If you are Jewish?

Question

Do you accept converts as being just as Jewish as you are? Also, do you consider secular/non-religious people of Jewish descent to be Jewish, as if it were a race or a family?

Answer 1

I'm a Reform Jew by choice and have been warmly welcomed by all branches of Judaism. I've been told that Orthodox Jews don't accept me as a "real" Jew, but they certainly don't treat me differently from anyone else. Judaism is about respect for ALL people.

Yes, to be a Jew is to be part of the universal family of Judaism. Our family includes secular Jews, as well as atheists. Some Jews could be considered apostates and would have to make a few changes to return to the "family." Our family is an inter-racial family -- we come in all shapes sizes and colors!
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Answer 2

Anyone who converts to Judaism in accordance with Torah Law is 100% Jewish. To even remind them of their being converts is actually a severe violation of Torah Law, which protects Jews-by-choice (converts) from discrimination. For sure, some of the most Jewish Jews I've known are actually converts to Judaism.

Jewishness is a state of the soul that can be imparted by one of two ways, by either being born to a Jewish mother, or by converting to Judaism in accordance with the aforementioned Law. So, someone who is born to a Jewish father, but not a Jewish mother, is not Jewish. Someone born to a Jewish mother is a Jew, even if they are themselves secular. And someone who converts to any religion calling itself Judaism that does not consider the Torah to be divinely written and its commandments binding, they are not Jews, since a requirement of a Torah conversion is acceptance of the Torah itself. Not all Jewish denominations view the Torah as divine law. For some - it's a book of suggestions, for some, an interesting cultural artifact.

So, the Jews are a family of sorts, but not a race in the modern sense of the word, because paternal lineage is just as important as maternal in determining race, but for the purposes of being Jewish or not Jewish, the mother's side is all that matters.

To sum up, if I may tweak your question slightly from:

Are converts, and secular people of Jewish descent as Jewish as I am? to -

Are people who convert according to Torah Law, and secular people of maternal Jewish descent as Jewish as I am?

The answer is yes to both.

Who is or isn't Jewish isn't for us to decide, it's for G-d to decide. Fortunately, He gave us a helpful set of guidelines. The guidelines determining Jewish vs. not Jewish vis-a-vis G-d's Torah are what I have drawn upon for the above explanation.

I hope you find this information helpful, and if you have any further questions on Jewish issues, feel free to contact me directly.

Answer 3

and....

Answer 4

Jews who have converted (according to halacha) are Jewish. Period.

Non-religious Jews are Jewish.

I think "family" is a better description than "race", because Jews can be of any race.

EDIT: I agree with Julia, too. It took me too long to type, so I hadn't seen her response, or I'd have just given her the thumbs-up.

Answer 5

Some people see being Jewish as a religious thing, others as a nationality, and still others as both. So the answer partly depends on which group is being asked. When it comes to the faith aspect the answer is Yes, once you convert, then you are a Jew. Of course there are always those who are part of the faith that will hold your newness against you (but all groups have their immature members)

The second part of your question appears to fall under the faith part also. These people out of the faith are cast aways. They are welcome to come back. Their heritage continues to be recognized in the first genoration and then tends to get lost. However, some hold to it longer.
t of your question cn be found in how the Jews in the holocost were treated (in terms of being seen as Jewish or not)

Answer 6

I have nothing to add, Julia D answered the question perfectly.

Answer 7

converts are converts, and are counted as a complete jew, they get equal or even more of a share in the world to come. if you are non-religious you are still jewish. what defines whether you are jewish is whether your mom was jewish.

Answer 8

Yes, a convert is considered as Jewish as someone who was born a Jew.

Yes, people who were born Jews because their mother was Jewish, and her mother was Jewish, and her mother was Jewish, etc. etc. etc. are Jewish.

There is being Jewish by birth, and there is following the Jewish religion. They do not necessarily go hand in hand. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. A person born a Jew can choose not to follow Judiasm or any religion whatsoever, but he is still a Jew by birth according to Torah law if a person's mother was Jewish, then so is he.

If the Jew by birth chooses to follow another religion, like Christianity for instance, he will still be a Jew by birth but he will not be JewISH any longer. No longer will be a part of the Jewish community, no longer participant in anything Jewish.