Offspring of Convert Who Abandoned Judaism

Question

If a woman undergoes an Orthodox conversion to Judaism, practices as an Orthodox Jew for a period of time, then abandons Judaism, and after that has children who are not raised as Jews, are her offspring considered Jewish?

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    There is a disagreement among the early authorities as to whether a convert who abandons their Judaism is considered Jewish or not. Some authorities are of the opinion that the actions of the convert prove that there was a lack of sincerity from the onset and therefore the conversion was not valid retroactively. According to that opinion, any children this female convert might have would not be considered Jewish.

    However, the accepted ruling is not like that. The universally accepted ruling is that the moment of immersion in the Mikveh is the defining factor. If the Bet Din present at the immersion accepts the immersion as being valid, that person is Jewish, regardless of what happens in the future. In turn, this means that any children she any female convert has, are, in fact, Jewish.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team