How do Hebrew Jews treat non-Hebrew Jews?

Question

How do Hebrew Jews treat non-Hebrew Jews, those who are not ethnically Jewish?

For instance Caucasians or Africans or other people who convert to Judaism, how are they treated? Can they go into the synagogue? Are they accepted in th community?

Answer 1

First, just for a little clarification:

We do not understand, nor have any kind of concept of "Hebrew Jews and non-Hebrew Jews".

This is a non-Jewish invention/definition and is completely irrelevant to Judaism and Jews.

We say that Abraham was the first Jew. We do not have any difference in Judaism between "Hebrews" "Jews" or "Israelites". We are all the same people, we all come from the same ancestor, Abraham, who was the first Jew.

Non-Jews do not get to define us, they have no right to do so, or invent distinctions like that between us, which they usually base on some mis-teaching of the Christian religion. We know who we are better than they do, and we are the only ones who define who we are.

That said, on to your question about converts. I only know about Orthodox, traditional Jewish conversions, so that's the perspective I'll give. The Orthodox stick to traditional Torah Law as to what must be done in order for it to be a legitimate conversion.

The other main denominations (Conservative and Reform) are more liberal than the Orthodox.

Converts are to be treated exactly as though they were born Jewish. In fact, when they convert and go through the mikvah, they are said to have been reborn to the extent that they are no longer even related to their birth family. They are brand new creations, as though they had just been born like a baby. Only this time they are born as Jews.

Their status as a convert is never to be mentioned, as they are considered to be full Jews after their conversion. We are forbidden from saying or doing anything that would remind the person or anyone else that this person converted, lest he feel embarrassed. And we are to treat him or her no differently than a born Jew.

What color his/her skin is, is irrelevant according to Torah law. It is the soul that is taken into consideration, not the color of the skin.

Yes, they go to the synagogue, they MUST go in fact because many of the mitzvot can only be done there. They are asked during their conversion process what their intent is about fulfilling all the mitzvot, and they must sincerely intend to fulfill them all, or they are not accepted for conversion.

Yes, they are accepted into the community, as full Jews.


Sincere converts come to convert because they actually have Jewish souls. It is interesting to see what happens when a non-Jewish person suddenly finds that his or her Jewish soul has awakened. The soul will not stop crying to return to the Jewish people until the person goes and converts. They cannot help it, there is nothing else they can do, except go and convert. Their hearts join in, and they simply MUST come home, and until they do it can be quite painful, the separation they feel. Some people have had to wait many years to be able to convert, and the pain they feel while waiting is indescribable, I've been told.

Just like there are people born into non-Jewish families but discover that they have Jewish souls, there are also people born into Jewish families who discover that they do NOT have Jewish souls.

These people too, end up going where their souls belong, be it Christianity or whatever. We do try to bring them back when this happens, because many times a person has just been uneducated about Judaism and the real Messiah, and an education will bring him back. But if he truly doesn't have a Jewish soul and doesn't belong in the Jewish community, he doesn't come back.

There are also people who convert to Judaism because they want to marry a Jew. This is NOT considered a legitimate reason to convert, and will usually be rejected by the Rabbis. (Remember I'm talking from an Orthodox perspective)

However, if the person is ALREADY married to the Jew, and wishes to convert, then most of the time the conversion will go ahead, in order to bring the household completely under one roof, Judaism.

Now all that said, yes there is certainly prejudice towards converts in SOME Jewish communities, and prejudice against Jews of color too even if they are born Jews, let alone converts.

This is totally against Torah Law, which teaches compassion and kindness - and whenever this happens, the people responsible for it should be taken aside and talked to by the Rabbi so that it doesn't happen again. People are people, and Jews are people too, including some who have prejudices just like anyone else.

Even so, in communities where this unfortunate prejudice has happened, the convert is not prevented from coming to the Synagogue at all - but he or she is just not made to feel very welcome by some of the members.

Thankfully, this is very rare. 99% of the time, the convert is welcomed as a full Jew (which he is, by Torah Law), his conversion is never mentioned, and he is treated exactly like he was born a Jew.

Answer 2

Most people who convert to Judaism do so because they have married into a Jewish family. They are accepted by the community, although they are frequently viewed as not entirely Jewish. The children of that union are considered fully Jewish (so long as the mother is Jewish), so skin color is no longer an issue at that point. Which would be why Jews in Europe generally look white, while Jews in the Middle East often look Arab (although the post-WWII influx of European Jews into the area has skewed things for the moment).

Honestly, Westerners put a very strain strain on apperance being the definition of an ethnicity. Black and white means nothing to many cultures, even cultures that are killing off different ethnic groups.

Answer 3

Hebrew is a language, not a people!

My husband and I are both Jews-by-choice. We have been welcomed into the community just the same as any other new member. Being a convert is of no consequence -- no one ever asks!

There are two ways to become a Jew -- to be born to a Jewish mother, or to convert. The main ingredient in being a Jew is "learning." One must learn and understand Judaism before converting. Judaism is a way of life -- not a prelude to the afterlife.
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Answer 4

I have never before heard that differentiation. In fact, I have never before heard the phrase "non-Hebrew Jews". Although the vast majority of Jews I've known have been White, I have known Black and Asian Jews. They all seemed pretty happy and accepted in the community.

Answer 5

You will always have bigots and racists in any group, but from my own experience if a person went though a genuine conversion then they are the same if not better than those who are ethnically Jewish.

I have friends who are converts or sons of converts and it has never been an issue to me, often times I only find out a while after I knew them.

Answer 6

Hebrew is a language.Converted Jews are treated as Jews,no differences.I have known Chinese Jews,it's a religion,not a condition.

Answer 7

A convert to Judaism is a Jew, period. I leave all racial divisions to racists...

Answer 8

with some kosher hot dogs

Answer 9

Like they're a bunch of schmucks!