Jews please help me! I think I'm Jewish but I'm not sure, so my question is: How do I know if I'm Jewish?

Question

Judaism has always interested me and I would like to be Jewish, but I never thought that I was actually Jewish until I researched my last name and It said my ancestors were but they converted to Catholics, but If I'm correct Jews believe even if you convert you are always going to be Jewish and If one of your parents are Jewish then so are you. So am I Jewish ? (even though I wouldn't be a practicing Jew, for now anyway's)

thanks.

Answer 1

OK "bloodlines" people, get it right: according to the largest Jewish "denomination" it is either father or mother, any where back along the geneaology you research, document, prepare and present, that makes a person "Jewish by birth" By that definition, the author of this question most certainly can be considered Jewish by birth.

Along with about 75% of all Spanish speakers. But that is another question,

now your decision is to study and decide what you want to do. "where there's a song, there's a singer."

So if something in side you is looking for validation, for membership, for a sense of belonging to the oldest monotheistic religion around, you are like a homing pigeon coming home.

C'mon in! the Reform Jewish movement will welcome you and welcome your desire to study and learn, You can decide if you want to develop a genealogy and simply "be" who you are or if you want to go through a ceremony like Anshe Mitzvah (adult Bat Mitzvah)

I wouldn't let anyone tell you "you're not really Jewish."
Not in this day and age. If Hitler would have taken you to the gas chambers, in my book YOU'RE A JEW. That standard was 1:16 great-grandparents, fathers or mothers side.

Bracha Ha'ba'a! Welcome!

Answer 2

It would depend on what form of Judaism you are talking about.

In Orthodox Judaism religion is only transmitted via the maternal line- so if you have an unbroken line back to the jewish ancestor through only females, you would have a claim. Even then, after more than three generations it is considered problematic and you would have to discuss this with a Rabbi. Either way, if you want to try and claim Jewish ancestry you are going to have to find some proof of the Judaism of the first in the line you claim descent from, or more likely, of the Judaism of her parents. This is often done through the Ketubah (religious marriage document) of the parents. In the absence of that you are going to have to find other proof- such as valid birth records back to someone that was indisputably Jewish and known.

If the only evidence you have is the fact that at some point in time your name belonged to a Jewish family that converted, and you do not have a full family tree back to them, you are not going to be accepted as Jewish in an orthodox community without a full conversion.

Answer 3

practicing Judaism and being a Jew do not have to be the same thing. You can be Jewish by decent, which means that your ancestors were decendents of Abraham. You can also be Jewish if you pratice Juadism. Most praticers of Juadism are Jewish by decent, but this is also not a requirement. It is hard to tell if your Jewish or not. I would say that you are Jewish by decent but not by religion.

Answer 4

The official jewish bloodline runs through your mother so it is her last name that counts.

Even if you weren't born jewish, you can always convert to the more liberal forms of judaism. Converting to orthodox judaism, on the other hand, is extremely difficult.

Answer 5

Don't make this too complicated. Research the religion, check things out, talk to some people. Then, if you like it, go for it and you can become Jewish.

Answer 6

Judaism is a religion, not a genetic inheritance, or a strange blood group. At present you are an American who is not Jewish.

Answer 7

well according to Judaism you would be considered Jewish if your mother was Jewish.

or her mother, etc

Otherwise if you still want to be Jewish you would need to go though a proper conversion proses.

In the mean time I would suggest you reaserch Judaism more and see if its really something that you want.

Answer 8

You'd have to be Jewish ( in the ethnic sense) on the matrilinear side going back four generations and prove it to a rabbi.

Answer 9

I have a sex out of wed lock and drink then I am not a Muslim, just like if you don't follow Judaism then your not Jewish.. you can convert..but right now you are not one..

Answer 10

You have to have a Jewish background on your mother's side.