(Jewish Group) Who is a Jew? DNA home testing adds new wrinkle to age-old debate

[Behind the Aegis]

Jennifer Ortiz has a screenshot saved on her computer. It’s an image that captures a moment that changed her life.

“Right there on the screen: ‘Stewart Bloom is your father,’” she said, describing the message she received when she logged in to see the results of her home DNA test.

Ortiz is one of millions of people who have taken a DNA test like the ones sold by 23andMe or Ancestry.com. Ortiz, who grew up Catholic in Utah, found out from the test that she was 50 percent Ashkenazi Jewish — a result that led to the discovery that she was the child of Bloom, a Jewish photographer in San Francisco, and not the man who raised her.

“That’s when my world changed,” she said.

But what is 50 percent Jewish?

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[Odoreida]

1. There may be lots of genetic correlations, but ...

It has nothing to do with either the religious definition of a Jew, because it allows for conversion and mass conversions have taken place in the past.

Nor with Israeli immigration law (which is broader than the religious definition).

There is no such thing as 50%, it is Jewish or not Jewish. Because it is not genetic.

So what if all the Jews I know (self included) have some ancestors from the same neighborhoods in Drohiczyn, Ekaterinoslav, and New York?

[Behind the Aegis]

2. Jewish can be "ethnic", "religious", or "both".

So, yes, there are those who can be 50% Jewish, who aren't Jews in the religious sense.

[Odoreida]

3. "Ethnic"? You mean racial?

Full disclosure: I'd be 50% myself by your standards.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. If you have a Jewish parent, then yes you are "part" Jewish.

You'd only be 50% if one of your parents was 100% Ashkenazi Jew. Sadly, DNA, at least not yet, hasn't discovered common links to those who are from the other branches.

[Odoreida]

5. Sorry pal Jews are not a race. n/t

[Behind the Aegis]

6. I didn't say they were.

Ethnicity and race aren't the same thing. And, if this is going to be your tone here...DO NOT RETURN!

[EllieBC]

7. Oddly enough Israel is harder on Orthodox converts

than Conservative or Reform. The rabbinate has "revoked" some conversions and it was an almost a crisis in the early-ish 2000s

[EllieBC]

8. Also the Syrian communities reject converts.

That one I don't know the reason behind.