Anonymous OP 1d

No way. You’re as Jewish as you feel you are. Being a person of color definitely doesn’t make you any less Jewish

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Anonymous #2 1d

Also these days we are used to people berating us about Israel or how we control the world, so anyone saying anything even mildly friendly is HIGHLY welcome

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Anonymous #2 1d

OP is welcome to share the anecdote that their father is Jewish, but the concept of “you’re as Jewish as you feel you are” is wrong. We have specific criteria that defines our Judaism, not feelings

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Anonymous #3 1d

some sects of judaism trace the patrilineal line rather than the matrilineal line, so you’re kind of wrong. a large entire reason judaism even began to be traced through the matrilineal line is because before DNA testing was available, it was easier to confirm the child belonged to the mother since she carried the child. thus is the mother was jewish, they knew the child was too.

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Anonymous #4 1d

if*

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Anonymous #4 1d

Halacha is Halacha. And even patrirllineage Judaism has rules. If only your father is Jewish the reform movement only considers you Jewish if you were raised exclusively Jewish. That’s still rules, not feelings.

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Anonymous #3 1d

i’m not saying it’s feelings, but i am explaining why this halacha exists and how other sects, including kaifeng jews in china who are descendants of persian jews. i have a friend, who you may know of since she’s famous in jewish communities world wide, who follows kaifeng customs and is very jewish. just because you follow halacha strictly, which halacha was written before genetic and DNA advances, does not mean we get to discount other peoples’ jewishness.

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Anonymous #4 1d

other sects follow it** sorry for all my writing mistakes, i am slightly out of it due to a recent loss in my family.

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Anonymous #4 1d

I’m sorry for your loss. But we do get to police Jewishness and it’s actually our duty to. Judaism is a gatekept religion. Halacha determines who is a Jew, and we don’t throw away our laws and customs because of modern convenience. There’s a reason why even Reform Judaism needed a council of Rabbis to declare the recognition of patrilineal descent. Mitzvot are not “good deeds” that we just do, they’re *commandments* that only Jews need to follow

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Anonymous #4 1d

It’s not a bad thing if someone isn’t Jewish, but not everyone gets to be. And there are laws and rules in place for reasons other than whatever may have been the “origin” of it. Our entire religion is founded on tradition

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Anonymous OP 1d

I mean your dad is a pretty different role than just your friend If I meat a Moroccan person I’ll say “Oh! My mom is Moroccan” bc it’s a way to connect and they usually get excited Personally I’d be happy for someone to connect in this way

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