[Cronos]

Only if your Mother is a Jew are you a Jew.

that was my understanding

Otherwise you must convert. -- I don't understand that -- Jonty corrected me that a person who is not genetically descended from Jacob can become a Jew. I'm confused by your statement montag -- what of someone who is not descended from Jacob -- can they convert?

[jjotto]

A Jew is born to a Jewish mother or converted ACCORDING TO HALACHA (Jewish law). DNA does not have direct legal status in Jewish law, nor do conversions not in accord traditional religious law.

It must be noted that each case is handled individually, but, generally, in cases where there is doubt as to the status of one’s mother, there is sometimes a kind of abbreviated conversion. This would be the case of certain Ethiopian (and other) Jews who are serious about their Judaism.

It should also be noted that a status granted by the State of Israel does not confer status under Jewish religious law.