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Someone who is adopted to a Christian family, but has some indication of a Jewish ancestry - such as a mezuzah, and who is interested in studying and practicing Judaism, what would it take to establish that they are Jewish?

I was wondering if that person can be supervised for few months and able to obtain a document that proves they are Jewish.

I will be appreciated if you have solutions for me to investigate about such a situation, many thanks.

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  • Why do you assume you are Jewish? If you want to be accepted, pursue a conversion.
    – rosends
    Aug 8, 2014 at 16:32
  • The "supervising for a few months" would be conversion. See judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/20398/… and judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/7210/… . It is very common for converts to have felt an attraction before hand and a "feeling they were Jewish". See this question: judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/34028/… . It still requires conversion to actually take effect.
    – Yishai
    Aug 8, 2014 at 17:01
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    Mordekhai, I tried to change your question to make it on topic for the site (if the Mods agree). If I didn't capture what you are looking to find out as an information question, instead of a personal advice question, please edit further. @DoubleAA
    – Yishai
    Aug 8, 2014 at 17:06
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    Note that you would have to obtain absolute proof that your birth mother is Jewish. Only if this is done can you be determined to be Jewish. However, this would cause more problems unless you can also identify your birth father as well. The reason for this is that if you are a "child of an unknown father" anyone you want to marry could be a forbidden relative. On the other hand if you are not Jewish and convert, you can marry anyone (aside from a female convert being forbidden to marry a kohen). Aug 8, 2014 at 20:11
  • @Mordekhai is this someone jewish?
    – user6781
    Aug 8, 2014 at 22:54

1 Answer 1

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Note that you would have to obtain absolute proof that your birth mother is Jewish. Only if this is done can you be determined to be Jewish. I know of people who have evidence but no absolute proof of Judaism in the maternal line one or two generations back who have converted "misafek" (from doubt). Since the father was not Jewish, they avoided the problem I allude to below.

However, this would cause more problems unless you can also identify your birth father as well. The reason for this is that if you are a "child of an unknown father" anyone you want to marry could be a forbidden relative.

This only applies if the father is (or could be Jewish). A nonJewish father is not considered a relative (from the standpoint of Jewish law), nor would any of his relatives (who would convert) be considered your relative.

If you are not Jewish and convert, you can marry anyone (aside from a female convert being forbidden to marry a kohen)

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  • @Charles Koppelman Given that this is a Judaism site I assumed that "fromt the standpoint of Jewish law" can be assumed. Aug 10, 2014 at 3:02
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    It can be assumed, but it can also be made explicit. When you talk about no longer being related to natural relatives, it's a touchy subject and in my opinion, the more explicit you can be, the gentler it comes off to someone who is new to that way of thinking. Aug 10, 2014 at 16:53

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