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Jewish Status FAQ

I am Jewish, but my partner is not. Will we be welcome in a Liberal Jewish synagogue and will our children be considered Jewish?
You will be made very welcome and most Liberal synagogues have a special category of membership for non-Jewish partners.

Your children will be considered as Jewish, as long as they have a Jewish upbringing and education. The Affirmations of Liberal Judaism state that children of mixed relationships, between a Jew and a non-Jew, are “considered Jewish if so brought up”.

Does Liberal Judaism make a distinction between mother and father when it comes to determining the Jewish status of a child?
No distinction is made. Liberal Judaism recognises equilineal descent: namely, that individuals born of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother should be treated in exactly the same way as individuals born to a Jewish mother and non-Jewish father.
We are about to adopt a child, whose birth parents are not Jewish. Will the child need to convert?
No. But what happens will depend on the age of the child.
 
Where the child is below seven-years-old, and will go on to have a Jewish upbringing and education, they are regarded as Jewish without need of conversion. The Liberal Beit Din (Rabbinic Board) will issue a status certificate, if required.
 
Where the child is over seven, Liberal Judaism would recommend attendance at religion school leading to bar/batmitzvah and Kabbalat Torah, at which point the child is considered fully Jewish. Again, a status certificate will be issued if required.
We are using a donor/surrogate who is not Jewish? Will our children be considered Jewish?
Yes. As in the previous examples, your children will be considered as Jewish, where they have a Jewish upbringing and education.
One of my parents is Jewish, but the other isn’t. I was aware of this as a child, but we never went to a synagogue or celebrated festivals and Shabbat at home. Am I Jewish?
You are potentially Jewish and need to speak to your congregation’s rabbi as to how you can regularise your status – through study and attendance at synagogue services and participation in Jewish rituals.
I am Liberal Jewish adult with one Jewish and one non-Jewish parent. Do I need to have my status confirmed?
No. If you have been brought up as Jewish, with some Jewish education, you do not need any formal ceremony to affirm your status. You are considered as Jewish.

However, some people in this situation feel it helps establish their identity by applying to the Liberal Judaism Beit Din for a certificate of status.

I want to move to Israel in the future. I am a Liberal Jew, but my mother is not Jewish. Will a certificate of status be sufficient to prove my Jewish status?
Regulations change, but at the moment a status certificate is not accepted as proof of Jewish identity. In this case, the Liberal Judaism Beit Din will issue a formal conversion certificate that will satisfy the Israeli authorities.
How can I find out more?
We understand that every family, and every situation, is different, so the best course of action is to speak to your congregation’s rabbi.
 
For a fuller explanation on Jewish Status and Liberal Judaism’s principle of equilineal descent, you can read this in-depth article by Rabbi Alexandra Wright.
 
For the full Affirmation of Liberal Judaism on this topic, which contains a lot more detail and history, and covers many different scenarios, please click here.
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