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Orthodox Judaism treats someone as a Jew if their mother is Jewish, or they underwent an Orthodox conversion. Reform Judaism will count someone as Jewish even if their only connection is through their father. Therefore, people who might consider themselves to be Reform Jews might not even be Jewish according to halacha. Of course, others will have the proper maternal connection.

With this in mind, if a Reform Jew is the tenth for a minyan, can he be counted?

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    Related: judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/4987/…
    – Scimonster
    Nov 2 '14 at 19:45
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    I would assume that we take someone's word for it if he says he is Jewish.
    – Daniel
    Nov 2 '14 at 20:16
  • If there's doubt and an unknown person comes to make a minyan and it's almost zman, don't you either assume the person is Jewish or ask?
    – Charles Koppelman
    Nov 3 '14 at 2:09
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    They also may have undergone reform conversion not recognised by orthodox
    – CashCow
    Nov 7 '14 at 13:36
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    A director of a Kollel told us a story about how they often had exactly ten guys, including an old cigar-smoking guy with a big nose named Joseph. They said studied and then said Kaddish for months until one day the guy said (offhandedly) "Oh no, I'm not Jewish." (Collective head smack)
    – Mike
    Jan 28 '15 at 2:43

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