| Title: | BAGELS and other things of Jewish interest | 
| Notice: | 1.0 policy, 280.0 directory, 32.0 registration | 
| Moderator: | SMURF::FENSTER | 
| Created: | Mon Feb 03 1986 | 
| Last Modified: | Thu Jun 05 1997 | 
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 | 
| Number of topics: | 1524 | 
| Total number of notes: | 18709 | 
    After watching the network broadcast of The Jazz Singer with Neil
    Diamond last night, there was, what I think, an inconsistancy that is
    puzzeling me. 
    
    The father considered his son dead when he learned Sonny-boy was
    divorcing his wife and living with a non-Jewish girl.  Later on in the
    movie, toward the end, the son tried talking to his father and with no
    success, pulled out the big guns by telling him 1) it is Yom Kippor
    and this is a day to forgive, and 2) he was a Grandfather. 
    
    My question: If (the father is Jewish and the mother is not) and (the
    child (in this case, a boy) is raised Jewish (Bar Mitzvah, Kosher home,
    etc)), is the child really considered Jewish even though the mother is
    not?  I was under the impression that the child is considered Jewish
    only if the mother is. 
    
    Note: Big gun #1 didn't work!!
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 614.1 | I think this will begin an answer | BIGMAC::KUR | Tue Jan 03 1989 13:31 | 14 | |
|     The answer to your question, as to most questions, depends upon
    who you ask.
    
    Jewish women give birth to Jewish children, according to halacha,
    (Jewish law).  So, the National Religious Party (NRC) in Israel
    would require halachic conversion for the child in the story.  But,
    Hitler considered anyone with 1 Jewish grandparent Jewish.  The
    Reform Movement accepts paternal lineage.  So, (typically Jewish,
    I know) there is not AN answer to your question.
    
    I believe all of this is fact; please correct me if I am wrong.
    
    
    -Sue
 | |||||
| 614.2 | More confusion | GVRIEL::SCHOELLER | Who's on first? | Wed Jan 04 1989 13:34 | 9 | 
| > (Jewish law). So, the National Religious Party (NRC) in Israel > would require halachic conversion for the child in the story. But, Even the Conservative movement would require a conversion. Some, of course, would argue whether it was halachic... L'hit, Gavriel | |||||