Being Jewish
Being Jewish is a privilege.
The concept of “who is a Jew?” is a difficult one to grasp. In the case of a child, if the mother is Jewish and the father is not, the child is deemed to be Jewish. Reformers also believe that a person who has a Jewish father is a member of the Jewish people. A person can become a follower of Judaism. The State of Israel, on the other hand, will only recognize conversions into the Orthodox movement. The State of Israel will not regard a person to be Jewish unless and until he or she converts to the Orthodox faith and joins the movement. This is critical for persons who are relocating to Israel under the Law of Resettlement (Weiner, 2015).
There are Jewish people who do not adhere to the Jewish faith, and this is almost probably true. According to the Reform movement, this disqualifies a person from being considered Jewish. Nothing may preclude a person from being Jewish under the Orthodox branch of Judaism as long as the individual’s mother is Jewish. Regardless of religious affiliation, if a person is descended from a Jewish mother, he or she is considered Jewish (Weiner, 2015).
It is possible that whether or not a person believes in a Messiah will have an affect on whether or not the individual is Jewish. If the individual comes from a more conservative branch of the faith, this would not be the case. This appears to be a bit of an irony. If the individual is associated with a more liberal or reform movement, this would be the case. In the eyes of Orthodox Jews, the concept of a Messiah is a fundamental element of Jewish belief. Many people believe that the word “savoir” means “knowledge.” However, this is not the case.
Yes, the Jews who believed in or continue to believe in these groups are, in fact, of Jewish descent. When it comes to Chasidic Jews, this is especially true in the modern sense of the word. They are just a sect of the Jewish faith that adheres to the most strict Ultra-Orthodox principles. It goes without saying that another branch’s ideas and practices may or may not be compatible with their own.
