Who is a jew?

[Jewscout]

Who is a Jew? How do you determine this?
Alot of people know that to be considered a Jew you must be born of a jewish mother, but where does this come from? The short answer is, from the Torah. However there is no specific verse that states that one's jewish status transfers materlineally this is actually taken from several verses dealing with things such as intermarriage.

In Deuteronomy 7:1-5, in expressing the prohibition against intermarriage, G-d says "he [ie, the non-Jewish male spouse] will cause your child to turn away from Me and they will worship the gods of others." No such concern is expressed about the child of a non-Jewish female spouse. From this, we infer that the child of a non-Jewish male spouse is Jewish (and can therefore be turned away from Judaism), but the child of a non-Jewish female spouse is not Jewish (and therefore turning away is not an issue).

Leviticus 24:10 speaks of the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man as being "among the community of Israel" (ie, a Jew).

On the other hand, in Ezra 10:2-3, the Jews returning to Israel vowed to put aside their non-Jewish wives and the children born to those wives. They could not have put aside those children if those children were Jews

http://www.jewfaq.org/whoisjew.htm

Now this being said, today many liberal movements of Judaism (conservative and reform) accept paterlineal descent as vaild for the status of being a Jew. However, traditionally Hallachah (jewish law) only recognizes one born of a jewish mother.

The other way one can be a jew is through a process of conversion. All movements accept converts, though depending on which one the process may be different. The only thing that comes up is w/ liberal movements, the status of a convert may be questionable under traditional views. But regardless a convert, once they have gone through the conversion process, is as much a jew as anyone born a jew. Often times the Convert is even more observant than born-jews.

[Jaiket]

Originally Posted by Jewscout

Often times the Convert is even more observant than born-jews.

I often find this to be true with Christians and Muslims.

The matrilineal - patrilineal issue is rather confusing to me. Why exactly are children automatically Jewish when born of a Jewish mother?

[Jewscout]

Originally Posted by Jaiket

The matrilineal - patrilineal issue is rather confusing to me. Why exactly are children automatically Jewish when born of a Jewish mother?

again there is no specific verse but is taken from many of the verses i have listed above dealing with intermarriage.

there is also perhaps a bit of a mystical spin to it, since Jewish women are considered the spiritual center of any jewish family, thus they would pass on that faith to the children they give birth to.

[Jaiket]

I understand that from these verses Jewish culture has developed this form of descent, right?

But why should it be this way? Why would god or whoever desire this as oppossed to both parents?

[Jewscout]

Originally Posted by Jaiket

I understand that from these verses Jewish culture has developed this form of descent, right?

But why should it be this way? Why would god or whoever desire this as oppossed to both parents?

I've read in some places (sadly i can't remember the source i'll try and find it later) that women have a stronger spiritual tie to the life of the child, because of the 9 month duration of the preganancy. A part of her spirituality passes to the child, where as the man only gives "a memory" of himself.

but why would G-d desire these things? He doesn't. G-d desires nothing. These are for us. In this way we can know how jewish tradition and faith is to be passed down.
every mitzvot, every commandment is for us and our betterment.