On Israel's Law of Return: Are Jews Primarily a Religion Or a Race?

January 19, 2005 | ComtedeMaistre

[ComtedeMaistre]

I met an old friend at a high school reunion, and he informed me of plans he has to make an aliyah (immigrate) to Israel. What is interesting about the individual, is that he is a self-proclaimed deist, but one who was raised in a Jewish household (both parents Jewish), which makes him eligible to immigrate under Israel's law of return.

From him, I came to learn that anyone with a Jewish parent is eligible to immigrate to Israel. However, a gentile who converts to Reform or Conservative Judaism, is not eligible under Israel's law of return.

What this means, is that an anti-zionist atheist like Noam Chomsky is free to immigrate to Israel, because of his ancestral lineage, while a gentile convert to Judaism is not (unless he undergoes an Orthodox conversion).

I would like some expert on the issue to explain to what extent Judaism is a religion, and to what extent Jewish identity is inherited (i.e. ethnic) According to Israel's law of return, more weight is given to ethnic Jewish identity than to actual religious beliefs.

[lainde]

reference bump!

[saradippity]

What is Messianic jurisprudence? And,what do you mean when you say it will reign throughout the world?

[dfwgator]

"Funny in a weird sort of way, Most forget Sammy only had one eye."

"Now, Mr. Davis, do you take cream and sugar in your eye?" (Still the funniest sitcom moment ever IMHO)

[cleo1939]

Oh, we all put this or that in categories. However that
wasn't what I was concerned about. I wished to understand
those folk around me better.

You bring up some points that I hadn't considered and I
will keep my ear to the ground to see how it plays out.

[Red Sea Swimmer]

Jurisprudence

n 1: the branch of philosophy concerned with the law and the principles that lead courts to make the decisions they do [syn: law, legal philosophy] 2: the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order" [syn: law]

I think you know what Messianic means.

The two words together mean that one day all throughout the world, peace will reign and true justice will be the norm and not the exception. God is the ultimate judge and jury of all of our actions. Many of the "legal" courts of men today make very bad judgments in matters of law. Their judgments actually decrease the nett wellbeing on the Planet.

[radiohead]

No, they can return, but they are not identified by the Ministry of the Interior as Jews.

What is the practical significance of this? I am a Reform convert. I knew there were problems with aliya for Reform and Conservative converts, but wasn't aware of the compromise.

I had given some thought to Israel for retirement. I wouldn't be looking for all of the help Israel gives to an immigrant, but I wouldn't want to not be considered Jewish, either.

[recalcitrant]

the ancestral lineage is maintained through the matriarchal side of the family...

[hlmencken3]

The Zionist founders of the State of Israel wanted a nation 'like all other nations', and so make determinations based on their own logic and politics. There is little difference whether the government defining who is a Jew is France, Indonesia or Israel.

There are many Christian, Muslim, and some other religious adherents who are first-class citizens of the State of Israel. A person need not fall unbder the 'right of return' to become a citizen of Israel. 'Citizen' is not a religious category.

The traditional Torah definition of a Jew transends the usual categories of religion and ethnicity, and the Torah will always be determinate in the end.