My Jewish relative believes that you can’t be half Jewish if it’s on your dad’s side?

[Anonymous]

I’m a Christian and two of my friends have a Jewish dad and a gentile mum. To me, that’s like saying an Eurasian person whose dad is Chinese isn’t half Chinese. Which one of us is right?

[OfDeath]

Well, it's not so simple. If you mean Jewish as in ethnicity, "Jewish" is not technically an ethnicity on its own but there certainly are genetic markers which are shared by many Jews whose ancestors inhabited the same area for many generations and are for want of a better word so inbred that they could be called physically Jewish. However, those people are really just Middle Eastern/Eurasians as this predates Judaism as a religion. So in that regard, there is no telling what fraction of your DNA is "Jewish". It could be 50% or it could be as low as 20% or as high as 80% because the embryo doesn't always end up with an exact 50/50 split and the difference the sex of the parent and child makes is too complicated for the scope of this reply. The only way you could determine how "Jewish" you are is by extensive DNA testing.

As far as culturally or religiously Jewish goes, that depends on how devoted you are to the practices and scripture of Judaism.

[Dargil]

Judaism is a religious ideology, not a race. Most Jews originated in European families. However, if I had a "salvation experience" into the Jewish Faith (I AM a Zionist), I would be a Red haired, blue eyed Jew. Period.

Being Jewish is not a race, just as Muslim is not. Yes, ancestry in Judaism is matriarchal. But if I had been an Irishman converted to Judaism in the WW2 period, they would have gassed and grilled me just the same.

[strateguy632]

if so what about all the jews who don't obey judaism? did they lose their ethnicity? jew is mostly parents but outsiders can join like ruth.

[Dargil]

@strateguy632 As far as the Nazi's thought, it was the One Drop rule. They just wanted to kill Jews.

[NamerOfStars]

Neither, based on the information you've given us. Judaism's a religion, not an ethnicity; you can't be half a religion (unless your other half is also that religion, I guess). Tribal affiliation among Jews is officially tracked on the mother's side, but that only really ever saw usage during the pogroms, when locals wanted to save their bastard children. You can see for yourself in the Torah; it lists genealogies by FATHER, not by mother.

So while they not be acknowledged as being tribally Jewish by birth, if they're been raised that way, they could well be considered as converts.

[strateguy632]

convert? they shouldn't need to convert if father determined as you quoted.

[strateguy632]

they are misled by rabbis. but either parent suffices. consider the first israelites, did jacob marry daugter of abraham? how were the first israelites jews if their four mothers were not from abraham. clearly not decided by mother.

same for next generation if israelites started as children of israel, did they all need to make children with sister dina? to have jew kids?

[slatyb]

They are right by tradition -- one is either a Jew or not. But most of us consider the children if a mixed m marriage to be half Jewish. In "The Hanukah Song" Adam Sandler wrote "Paul Newman's half Jewish. Goldie Hawn is too. Put them together, that's one fine-looking Jew."

[jshm2]

You are both wrong.

Mixed race people can only be jew-ish, but never a Jew. They cannot have a mitzvah and thus are only Jewish in name, not in birth right or race.

Sure we may treat them nice, but it's like saying the adopted child is as part of the bloodline as the actual one.

Too many dipshits don't understand how it works. Hence why now we have everyone and their dog claiming to be "Jewish".

[strateguy632]

you wrote " don't understand how it works" that includes you. better you be silent and let informed people answer.

[jshm2]

@strateguy632 You clearly aren't informed enough to answer, or intelligent enough to stay silent and let your betters speak.

[AmeerX]

Actually, generation passes from father's to sons in all other religions except Jews.
Jews think children carry on generation from mothers. That's why he can't be a Jew.

Also, Y chromosome of man passes in a linear fashion from father to son while X chromosome usually mixes from both father and Mother. So, Y is unique to ever son and father and his generation before.

[Apple1996]

Yes I've heard it mostly goes by the moms side

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

Judaism is a religion like any other. Anyone can be a jew if they choose too.

Evanka Trump coverted to Judaism like 14 years ago.

[Lottifan]

In Judaism you go by the mother’s religion. That means if the mother is Christian technically so are your friends.

[FreyaRed]

Jewishness inherits only from mother side.