To be a Jew, does one have to be born a Jew or can they "become" one? ?

Question

Does a person have be born a Jew or can they become one on their own? Also, can they marry someone of another religion? If so, do they become Jewish after the marriage?

Answer 1

As far as I know, they have to be born as a Jew.

Answer 2

Anyone can convert to Judaism if he or she wants. The process to convert requires lots of bible studying and education, so its harder to convert to Judaism than to other faiths, but people can convert if they want. As for marrying people of other religions, I don't know if that mentioned in any scriptures or not, but I know for a fact that there are plenty of Jews who marry non-Jew. As far as Jews are concerned, if the parents have different religions, the child is to be raised based on the religion of the mother. (This is hard to enforce because Christians believe that religion should be based on the father.) Next, you ask whether marrying a Jew makes one Jewish. The answer is no, but, as I said earlier, the non-Jew can become Jewish if he/she chooses to convert.

After reading some of the other responses, I need to clear up some things:
Jews cannot do missionary work and/or try to make someone decide to convert against his/her will.
Converting from Judaism to another faith is considered by Jews to be a sin.
A gentile is someone who isn't Jewish. It's not some sort of category for someone who's sort of Jewish and it's not an insult. Gentile is simply a Yiddish word that is shorter than saying non-Jewish person.
The Noahite Commandments are the set of rules that Jews believe need to be followed by gentiles. The rules are similar to the 10 commandments.
Jews believe that you're either Jewish or you're not. There's no official designation of 1/2 Jewish. However, I don't know of anyone who minds the idea of a gentile calling himself/herself part Jewish.
Judaism is a religion with its own culture, but it's not ethnic.

Answer 3

A person is a Jew if their mother is a Jew. Judaism only passes through the mother, the father having no bearing on the matter. There are no 1/2 Jew or 1/64 Jews. You either are or you are not.

If you were not born a Jew and wish to become one, you have to convert according to Halachic Law [Orthodoxy]. It is required that you be discouraged since being a Jew is very dangerous and has few benefits. After all, unlike Christianity, the Jewish "heaven" is open to all who love and try to obey G-d. It is NOT reserved only for Jews. The conversion process usually takes a year or three.

Once a Jew, always a Jew. Judaism does not recognize conversion out of Judaism. A conversion is not considered valid if it is done under duress, and considering the power of the dominate Christian culture, all conversions out of Judaism are considered to be under duress.

Answer 4

You can convert to Judaism. It's not encouraged, but it's possible to convert. Religious Jews don't like marrying out of their religion. And no, you cannot become Jewish after you marry a Jew. The only way to become a Jew is to convert or if your mother is a Jew.

Answer 5

No, you do not have to be born a Jew to become one, nor do you become Jewish if you marry a Jew. That is done (like many religions) with a lot of schooling, and finally being converted!

Answer 6

Anyone can become Jewish. We are in no way a race. You don't believe me, just ask the black Jews or the Asian Jews. Anyways. Yes, you can convert; in fact, one of our matriarchs, Ruth, was the first convert! Her megillah is read on Shavuot. If they converted to Judaism, they're Jewish. This means they cannot marry a non-Jew as intermarriage is frowned upon in all sects of Judaism. If they converted Orthodox, they can forget about it. And no, one cannot become Jewish by marrying a Jew. In fact according to Jewish law, for a Jewish wedding to take place both people must be Jewish--so for a Jewish wedding, both people must have converted BEFORE the marriage.

Peace

Answer 7

The best answers I have seen so far are those of; MarkS, One Love and Kaldea.

A person is Jewish if their mother is Jewish as the faith is passed on by the mother, not the father.

One may convert to Judaism, and it is a slow process, and generally discouraged. Judaism is not an "evangelical religion" as Christianity and Islam are.

Answer 8

For a non Jew to become a Jew he or she must go through the conversion process with an Orthodox Rabbi. A Jews marriage to a non Jew is not recognized and no Rabbi will perform such a marriage

Answer 9

You can convert to Judaism the same as you can in any other religion. They're all happy to take your money. Yes. Jews can marry out of their religion, and they can become Jewish after the marriage if they wish to convert. It's not an automatic process.

Answer 10

One can convert to Judaism. Many convert to Judaism upon marrying someone of the Jewish faith. Traditionally, a person wishing to convert must approach a rabbi three times and ask to be converted three times.

But entry into the Jewish faith is not dependent upon birth, any more than entry into the Christian fatih.

There are culturally identified Jews--people who adhere to their Jewish culture for political reasons.

There are religious Jews.

There is no such thing as "Jewish blood," no specifically Jewish ancestral inheritance, etc. To imply that there is is to imply that there is a "Jewish race."

That is a false, extremely racist, and historically devastating viewpoint, a falsehood that fueled the Jewish Holocaust.

Answer 11

Anyone can convert to Judaism. They can marry someone of another religion if they choose, although most Jewish parents would prefer to have them marry another Jew. No, the partner does not become Jewish after they marry unless they, also, convert.