If a woman converted before she conceived any children are they considered Jewish? Even with a non-Jewish father? I understand that non-Jewish mothers with Jewish husbands do not have Jewish children because the Jewish line is maternal, but I am referring to a woman who converted to Judaism prior to getting pregnant, which would make her a Jew. Would that make her children Jewish also because their mom is now considered Jewish, or is it a different situation than natural Jewish mothers?
1 Answer
If a woman converted before she conceived any children are they considered Jewish? Even with a non-Jewish father?
Yes. Children of a Jewish mother are Jewish, regardless. If mom converted she's Jewish. (A child who was in the mother's womb when mom converted is also Jewish, by the way.)
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I’m not clear.... is OP asking if the mother’s relationship with the non-Jew puts the validity of her conversion in doubt? That could be a possibility.– LN6595Mar 18, 2018 at 4:49
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@LN6595 separate question! The question as stated assumes that she actually converted. Let's say for instance she converted with intention to keep everything, kept everything for fifteen years, at which point she still didn't find a Jewish husband, got lonely, and then married a non-Jew. Presumably her intent at the time of conversion was absolutely sincere -- in which case she's 100% Jewish.– ShalomMar 18, 2018 at 13:07
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Agreed. If the women converted without a clear intention to keep all the mitzvot, and subsequently had relations with a non-Jew, that might have a different answer.– LN6595Mar 18, 2018 at 17:12
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From a careful reading of the question, it is not clear what type of conversion she did, or how sincere were her intentions. If she converted while still considering it okay to marry a non-Jew (perhaps intermarriage was tolerated by the community she joined), many would suspect the validity of the conversion, and hence her and her children's Jewish status.– LN6595Mar 18, 2018 at 17:14