Am I Jewish if....?

Question

If I had a relative who was Jewish, but I am not related to that person directly; the person is a cousin several time removed. Would that mean I have Jewish blood or I'm a Jewish-American?

And it's on my mother's side.

Answer 1

You should get plenty of different opinions on this here, and the question of whether Jewish is a race, ethnicity, religion or nationality (in the broadest sense of "nation") or whichever combination of these, is a hotbed of debate. But strictly speaking and in the very orthodox sense of the word (see/google the "Halakha"), your mother should be Jewish for you to immediately qualify with "no questions asked" (Judaism is passed through the maternal line, although this is debated between orthodox and reformist branches), or you would have to go through a conversion process, which involves a good deal of study and hard work (in comparison to the easiness with which Muslims or born-again Christians, for example, can convert), and you should acquire a good knowledge of Jewish history/religion and of course accept Judaism as your religion/spirituality. If you are interested though, you should contact a local synagogue and explain the situation (I am not Jewish and do not intend to convert, but I have close contact to Jewish people and was welcomed with open arms into their community and their synagogue, I can recommend the contact and experience to you if only for the great human warmth I´m sure you will encounter, whatever your decision).

Answer 2

From what I have heard to be jewish it goes by the mother. So if your mother is jewish or i think part jewish you might consider yourself one. Not through cousins. Side note, just from the jewish people I know, they practice some if not all of the beliefs so if you convert and begin practicing you can become Jewish.

Answer 3

Being Jewish is a religion not a nationality. If your relative is Jewish that means they prop. have Hebrew in them. That means you would be Hebrew-American.

this may not be true however if your relative became Jewish in America. (not raised Jewish) This is because Hebrews believe that the only way you can become Jewish is if your mother is Jewish. The only place that will allow you to be a Jew without this is in America.

Being Jewish is a religion not a nationality.

Answer 4

"Jewish by birth" usually means that the mom's Jewish. But a person can convert, or have a bris (brit bat for girls), or be bar or bat mitzvahed, or confirmed. Are you descended from someone Jewish? Do you have an interest or distaste towards the thought of being in some way Jewish? Or wondering if you might carry a Tay Sachs gene?

Answer 5

To be considered Jewish your Mother must be Jewish.

Answer 6

Being Jewish means you have a Jewish mother, or you have converted to Judaism. No------you are not Jewish.

Answer 7

you are jewish if your mother is jewish or you convert. in your case, you have a jewish relative several times removed. that's it.

Answer 8

You have a Jewish relative that you aren't related to???


I don't think that makes you Jewish.

Answer 9

To be Jewish, your mother must be Jewish; So , i think that you are not Jewish

Answer 10

I don't know, but I usually think of Jewish as the religion.