Who is a Jew?
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Scriptural Basis for Matrilineal Descent
Can you prove to me, on the basis of the scriptures, that the status of being a Jew is relayed through the mother? Please see the book of Ezra, Chapter 10, Verses 2-3 – “…We (Jews) have trespassed against our…
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Discovering Jewish Geneology
I believe that my mother’s family may be Jewish. They came here from Hungary, and I grew up eating Matzos, going to the bazaars at the local Synagogue. I learned that my great-grandmother was fluent in Yiddish, Hungarian, and German.…
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Converting My Husband
I met my non-Jewish husband at a time when I was completely unaffiliated, and had severed my ties with everything Jewish. Having returned from a backpacking trip to Israel, I became increasingly more observant, and have a passion for a…
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Hijacking Jewish Genealogy
I have recently encountered a few individuals who claim that modern Jews are not the true Israelites. There is one group calling itself the Black Hebrews that claims that Ashkenazi Jews are not of Israel because they descend from converts;…
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Being a Jew
I have long wondered how a person is a Jew. I have heard so many different things: That it is something that you are only born to; it is determined by certain personality traits; or it is a spiritual choice.…
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Duped Out of Faith?
I was born Jewish to a family that had very limited ties to the Jewish tradition. I married a Christian woman in her church several years ago. The pastor of the church agreed to marry us, but required that I…
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Unwitting Jews and DNA Testing
Since Judaism is passed through maternal lineage, the children of a woman who strays from Judaism will be Jewish without their knowledge. Her daughters will marry, and they will have children who are Jewish without their knowledge. This can happen…
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Accuracy of Jewish Lineage
The Jewish people have been around a few thousand years, and were slaves, and lived in other countries throughout the world. How do I know with confidence that my ancestry is really Jewish? There must have been some intermarriage, &…
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Who’s a Levi and Who’s a Cohain
The Torah tells us that Aaron and his sons (The descendants of Levi) are the priests. Then, why are the Cohains known as priests? Only Aaron and his sons were chosen to be priests from among all of the tribe…