Can you be Jewish by blood but not by religious beliefs?

Question

I was raised in a Christian home but since then neither of my parent or me are religious. I haven’t seen my moms family since I was young since they all live far away. I am adult now and we went to a family reunion on my moms side and to my surprise my moms family are all Jewish I never remembered this when I was younger. They were explaining to me even though I’m not Jewish religiously that I will always be Jewish by blood and my kids are also Jewish. I feel kinda dumb because I never knew this but now I am intrigued by the Jewish culture. What’s the difference of being Jewish by blood and religiously?

Accepted Answer

Actually, not that many people are aware, but Jewish people are technically an ethnoreligous group. It’s because Judaism is strongly connected to their ethnicity of being Israelites and Hebrew. It’s unlike Islam, Buddhism and Christianity which are more universal religions as it doesn’t pertain to one ethnicity. It doesn’t mean there can’t be black or white Jewish people. It just means they practice that faith rather than be born into. As there are also Jewish people who do not practice the faith and are still Jewish.
Actual Jewish people could probably explain it better than I have.

Answer

I’d suggest talking to someone from your Jewish side of the family about this.

Answer

So bare with me it's been a long time but when I was in school I can remember being taught that by Jewish laws if your father is Jewish but your mother is gentile (non Jewish) you're also considered gentile. But if your mother is Jewish and your father is gentile then you'll be considered Jewish. 
As I said it's been a while and I may be wrong...  I think it's something only someone with first hand knowledge of Judaism can answer for you.

Answer

You could be Ashkenazi Jewish by blood. Also, Jedaism is past down from the mother. So, if your mother is Jewish you would be considered Jewish. If your mother was Christian and your father was Jewish, you'd be considered half-Jewish. My boyfriend and I are goy, but somehow he ended up in a Jewish fraternity. I've learned so much via them, and I've be able to experience so much through their celebrations and gatherings. I don't have it in me to do all the work to convert, but I can say that if I were to convert to any religion it would be Judaism. (I was raised with Catholic/ Christian backgrounds, but I don't actively practice many religious behaviors outside of what I do when I participate in Jewish holidays/ gatherings. Lol)

Answer

Jewish is a nationality as well as a religion

Answer

Yes and no.
Jewish is a religion, but you can have ancestors who were Jewish.
My grandmother and mother did the ancestry tests and they both had high percentages of European Jewish.

Answer

Yeah a DNA test would show that you are Jewish. I’m also Jewish by blood but religiously I’m an atheist. It is both a religion and an ethnic group.

Answer

Yes you can be culturally Jewish. Being Jewish means different physical traits, particular genetic medical conditions, etc. You are recognized within the synagogue and Jewish community as Jewish if your Mother is as it is believed Jewish blood is passed by the mother and not the father. My Mother is Jewish and my father is not, we grew up in a mixed religious house hold. I went on Birth right to Israel after college and learned a lot about the history and culture, not just the religion.

Answer

Actually yes and I am. I tried to explain this to my coworkers, but they really didn't believe me. I remembered looking it up when my mom told me we were Jewish and it told me it was an ethnicity as well as a religion

Answer

Jesus was Jewish but a Christian

Can you be Jewish by blood but not by religious beliefs?

Let’s Glow

Glow is here for you on your path to pregnancy

25+ million

4.8 stars

20+

Getting Pregnant

Pregnancy

1st Year (Baby & You)

Baby Products