Jewish by birth?

[Die Rote Fahne]

Not sure if this should go here, but I've been wondering about the idea of being Jewish by birth. My mother's mother's mother's mother was Jewish, does that make me Jewish by default, according to Judaism?

I'm an atheist, and will remain so, but do Jews see me as a fellow Jew?

[Sasha]

unless you identify in relgious or cultural sense as an jew no, most jews (the liberal jews that is, who, contrary to populair thought, are by far the most numerous) wouldnt consider you jewish. On the other hand, if you would start identifying as jewish your ancestry would make you acceptable to orthodox jews, they already consider you indeed as jewish, so as fast as you have your barmitzwa, your one of them.
You also have the automatic right to israeli citizenship wich is off course completely ridiculous (and not something you want unless your lifelong dream has been to do the draft in palestinia killing palestines). Oh, and if the nazi's ever get in power again it will offcourse be "off to the camps with you".

[Dimmu]

I have a Jewish father so it makes me a non-Jew in the eyes of the Orthodox Jews.

But, according to Jewish law if one's mother is Jewish then it makes the child Jewish as well, which means that even thou the child becomes Christian or Muslim he still remains a Jew.

For example Chomsky is not-religious, but he is Jewish.

[hatzel]

I have a Jewish father so it makes me a non-Jew in the eyes of the Orthodox Jews.

But the Karaite Orthodox are fine with you, you're pretty damn Jewish to them :) Strange little system they've got going on there, to be honest...

But yeah, to the OP, from a technical perspective, you'd be Jewish. Though I couldn't see many, if any, Orthodox communities taking that off the bat, with such a distance between you and the Tribe. At best, they'd say you don't need a formal conversion ceremony, but I don't think they'd be all okay with you just declaring it without any study whatsoever. And, actually, you'd not get into Israel, because it's too far away. Great-great-whatever-grandmother? Oh no, far too far to convince them you're kosher :cool:

[ComradeMan]

But the Karaite Orthodox are fine with you, you're pretty damn Jewish to them :) Strange little system they've got going on there, to be honest...

But yeah, to the OP, from a technical perspective, you'd be Jewish. Though I couldn't see many, if any, Orthodox communities taking that off the bat, with such a distance between you and the Tribe. At best, they'd say you don't need a formal conversion ceremony, but I don't think they'd be all okay with you just declaring it without any study whatsoever. And, actually, you'd not get into Israel, because it's too far away. Great-great-whatever-grandmother? Oh no, far too far to convince them you're kosher :cool:

Hang on, his mother's mother's mother's mother was Jewish so that makes his mother's mother Jewish and therefore his mother Jewish, thus he is the son of a Jewish mother and then he is Jewish.

However I agree with the other points, unless you have the little "operation" and the bar mitzvah then many are not going to consider you "kosher", but at the same time they might not see you as a "goy" either. Nevertheless, all this debate about who is Jewish or not is very complicated and no one ever seems to agree.

[Sasha]

oh yeah, forgot to mention the little guillotine bit, thats an quite essential bit, cant be an jew without an desensitized penis.

[Black Sheep]

Can't worship Moses, if you don't chop off your hoses.

[ComradeMan]

Can't worship Moses, if you don't chop off your hoses.

Jews don't worship Moses.

[Black Sheep]

In the same way that "christians don't worship the Saints".

[ComradeMan]

In the same way that "christians don't worship the Saints".

Nope, I am afraid you're wrong. Whereas some Christians, Catholic and Orthodox pray to Saints for their intercession NO kosher Jewish person can pray in any way shape or form to anyone other than HaShem.
See Saul and the witch of Endor too for the problems with the spirits of dead prophets.

[PhoenixAsh]

No. Hereditary Judaism is by lineage of the mother.

[ComradeMan]

No. Hereditary Judaism is by lineage of the mother.

It depends- traditionally and in Orthodox branches it is through the mother and that is the most widely/traditionally accepted view, however some more modern/liberal forms also accept through the father and conversion is accepted by all groups. I think the OP would actually qualify on the grounds of it is his maternal heritage- although other things such as circumcision and bar mitzvah etc would be required too.