Jewish Ancestry

Question

If a mother has a large percentage of Ashkenazi ancestry, but never practiced Judaism, is she still a “Jew”?

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    According to Jewish Law, the definition of Jewish is someone who was born to a Jewish mother or someone who converted through a recognized, Orthodox Bet Din (court of law). One’s DNA has no real bearing on a person’s Jewish status. How can one prove that they are Jewish? If they have documented proof from their maternal line of their Jewishness, they are Jewish. What would be considered acceptable documentation? A Jewish marriage certificate issued by an Orthodox source from the maternal line, or a death certificate, also from the maternal line, issued by an Orthodox burial society.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team