A New Journey

Question

Hi there ! I came from a muslim background but since i was young i couldnt get into them or thier religion .. and im really that kind of person who fast and pray and talk to God Daily .. but the islamic point of view i just cant understand it on how the see God .. lately i discovered that jews believe that God regreted what he did and created .. i think i need to know more about judism …one more thing ,is it true that no one except those born as jews can be a jew ? Please note that my ancesstors were jews but my mom turned to islam due to some political curcumstances…thanks

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    The most important piece of information to tell you is that, in Judaism, Jewish status is defined according to the mother. This means that if your mother is Jewish, you are Jewish, too. This is so even if you have been practicing a different religion up until now. And it is also true even if you continue to practice a different religion, other than Judaism. If there is in fact documented proof that your maternal grandmother was Jewish, there is nothing else that you need to do to become Jewish. If there is no documented proof, you will need to speak with a recognized Orthodox Bet Din (Jewish Court of Law) that deals with conversions, to see what needs to be done.

    Personally, I would recommend that you try reading a wonderful book called Gateway to Judaism by Rabbi Mordechai Becher, published by ArtScroll. It is a fascinating and very easy to read “mini-encyclopedia.” It is written in an informative and humorous style and covers the spectrum of Judaism, both the practical side and the philosophical/theological side.

    I would also recommend the following books to begin with which, hopefully you will find both informative and fascinating:
    Permission to Believe by L. Keleman
    Permission to Receive by L. Keleman
    Anatomy of Search by Rabbi Akiva Tatz

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team