Matrilinial Descent
Question
My question is: "Am I a Jew?" My mother's family is entirely Jewish. Her grandfather was a well-known rabbi in England. My father was not Jewish and I was raised as a Christian although I later left the church. Many years ago I was told by some Orthodox Jews that I am a Jew because my mother was Jewish. Later a Jewish friend of my family told me that this is not true because my mother became a Christian (joined the Anglican Church) before her marriage to my father. I have often wondered about what would be the official answer to this question from a rabbinical perspective. Many people have assumed that I am Jewish by my appearance and the fact that I live in a community with a significant Jewish population. In some ways I feel that I am between two worlds. Thank you in advance for any answer you can offer me.