Is it possible to be half Jewish?

Question

My friend says she is half Jewish. My other friend says you cant be half you have to be whole. Who's right. Thanks?

Answer 1

Once I met a native Israelian man. He told me he was an atheist. Alright.

So I told him: "Well, you are not jewish then?" Because in my view, "jewish = someone who believes in Judaism".

He replied: "Yes, I am. I am a Jew, because I belong to the Jewish ethnic group."

Gosh, I thought he belonged to the arab ethnic group, in which there are plenty of unbelievers, christians, muslims, and so on.

But that Israelian man told me he doesn't belong to the arab ethnic group but to the jewish ethnic group.

Well, I don't know whether he is right or wrong.

All I can say is that many people consider that:

jewish = someone who believes in Judaism (belief, not blood-line)

OR

jewish = someone who belongs to the jewish ethnic group (blood-line, not belief)

---

So... It is possible to be half jewish if:

- one of the 2 parents believes in Judaism

or

- one of the 2 parents belongs to the jewish ethnic group.

or both.

Personally, I don't really believe in the existence of a jewish ethnic group, but well, I don't hold the truth.

I can only share opinions in this field.

- genetically: you can be half-jew.

- belief: whether you are jewish, whether you are not. It is your own personal choice.

Answer 2

Who's right?
Both, IMO.
Because it depends on just what they understand as "being Jewish".

Ethnically (or genetically), probably possible to be half, or quarter, or eighth (etc.) Jewish.

Religion, perhaps .... if she attends synagogue every other Shabbat. Though I'm sure many would say that doesn't really qualify.

Perhaps the way to get the best answer would be for you to ask a Rabbi ... of course, would that be an Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform Rabbi?

Answer 3

I'm not certain... but from what I understand you are fully Jewish if your mother is Jewish and your father is Gentile or some other religion, but if your father is Jewish and your mother some other releigion,than you can be half Jewish... i could be wrong but this is what i have come to understand from a Jewish friend..

Answer 4

To be a Jew means you are of Jewish faith and of Jewish race. When someone says they are half Jewish, they usually are referring to being half Jewish race, and half of another race. If she is talking about being half Jewish religion, she obviously hasn't made a choice of what religion she wants to fully embrace. In my opinion, you are either all of one or another...or you are not really committed to either.

Answer 5

my niece is a 'half jew' but her parents decided to raise her jewish, thus, shes a jew.
the one that says whole is correct.
actually there cannot be a half religeon can there?
an ideology is NOT an ethnicity.
to be a jew as in being recognized by other jews as a jew would be a jew to the rest of the world.
if in this person's own mind they are half-jewish then no one is to argue that against them, if she wants she can start her own half-jew cult and move to utah, wherein no one would in this world could possibly be the wiser huh? why not? i think ill call myself half jew for now on. :)
god bless the American Race!!! :P

Answer 6

About 50%

Answer 7

you can not b e half jewish if you were not born by a jewish and another foreigner. whole jewish if your parents are both jewish and half jewish if your parents are corossbreed from jewish to another person which is not jewish.

Answer 8

there is faith, ethnicity, historical past, beginning and race. maximum persons take "black" to be race yet if reality be told maximum "black" human beings are blended race. interior the U.S. maximum blacks will say that being black ability being any section black. and there is meant to be a cultural component to being black. that ought to make it an ethnicity. Jewish has a non secular factor. And a cultural factor. and a few historical past factor nevertheless that is plenty decrease than may be theory via fact in previous a protracted time historical past became patriarchal so as that there is probable greater mitochondrial version in Jews than is often theory. So, on condition that black and Jewish can the two be considered ethnicity, that ought to be the place Lenny Kravits is right in asserting he's a million/2 black/a million/2 jewish.

Answer 9

you can not be half any faith you either accept it or dont ion the jewish tradition if your mum is jewish you are where in muslim it depends on the father of course no muslim marry is aloud to marru out side her faith. but as far as I am concerened you should chose your own faith when you are old enough saying it just becouse you were born in a jewish familiy means nothing if you do not practice it

Answer 10

I know someone that has one Jewish parent and one Christian parent. She considers herself to be half Jewish and half Christian.