Do I have the right to claim I'm Jewish if my step-grandmother who is like a grandmother to me is Jewish?

Question

This is complicated, so please be patient:

I was raised very secularly by my parents, and my great-grandfather, who is still alive, remarried a Jewish woman about 40 years ago, about 20 years before I was born. She is much younger than him, and therefore is the age that a grandmother would be to me. They both helped raise me as a child, I slept at their house many times a week, they were very much a part of my life, although they never really instilled any Jewish customs in me, I did attend Passover with them once. My mother died and I moved to another city with my dad and he sent me to catholic school because it was a good option since the public schools were bad, but he himself wasn't religious.Recently I found out that my mother's mother's mother's mother is half Jewish, meaning my great great grandfather was Jewish but married a Christian woman. Im dating a Jewish guy and I really want to be a part of Judaism; I really love the sense of family and tradition. Do I need to convert?

Answer 1

Judaism is a religion, you are free to call yourself Jewish if you adopt Judaism as your religion. There is no such thing as the Jewish race !

Answer 2

The n**i's counted as Jewish anyone with a Jewish grandparent (that's now the definition of a Jewish person for anyone seeking residence in Israel). I think the n**i's would have let you off as they were interested in blood-relatives though. Also, I think Jews also look to blood relatives rather than adoptive as I think it's seen more as a race than a faith you can just pick up. Not sure if that helps! I think you cna be close to your grandmother without needing to be close to her faith but it's up to you.

Answer 3

No, because regardless who your dating does'nt mean that you have to convert. But you can if you want to. If some of your relatives say you need to convert, than just go ahead.          

You can listen to other people, because this statement is 100% of my opinion. i know that this does'nt really seem i know alot about it, cause im not jewish myself

Answer 4

Yes, if you are serious about following the Jewish faith, you would need to convert. I'd suggest speaking with a Rabbi. You can't really claim you ARE Jewish, but you can claim that you have Jewish ancestry.

There is a huge difference between being interested in Judaism, and being Jewish. Even once you convert you won't be Jewish....youd be of the Jewish faith.....

Talking with a Rabbi is very important. Following any faith is a big responsibility.

Answer 5

yes and no

depends who you ask

born and bar mitzvah'd and circumcised flesh and the true key my heart...

I am a Jew

ok what does Jesus say about who is Jewish?

for a start David Ben Gurion said  "anyone who is crazy enought to want to be Jewish is Jewish."

in other words with the name comes responsibility, like if another Hitler came to power, if you identified yourself as a Jew you would have lost everything and been gassed unless you were lucky enough be starved and live through it.

You want to be Jewish study the key about the Jewish Messiah  Isaiah 7:14, chapter 7 verse 14 which says he will be born a miracle/sign to an Almah a pure virgin young maiden, and he will be God with us  =emanuel from the Hebrew.   Talk to the Messianic Rabbi they will say Isaiah was right.  talk to the other Rabbis they will tell you their former rabbis that agreed with Isaiah were wrong, it was not a miracle, not a virgin, and not God is with us.

Look up Messianic Judaism they are in all major cities they will teach your about the Messiah.

then compare with the other side of Judaism that will accept anyone as a Jew born to a Jewish mother as long as they reject the Messiah.  Even an athiest Soviet Jewish person is a Jew to them.

to understand  See Isaiah 9:6 & 52:13-53:12  it is self explanatory.  Jesus is the child born the son given, the mighty God the prince of peace, coming to reign yet first to be sacrificed for our sins the atonement.

"A person is a Jew by the circumcision of the heart and not of the flesh.  Whose praise is of God and not of man." Romans 2 last 2 verses

Read Matthew it gives the Jewish Scriptures prophecies and then shows point by point the Messiah's fulfillment.

best wishes my Jewish brother if you care to believe in the Jewish Messiah what is more Jewish than that?  Christos is Greek for Messiah, Christian means a follower of the 'anointed one'/ Messiah.   And the Messiah came from heaven to Bethelehem as a Jew  Micah 5:1 from eternity to be born in Bethelehem."

would you like to learn more?  why not study the words of the Messiah? as a true Jewish person... the promised new covenant  Jeremiah 31:31 and verses following

shalom, David and you need to convert from sin in Messiah's forgiveness and friendship, Revelation 3:19&20...knocking to come into your heart to bring you pure new life in Him to righteousness, not to a religion that tells you you dont need the Messiah and you can be self righteous enough to earn heaven.

Answer 6

"Do I have the right to claim I'm Jewish if my step-grandmother who is like a grandmother to me is Jewish?"

Okay, so the answer to your question is no, and a page of explanation later (I read it), it's still "no".

The standard definition of a Jew (i.e. the one we've been using for the last few thousand years, and the only one today that all Jewish groups hold by) is someone who is born to a Jewish mother, or who converts to Judaism in accordance with the Torah's laws.  Some groups include people born to Jewish fathers and Gentile mothers, but who are raised with a sense of Jewish identity, or they include people who "convert to Judaism" not in accordance with the Torah's laws (because they believe that the Torah's laws either aren't binding, rendering them not laws, or because they believe that we have the right to change G-d's word).  But that first definition I gave, ALL segments of Jewry hold that those people are Jewish, and again, until very recently in terms of our history, it was the ONLY definition of a Jew we had ever used.

