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A woman converted to Judaism to marry a man who was a practicing Jew and Jewish by birth. Their great-grandchild recently learned this. Is that great-grandchild considered a Jew according to halacha? The specifics of the conversion are not currently known.

What I have read says that the child of a Jewish woman is a Jew, even if this is not recognized by the mother or the child. This suggests that the grandmother was a Jew which suggests that the mother was a Jew which suggests the child is a Jew. Is that correct?

Edit: Thanks everyone for your comments. I will take your general advice and visit my local Synagogue and consult a/the Rabbi there for further advice and information.

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  • I think my main concern was is it valid if my great grandmother converted rather than her line going all the way back and the whole not being aware of it thing
    – tauraamui
    Jan 20, 2015 at 10:44
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    I don't think this is a duplicate. This case is much more complicated as there was a conversion which should be investigated to assure it was done properly. Especially if the family tradition is that she converted in order to marry a Jew.
    – user6591
    Jan 20, 2015 at 10:57
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    And welcome to Mi Yodeya, tauraamui :) ....I would advise you to consult a rabbi; any rabbi (in-person) is better equipped to answer your question about your Jewish status than any amount of "random internet users" on a question-and-answer site, no matter how good they are.
    – MTL
    Jan 20, 2015 at 13:53
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    @tauraamui welcome to Mi Yodeya. I've made an edit to your question because we can't address your specific case (that's a question for a rabbi, who can make rulings), but we can answer generally about what Judaism says about this situation. If I've changed your intent too much please feel free to edit further. Thanks for understanding, and best wishes in your quest!
    – Monica Cellio
    Jan 20, 2015 at 14:47
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    @MonicaCellio It seems like it was more of a question for the bureaucrats in the State of Israel. If that's the real thrust of your question, you should contact your local Jewish Agency and not a rabbi. They have very different rules.
    – Charles Koppelman
    Jan 20, 2015 at 16:33

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This case sounds complicated and would need investigation from a qualified Beis Din, a Jewish court.

It is true that Judaism is passed from mother to child. This situation however involves conversion which would need to be proven as having been done correctly. As of now the claim that the man she married was a practicing Jew means nothing as to what extent he would have ensured marrying someone converted properly. The fact that along the lines religious practice seems to have been lost is also suspect.

There is even more controversy if discovery would find a conversion was done according to conservative and not orthodox guidelines. As far as I know, according to present rules this would make a difference for right of return as well.

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