Expert: Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner - 4/3/2007

Question
Dear Rabbi,

Hi, I'm 20 years old. I researched through your past answers, and I understand that Judaism is not a race. But I was wondering if you could clear up some questions I had regarding my lineage, my Jewish heritage. My mother’s side of the family is Jewish. My grandmother is full Jewish, her parents Jewish and so on. My grandmother did not marry a Jewish man, therefore my mother is half. I hate to state it like this; I just want to make it clear. Therefore, I would be ¼ or 25% Jewish. I know that Judaism considers lineage to be maternal, but my mom is not full Jewish. From the Jewish perspective, am I at all considered Jewish? I was not brought up in a Jewish household. The last people of my family to attend synagogue and speak Hebrew were my great-grandparents. If I was to be considered Jewish but wasn’t brought up in a Jewish household, would I have to convert to Judaism? What if I had practiced another religion, such as Christianity? What would that be considered? Sorry for the questions. I know you have answered questions about lineage in the past, but the answers really did not answer my questions because most people writing or from a mother or father who is full Jewish, and my mom is not. Thank you so much for your time, it is greatly appreciated!


Answer
Dear Michelle,

Thanks for writing.

By Jewish law for the last several thousand years, so long as one is descended matrilineally - through the mother without regard to the religion of the father -  then one is Jewish. There is no such thing within Jewish status as 1/2 Jewish or fractions.

By Jewish law, you are considered to be a Jew by birth. However, you do correctly note that you are not educated to be a Jew - Hebrew, Jewish history, philosophy, Bible, Jewish life cycle and calendar cycle, Israel, worship and prayberbook, etc.

Technically, therefore you don't have to convert, as you are a Jew by birth, but I would urge you to begin a complete program of Jewish education and affiliation and participation in the Jewish community.

Best wishes, and I hope you feel welcome within the Jewish People.

Happy Passover and if you are looking for FREE materials they are available at my website www.jewishfreeware.org.

Rabbi Dov