[Fraulein]

There are two ways one becomes a Jew. By being born of a Jewish mother, or by conversion

Excuse my ignorance; I know very little about Judaism, but I do have just a simple but very honest question: If half of your genes come from your father, and half of your genes come from your mother, then why is it that only the mother's genes determine whether or not one is jewish, and not the fathers? I do not understand, at least scientifically, why one would not be just as jewish for having a jewish father and a catholic mother, as one would be if he had a jewish mother and a catholic father. As for the former, would one not be at least half-jewish? Can one not be half-jewish?

Again, excuse my ignorance.

[missyme]

I also have trouble with this concept, because I know so many inter-marraiges of Jewish people with I guess non-jewish people meaning I have a distant cousin her mother is Jewish father is not..She marries a Christian has a boy and he marries a Christian they have children and I guess her children are no longer Jewish even though there maternal grandmother is Jewish, I think Malakhi is saying you have to have Mother who is Jewish (gave birth to you) to consider yourself or call yourself Jewish...

[malakhi]

If half of your genes come from your father, and half of your genes come from your mother, then why is it that only the mother's genes determine whether or not one is jewish, and not the fathers? I do not understand, at least scientifically, why one would not be just as jewish for having a jewish father and a catholic mother, as one would be if he had a jewish mother and a catholic father.

Within Judaism, this is just how "Jewishness" is defined. It isn't based upon science or genetics, but rather upon religious belief.

Can one not be half-jewish?

From the standpoint of ethnicity, certainly. One can be half-Jewish just as one can be half-German or half-Italian. The difference is that being Jewish is more than just an ethnicity.

[Bella_Bru]

If half of your genes come from your father, and half of your genes come from your mother, then why is it that only the mother's genes determine whether or not one is jewish, and not the fathers?

My rabbi explained it that you always know who the mother of a child is. The father could be tricky though.

[hiya]

I always tell people I am half Jewish...dad is Jewish, mom is catholic...it just is a point of pride with my family history...while I am on the point.. its American to root for the underdog right?...Israel is the size of new jersey in the middle of a sea of Muslims that want to kill them everyday..I hope America always sides with Israel now matter what the crazy UN votes for...they vote for Oil everytime.