JFJ Forums

What is the difference between a Zionist and a Jew.

A Jew is someone born of a Jewish mother, or someone who has
gone through a conversion to Judaism.
A Zionist is someone who supports the return of Jews to Israel
and it's existence as a Jewish state.

A Jew may not necessarily be a Zionist, and a Zionist doesn't
necessarily have to be Jewish.

hope that helps,
chava    

I'm a Gentile, but I would think a person could be Jewish if his father is Jewish. Take for example Boaz and Ruth, their son Obed, who was a Jew.

How, exactly, does that work? As my understanding has it, if your mother is Jewish, then you're Jewish. So, if my mother's mother's mother was Jewish, does that make me Jewish? Sorry to change the subject, I'm just trying to understand.

I think the "only if your mother is Jewish" is too stringent in definition of what a Jew is. A Jew is anyone with a Jewish parent. I already mentioned Obed, who was the son of a Gentile mother and Jewish father, and the grandfather of a Jew named David.

But, as I was trying to ask, how far down the line does it go? Since my mother didn't acknowledge it, would I still be according to the distant blood line?  . . .And thanks for answering

Let me go with these diagrams of possible family and marriages to explain.

Dad (Jewish or Gentile)______Mom (Jewish or Gentile)
                    Gentile__Child (Jewish If One Or Both Are)___ Jew
                  Jew__Grandchild (Jewish if Child Is)       Jewish Granchild
                        Jew____Gentile
                               Jew____Gentile
                                     Gentile With Jewish Parent____Jew
                                                                           Jew

In other words, if one of the spouses in the first generation is a Gentile, the child is still Jewish. But if the child marries a Gentile, the child is a Gentile with a Jewish parent.
                                    

By Jewish law, the tribal status follows the father and the Jewish status follows the mother. We believe that Ruth converted.
However, of course you are not bound by halachah and may believe as
you wish...

It does get confusing, doesn't it?
Yes, as long as it is a unbroken maternal line, a person is Jewish.
But let's say your mothers grandmother was Jewish, but had only
sons who then "married out". The Jewish line would then be lost.
But if she had daughters, who had daughters, who had daughters,
they would all be Jews.

This is according to Jewish Law, which of course you are not
obligated to follow or agree with....