I know this probably isn't the answer you wanted, but I'm writing this in hopes that you were seeking a truthful reply rather than an answer that tells you what you want to hear, regardless of its veracity (or lack thereof).  Terms like "half-Jewish" are non-sense vis-a-vis Judaism's definition of Jewish identity.  You're either Jewish or you're not.  Being "half-Jewish" suggests that there's such a thing as "Jewish blood".  This is a myth, popularized by the n***s, and sadly, widely-accepted today, even by many Jews.  If you're born to a Jewish mother, you're Jewish, 100%, regardless of who your father is.  And if not, you're 100% not Jewish.  And if you're not Jewish, and you convert to Judaism in accordance with the Torah's laws, you become 100% Jewish, period.

I hope you find this information helpful.  For more information, please consult my save answers here on Yahoo (I write a lot of answers on Judaism, ecumenical issues, and conversion).  Also, check out the following:

http://www.jewfaq.org

http://www.beingjewish.com

http://www.jewsforjudaism.org

Answer 7

Being Jewish and your choice to consider yourself Jewish has nothing to do with your lineage.  It has all to do with your beliefs.  Judaism is a religion and as such, you need to believe the in the faith and practice it.  Judaism as a whole is also a culture, but it comes secondary to the faith.  If you are interested in the faith, contact your local conservative temple and check into conversion classes.  You first step would be just to go to weekly Shabbot services and to talk to the rabbi about your questions and feelings.

Answer 8

There are multiple ways to be "Jewish"

Classical:  Orthodox Jews would say if your mother is not Jewish, neither are you

Religion:  Whether you are a Jew by birth, or Jew by faith, or Jew by conversion (proselyte) - this is another definition perspective

Ethnicity:  You were raised in the Jewish "community" that is defined by your cultural experiences, not someone else's perspective.  This would be like Blue Jacket, the famous Shawnee chief.  He was a white German who was raised from a young boy as Shawnee.  His blood was white. His heart was Shawnee.  His religious beliefs were Shawnee. His community and wife were Shawnee.  In my book, and the Shawnee nation's book, he's Shawnee.

In your heart, you know who you really are. Just BE.  

The most important Jew in my life is Jesus, who sits at the right hand of God. ("I am the way, the truth and the life - no one comes to the Father but through Me")  Without Him, I have no hope in my imperfections.  In His forgiveness, I'm pure as the driven snow.  

BE well

Answer 9

I think you should speak to a Rabbi.  I dont think you are Jewish...the ancestory is too far off.  I went to a Jewish college but I am not Jewish.

Answer 10

This is a bit complicated.  Reform Judaism considers someone Jewish if *either* parent is Jewish *and* if you are raised Jewish.  Traditional Judaism, however, holds that your mother *must* be Jewish.  In either case, since neither of your parents were Jewish, you would *not* be considered Jewish by any of the streams within Judaism regardless of how you were raised.

From the end of your question it sounds like you have a Jewish soul, so I encourage you to seek out a rabbi and begin the conversion process.  And mazal tov!

Answer 11

You'd better talk with a rabbi.  It sounds as if you're leaning stongly in that direction, but since Jewishness is reckoned in the female line and your female line goes back to a Christian great-great-great-grandmother, you might have to go through tthe conversion process.  The fact that a Jewish step-great-grandmother helped raise you won't carry any genetic weight, but it seems to have had an intangible influence.

Mazel tov!

Answer 12

I am taking a curmudgeon point of view.

You spent your whole life becoming who you are. and a fellow is interested in you, as you are, and he happens to be Jewish.  If he were Orthodox, etc., I doubt he would allow himself to take an interest in you.

To become an observant Jew, I am told, is a very exacting process.  Do you want to spend the next 10 -20 years becoming someone else?  He likes you the way you are.  

Jewish people sometimes, perhaps more often than Gentiles, have deep and meaningful traditions and family ties.   If your boyfriend is already dating a 'goy', he probably isn't into that sort of thing.

Answer 13

From what you said your great great grandfather was but not your great great grandmother.  She broke the female chain and according to Orthodox and Conservative Judaism, you are not a Jew.

Answer 14

You will need to convert.  Jewish law is quite clear on this matter....only the child of a Jewish woman is born a Jew.  

One recommendation:  If you do decide to convert, do so under reliable orthodox auspices as such a conversion will be recognized by all.  Conversions performed under conservative and/or reform auspices are not.   While this may not matter to you, it is of supreme importance if you choose to have children as you children will NOT be considered jewish by all jews without your proper conversion.  I have seen the result of this and it is usually quite traumatic when a young man or woman, who is becoming more observant, finds out days or weeks before their wedding that they are not halachically (Jewish law) jewish and the wedding gets cancelled.

Answer 15

According to Jewish law, no. Judaism is passed on through the mother, and only the mother. In other words, if your mother's father (maternal grandfather) was Jewish, and your mother's mother was not, your mother is not Jewish and neither are you. So, even though your great great grandfather was Jewish, his wife, your great great grandmother was not. So her daughter (your great grandmother) is not Jewish and neither are any of her descendants. Because you are not Jewish, if you have kids, even with a Jewish guy, your kids will not be Jewish.

I would say that before you think of converting, investigate what Judaism is all about and look at all the laws that as a convert you would be required to do. It's really not so simple and requires a lot of work.

Hope that helped.

Answer 16

No. If you had been lost in the wilderness as a child and raised by timber wolves you could not claim to be an endangered species, either.

As others have said, better, you need to have a Jewish mother to claim to be Jewish by blood. Step mothers or grandmothers don't count. That GG GF doesn't either, evidently.

Anyone can convert. That makes you Jewish by religion but not by ethnicity.

You might wait until he pops the question and you have a ring and a date before you convert. If he dumps you for someone else and you take up with a Catholic (Protestant, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist . . .) you will have to convert again.