Am I Jewish and Can I Do Jewish Things?

Question

My mother is non-jewish, and my father is jewish. I know this means religiously I’m not jewish, but I always felt connected to judiasm. We as a family celebrate hannukah, pesach, rosh hassanah, and do Kom yippur. However, I feel the need to be more observant. I am not able to official convert until later, so should I become more observant? Should I even try to keep kosher, because I know non-jews are not to do religious things? Am I a jew? Am I a goy? I’m not sure what to do.

Thank you Rabbi

 

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    According to Jewish Law, you are not Jewish, as you write. Judaism is passed down through the mother. That means that if your mother is Jewish and your father is not, you would be one hundred percent Jewish. However, because it is the other way around, and your mother is not Jewish, you are not Jewish as well.

    Can you observe more than you already do until you are ready to convert? Yes, you can. Can you keep Kosher? Yes, you can, although it would require a lot of cooperation from your parents to get your kitchen to the point where it is considered to be Kosher according to Jewish Law. Personally, I think that you should 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-mini-encyclopedia.” It is written in an informative and humorous style, and it covers the spectrum of Judaism, both the practical side and the philosophical/theological side.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team