If somebody in my family (like my grandaunt) is orthodox Jewish, does that make me Jewish?

Question

Mike H. does not leave me alone!!!He is my friend. He keeps saying that I am a Jew

Thats mess up man. Now Mike is going to bug a lot now...

Answer 1

In Judaism if your mother is Jewish then you automatically are.

Answer 2

No, there are cultural Jews and their are religious Jews. If your family history is a Jewish blood line, then you are of Jewish decent...much like being Irish or German. You probably have Jewish blood...that doesn't make you Jewish.

But if your family does not keep the Jewish faith, then you are not Jewish.

Answer 3

No. In Judaism, the faith is typically passed down through the mother. So, if your mother was Jewish, then you would have been brought up Jewish (typically, not in all cases). Your grandaunt being Jewish doesn't really have any effect on you.

Also, today you really need to choose to be Jewish because it's what you believe, not the family you were born into. If you don't choose it, if you reject that faith system for another, then you're not Jewish.

Answer 4

Birth does not make you Jewish, Catholic, or any other faith.
It is what you believe. It is who you follow that makes you one faith over another.

Most Christians are Jewish, they choose to follow the teachings of Moses and the 10 Commandments.

I was born into a catholic family, I was baptized with sprinkles of water and circumcise before I can remember, at the age of 12, I was taken to the Catholic Church to study for confirmation and given a Christian name. I rejected it all and the Catholic Church.

I had never read the bible in my life, but I knew in my heart that this was wrong.

So I say unto you I am a follower and a dsiciple of Jesus Christ, and as so I follow only the teaching of my LORD and savior, and no else, not Moses, not Peter, nor Paul.

I stay not inscripture but in the Living Word of God, first and foremost.

Answer 5

It depends.

Is your grand aunt Jewish by birth? By conversion? By practice only? And, how is she related to you?

Under Jewish law, a child is Jewish if his or her mother is Jewish. (Of course, the child is Jewish if both parents are Jewish, as well, but the point is that, if only one parent is Jewish, and that is the child's father, then the child is not considered Jewish according to Jewish law.)

If this grand aunt is related to you on your father's side, then it is of no consequence. If, however, your grand aunt is related to you on your mother's side, then it may make a difference. I say "may" because it will only make a difference if 1) the relationship really is matrilineal (ie assuming the woman is your mother's aunt, the question is, is the woman your maternal grandmother's sibling, or your maternal grandfather's sibling? If the former, then yes, you would be considered Jewish under Jewish law; if the latter, it's of no consequence.) I also say "may" because if this person is related to you by marriage rather than by bloodlines, then, again, her being Jewish is of no consequence.

So, you see, it's rather complicated! And no one can answer the question without more information. (Also, incidentally, the fact that she's orthodox is irrelevant; the question (and answer) would be the same even if she conservative....reform...or completely secular.)

To add to the complexity, Judaism is a religion, but it's also cultural. (According to many throughout history, incidentally, it's actually a race. I don't agree with that estimation but, there it is.) Regardless of how this grand aunt is related to you, you're clearly not Jewish in the religious sense of the word -- it's pretty clear from your question that it's not as if you've been raised in accordance with the Jewish faith. And regardless of how this grand aunt is related to you, if (for example) you've been raised Catholic and those are your beliefs, being "Jewish" in terms of bloodlines doesn't in any way impact upon that -- you won't be any less Catholic (or whatever you are...buddhist, hindu, baptist, agnostic, atheist, etc.) because of it. It may sound confusing...faith/ religion/ culture/ bloodlines....and it is; I don't know of any Jews who don't ponder that at least once in a while, particularly those of us who are as secular as secular can be.

Answer 6

Okay and breathe for me please! First of all, when was the last time you did ANYTHING Jewish? A bar mitzvah, Hanuka, Passover, etc., etc., and the like? More importantly, HOW were you raised? Protestant, Catholic, Lutheran, Jewish, Atheist? If you either weren't raised Jewish or haven't yet converted over to Judaism, then your whatever you are! Come on already, let's get a latke already, I'm starving over here! I here the deli down the road has some good coffee too! Kosher even!!

Answer 7

Actually Judiasm comes from your mother....and is passed on from the mother.

I have a friend that her father is Jewish and she wasn't raised Jewish and the Jewish community wouldn't accept her as being Jewish.

Answer 8

You're only Jewish if your mother is Jewish. Your friend doesn't know what the hell he is talking about.

Answer 9

In Judaism, if your mother is Jewish, so is her children. Your mother, likewise, is Jewish, only if her mother was Jewish.

Answer 10

You maybe a hebrew decendant, but to be a Jew is to be part of that religion. The Hebrew people (Israelites) are also called Jews since every one of them has the same general belief. And remember the Bible tells us that if we are in Jesus, we are no longer Jew nor Gentile, but part of the Church of Christ. Amen.

Answer 11

Your bloodline makes you Jewish, not your beliefs.