Ask The Rabbi!!

[TomHagen]

Originally Posted by mrreindeer

Hey there Tom - I know that's the 'technical' requirement but I fear it leads to misrepresentation to non-Jews and possible promotion of xenophobia for fellow Jews. While it is a technicality, I think DougBushBC should know (and maybe does) that Judaism is a beautiful religion that doesn't impose restrictions. I feel (and I'm sure others do too) that you're Jewish if you want to be Jewish. I feel that it's an individual's choice to choose and shouldn't be restricted to thinking that it's not possible or you're somehow inferior because one's mother isn't Jewish. Obviously, you can convert but still, the above technicality may lead someone to think they're somehow inferior and I don't think that's healthy nor do I think it's the intent of Jewish law. I've met plenty of very religioius Jews whose mothers weren't Jewish. I don't feel that they must convert and I certainly don't feel they're any less Jewish and I guess that's really what I'm getting at. I just don't want folks to get the wrong idea, you know? And I don't want Jews with Jewish mothers to somehow think we're any better than those without truly Jewish mothers or promote to non-Jews that's how we feel. And I don't want Doug to think that his gal's family will shun him and her for possibly marrying and God forbid their marrying be some kind of terrible sin. I'm very grateful that my family welcomed mrsreindeer with open arms and I feel I'm a good person and a good Jew. But that's just me.

Just my two cents.

With all due respect, I believe what we are trying to accomplish with this thread is create THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE of xenophobia, which is a unbiased, clear, friendly and truthful source of information about all things Jewish and how Judaism interfaces with the world.

Contary to what you stated, Judaism is a beautiful religion with MANY restrictions, in fact we have 248 positive commandments and 365 negative commandments, equaling 613 Commandments (Mitzvot). The Torah dictates what is and what is not permissible, who is a Jew and prohibits him/her from intermarriage.

That being said, no one should ever feel 'inferior' for not having a Jewish mother, that is a ridiculous assertation. Judaism is a role oreinted religion, everyone's role being important. Like a baseball team, where if a catcher decided to play his position from the pitcher's mound, and the pitcher stood in rightfield... etc. that team would not be functional. THIS is unhealthy, not the slight repositioning of a person's perspective through education and TRUE information about the way the Torah says a Jew should (or should not behave). So too with the world. A Jew has his/her role, a non-Jew theirs, each being wholly (and holy ) important to creating a better world. A person cannot just decide to be Jewish, their momma's got to be Jewish or convert. There is no such thing as being 'less Jewish' - a Jew is a Jew and a non-Jew is not Jewish, and wonderfully so - they ( & we) are who they are. That's great about the way G-d created the world. The more we clearly define, through friendly true education and communication, the better off we will all be, truly knowing where we stand and making each other better. This should not cause any harm or inferiority, but the opposite, giving him/her the TRUTH about what they are getting into and they can make an informed decision, not one couched in 'feelings'.

I thank you for your opening these lines of communication in a positive way.

ps the original questioner probably found this thread, and thereby my perspective to be open enough and according to Torah-true Judaism, to even pose this question and to find out about what Judaism says and beneficial PM's have been sent. Good Stuff.