an emoticon for banging my head against a wall?

 

[GeratTzedek]

I answered that I am gentile (as you know I am seeking conversion). I answered this way because it could be true and it is what I thought was true for sure until just a few months ago. There is a chance I may be Jewish by matrilineal descent. I am reluctant to make that claim on circumstantial evidence alone, short of the birth certificate or grave stone. I would much rather err on the side of caution than make a false claim.

 

[simchat_torah]

You were born of a Jewish mother, but as a baal tshuva you underwent conversion like a gentile?

Oh my gosh.
Is there an emoticon for banging my head against a wall?

Judaism was foreign to me. I was raised Christian. Despite a rich Jewish heritage, it was hidden from me for years. Thus I felt a strong desire to establish the covenant for myself.

Technically, Baal Teshuvah is for those who left Judaism. It was not me who left, but those before me. Other than my soul, I grew up without a connection to Judaism at all.

-Yafet

 

[Hadassah]

I can't really pick either of the options because I cannot prove anything. We were so assimilated it is stupid... where's that option?

We were lied and lied and lied to.. and then some. the only evidence I have is our last names and many say that is too circumstantial, not to mention the timeframes we came to the USA from the countries we left.

DNA wouldn't sufficiently satisfy most people..

As you can tell from my recent posts, I am making my way back. Loads in my family hate it, and many think I'm just crazy.

 

[ChazakEmunah]

I too, come from a long line of assimilated people. My Father is Native American/English and my mother is Jewish. I had to go back 5 generations to find the Jewish ancestor on my mother's side. (I started looking for proof after I asked my mother about it). I grew up a C*hristian, but today I am a Ba'al T'shuva, having finally reversed the assimilation and returned to the faith of my forefathers.

 

[Kalanit]

I'm a gentile.

My husband is Jewish - both his great grandparents were Jewish. His grandfather was Jewish. His grandmother and mother were not.

 

[simchat_torah]

I can't really pick either of the options because I cannot prove anything. We were so assimilated it is stupid... where's that option?

We were lied and lied and lied to.. and then some. the only evidence I have is our last names and many say that is too circumstantial, not to mention the timeframes we came to the USA from the countries we left.

DNA wouldn't sufficiently satisfy most people..

These would be excellent things to address when considering the lineage of someone. However, when halacha is concerned (the topic of this thread) it matters little... unfortunately.

-Yafet

 

[Hadassah]

These would be excellent things to address when considering the lineage of someone. However, when halacha is concerned (the topic of this thread) it matters little... unfortunately.

-Yafet

In that case, the only one halachically Jewish is my DH. As far as we can tell all of his family is Jewish, including his father's father who was adopted.

 

[ContraMundum]

Jew. Orthodox background.

 

[Ivy]

No, I am a Gentile & have no intention of pretending to be anything else.

 

[Wags]

If all are one in Messiah, why does it matter if someones parents are Jewish, or that 3 out of 4 grandparents are Jewish, or that a surname might be Jewish etc...?

I make it a point never to answer these sorts of questions. Because I believe they only create more division.

 

[ChavaK]

My husband is Jewish - both his great grandparents were Jewish. His grandfather was Jewish. His grandmother and mother were not.

This means halachaly he is not Jewish....but I have
a question for the messianics here.
I don't want to open a can of worms again,
but I am curious to know if personaly the messianics
here believe someone is Jewish if they have any
Jewish ancestry at all.....

 

[GeratTzedek]

This means halachaly he is not Jewish....but I have
a question for the messianics here.
I don't want to open a can of worms again,
but I am curious to know if personaly the messianics
here believe someone is Jewish if they have any
Jewish ancestry at all.....

No. The Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations is more strict about this than the Orthodox. For example, Chabad will tell a person that if their mother's mother's mother is Jewish, this makes them a Jew. Messianics will say no.

You must have a Jewish mother, or have undergone conversion. The only exception to this is the Reform exception: if you had a Jewish father AND were raised Jewish.

 

[GeratTzedek]

If all are one in Messiah, why does it matter if someones parents are Jewish, or that 3 out of 4 grandparents are Jewish, or that a surname might be Jewish etc...?

I make it a point never to answer these sorts of questions. Because I believe they only create more division.

We are all equal in the eyes of G-d, Jew and gentile, male and female. But let me ask you, when you became a believer, did you become androgenous? Or a hermaphrodyte? Of course not. Just because men and women are equal in Him doesn't mean there is some sort of homogenization of the sexes. Now, apply this to the Jew/gentile thing. HaShem himself has set Israel apart from the nations, just as Eve was taken from Adam's side. G-d does not do bad things! Within Ekklesia, there are Jews and gentiles -- but the unity is one of differentiation, not homogenization. As a husband and wife become one, so Jews and gentiles also become one new man in Him. But the husband never stopped being a male nor the wife a female. In the same way, even within the unity of Ekklesia, Israel is still Israel, and the Nations are still the Nations. And since it is G-d that has done this, it is a good thing.

 

[GeratTzedek]

I'm a gentile.

My husband is Jewish - both his great grandparents were Jewish. His grandfather was Jewish. His grandmother and mother were not.

Do you mean his maternal great-granparents or paternal great-grandparents? It makes a difference to some if it's his mother's mother's mother, or some other great-grandparent.

 

[Wags]

I'm surprised you have a Torah scroll! We are all equal in the eyes of G-d, Jew and gentile, male and female. But let me ask you, when you became a believer, did you become androgenous? Or a hermaphrodyte? Of course not. Just because men and women are equal in Him doesn't mean there is some sort of homogenization of the sexes. Now, apply this to the Jew/gentile thing. HaShem himself has set Israel apart from the nations, just as Eve was taken from Adam's side. G-d does not do bad things! Within Ekklesia, there are Jews and gentiles -- but the unity is one of differentiation, not homogenization. As a husband and wife become one, so Jews and gentiles also become one new man in Him. But the husband never stopped being a male nor the wife a female. In the same way, even within the unity of Ekklesia, Israel is still Israel, and the Nations are still the Nations. And since it is G-d that has done this, it is a good thing.

Yes, all are EQUAL in the sight of Adonai. So why should it matter to anyone here if the person they are talking to is Jewish or not?

Just becuase someon was born a Jew does that lend more weight to their opinion? What if they were ethnically Jewish but raised Baptist or Buddist - does their opinion still mean more than a gentile who has spent years studying or was raised in a messinaic home? What if they are ethnically Jewish but are catholic or methodist in belief? Are their opinions somehow more credible because they are ethnically Jewish?

What exactly is the point of knowing whether or not someone posting here is Jewish? Is there anyway to verify that a poster who claims to be one thing or another is what they say they are? No there isn't, that is the nature of the internet.