A Project Genesis website
Ask the Rabbi: answers from Project Genesis rabbis
Can a Jew renounce Judaism?
Nothing can change a Jew’s status – not even conversion to another religion. A Jew remains a Jew no matter what he does to repudiate Judaism. If a gentile becomes a sincere convert to Judaism, he becomes a Jew permanently. If he afterwards rejects Judaism, he’s an apostate, but Jewish law still regards him as a Jew.
Is there any Jewish resource where I can read and learn more about the subject?
The sources are in the Code of Jewish Law, the Shulchan Aruch. The portions of this work that contain the information that you are requesting have not been translated into English – to the best of my knowledge. The best thing to do is to study the laws of conversion. That is the source of this concept. If someone is born Jewish then they are Jewish until they die. If someone converts according to Jewish law they have a Jewish soul as if they were born with one. There is no going back.
Be Well,
Rabbi Litt
I read in this site that “a Jew is always Jew no matter what even if they convert to another religion” But how come many Jewish believers in Yeshua are deemed not Jewish even though they follow Jewish Law and live a Jewish life?
Also how come Messianic Jews are not allowed to be citizens of Israel even though they may follow Jewish Law and costom, while others throw it at the waste side?
The belief in Messianic Judaism is absolutely not Judaism. There is no place
for a belief in Jesus as the Messiah in Jewish philosophy. If a person keeps
all rabbinic and Torah laws (which the Messianic Jews do not) but happens to
believe that Jesus is the messiah, their observance will be clouded by a
false belief that will overshadow their deeds.
A belief in a Messiah is a foundation of Jewish belief. Our Torah sages
exist to give us guidance and help us to understand and practice the Torah
and rabbinic teachings. There have been many “false messiahs” throughout the
course of Jewish history. Each time, there were a group who believed, they
were exiled or died out and the Jewish people continued. As you can see we,
the Jews, do not tolerate tampering with the foundations of Torah. When the
Messiah comes there will be no question that he has arrived. There will not
be many years of only a few people following the preachings of a deceased
leader, but rather he will be alive and a Torah scholar who believes and
follows Torah and rabbinic law completely.
With all that said, if a Jew becomes a member of a Messianic Jewish cult or
organization they are still Jewish until they die. There is always hope that
this person will catch on to true Torah Judaism and that maybe some day they
will come back to their people. Jews for Jesus is in no way a Jewish
organization and their places of worship should never be listed as
“synagogues.” The reason is simple. They are not. While an institution may
sway from Jewish tradition a Jew can never turn their back on who they are
spiritually.
Be Well,
Rabbi Litt