By Vicki Boykis
I play with the idea of making aliyah from time to time, much like kids play with Legos, abandon them, then pick them up, then tear their heads off. But, I’m not religious and plus I was born in Russia. So my question is with this whole Law of Return thing. How do you prove you’re Jewish to the State of Israel if you’re not a religious Jew and don’t have videotaped, painstaking documentation of your brit milah or your parents’ ketubah or your kippah monogrammed kippah from Dov and Racheli’s wedding?
The actual law states:
Every Jew has the right to come to this country as an oleh.
The law goes on further to define,
For the purposes of this Law, “Jew” means a person who was born of a
Jewish mother or has become converted to Judaism and who is not a member of another religion.
What’s more, is apparently even Israelis have trouble proving they’re halachically Jewish in Israel.
So, how do you prove you’re Jewish for aliyah purposes? Do you have to make a bagel in five mintues or less? Recite some Sholom Aleichem? And, I’m curious to know if any Jews from countries other than America (hey, Canada counts, too) have had to go through this process?
It’s usually not as strict as the occasional news”worthy” case makes it seem to be.
ESPECIALLY with the law of return, which is extra lenient to accept anyone with Jewish lineage (since 1970, if Hitler would kill you, you qualify).
That is so true about Making Aliyah, every six months or so I get this unction of homesickeness that I go through for like two three weeks and plan it all out in my head on saving up money and making aliyah. especially if you have ever went there. Then life smacks me in the face and I realize that at least for now I am stuck. But on the topic if I was you, to make things a lot easier just become a member of a shul for a while and go, even if your not religious just being part of the community is really good, even if you don’t go orth. Most people at conservitive shuls are not totally religious and don’t really care if you are and almost none of the reformers are seriously religious except for the yontifs. No one will judge you either way, and who knows you might like the tradition and heritiage, it might rub off on you. Anyways if you are a member in good standing of a legit shul that is good proof you are Jewish, and most rabbi’s will even help you get there, religious or not. they also can help a great deal by contacting the different organizations made for just that. I don’t know about reform as much because I think there doctrine includes being totally happy with living in America and believing there is no need or want to return to Eretz Yisroel or rebuild the Bais Hamikdash, or belief the coming of Moshiach but really im talking ignorantly because I have never stepped foot in a reform shul, I am just going by what I hear. but maybe a culture return- not for religious purposes is fine with them and a reform rabbi can help you out anyways. I don’t really know. I do know a decent conservitive, or orthodox Rabbi will help you out no problem. Because every Yid, religious or not has a right to alyiah, and there are many organizations that will help you out completely. again a Rabbi will know the proper channels to go though to get you there expediatly. Hope this helps a little bit my brother and I hope you do get to alyiah soon my friend, Next year in Jerusalem! Zi Gezundt
I mean “my Sister”… Sorry didn’t read the name just looked at the picture Jew w/ Horns
Don’t forget about the Amendment to the Law of Return 5710-1950
4A. (a) The rights of a Jew under this Law and the rights of an oleh under the Nationality Law, 5712-1952***, as well as the rights of an oleh under any other enactment, are also vested in a child and a grandchild of a Jew, the spouse of a Jew, the spouse of a child of a Jew and the spouse of a grandchild of a Jew, except for a person who has been a Jew and has voluntarily changed his religion.
In other words, you need only prove that one of your grandparents are/were Jewish.
If you really want to learn more about what’s going on here – check out Religion and State in Israel and @religion_state on Twitter.
Hey, FrumGer-
I’m a Reform and take my faith VERY seriously. I dress modestly, attend services regularly, and while I know I don’t do everything frum (far from frum! heehee) I don’t appreciate being told that “no one” Reform takes their practice seriously. Our choices may be different, but they are made for serious reasons.
🙂
Thank you Pom Mom. I hate it when people think they are better religiously than others are…seriously!
Right on LP’s Mom. And stop calling Reform Jews reformers. They are not reforming anything, just practicing Reform.
I have a Jewish-mother and a Gentile-father. I know I’m Jewish, but I have the most White-Bread Anglo-Saxon sounding name.
Telzer, actually that depends on whether they are a part of classical reform (which has a set practice, of which only the leaders still occasionally do reforming through reinterpretation), or taking part in some of the more recent developments in Reform Judaism that would make them reformers of reform (finding new ways to practice, i.e. home prayer groups which are growing in popularity).
Actually I mentioned that I was speaking ignorantly… I am sorry if I caused any offense, not my intention. most of the reform yids I know do not even try to or care about keeping kosher, do not try to move near their shul so as to walk on shabbos, many even work on shabbos etc . I know as a fact that the early reform movement was opposed to rebuilding a Jewish state. This was a tennent of their doctrine but maybe things have changed. And again I am sure that individuals in Reform keep kashrus but the actual doctrine of reform says you don’t have to, for that matter you don’t have to do any law in the Torah. its all ancient history. I don’t think I am better than any of them, because I am observant- that has nothing to do with being a good person or a better person. but the idea of not having a responsibility to the Torah is totally apikoros thinking because all Jews no matter what- have a responsibility to the Torah, that is what Judaism is. that is what its all about. Everything else that reform seems to focus on is just culturally jewish things, like Bagels & Lox, or klezmer music. I don’t see how you can make a religion out of those things. I don’t personaly see how you can read the Sefer Torah, but not actually have to do what it says. I have no problem with the reform individuals personally… I say to each there own. but I have a problem with the institution as a whole, please do not mistake me. I have a problem with any public Jewish place that teaches other Jews you don’t have to do be Shomer Torah. To me that is no different than Jews for Jesus. Jews should be practicing the Shomer Yiddishkiet. What upsets me is that a great many of Jews in history died simlpy because they wouldn’t break the yiddishkiet, and I think personally that that organization is a slap to their face, and I think it is also a Chillul Hashem as well. but I have friends that are about as Torah observant as Patrick Swayze, and that is their choice I love them & don’t judge them either. I have no problem with any individual, I have a big problem with collectives. By the way I say “reformers” because easier to say, not with some underlaying meaning.. its kind of like people saying Frummies…
SF2K1: Yes, you make a valid point. There are those who would change the classic model. I suppose we might use the term ‘reformers’ when speaking of Modern Orthodox?
FrumGer,
Actually, the URJ encourages us to keep kosher and my temple regularly hosts kosher meals for the congregation, has a kosher meal program for the poor, etc. My Rabbi has NEVER said that we are not obligated to follow the law…we are simply told to understand WHY we do what we do and what we don’t. True, there are many elements of Halakah that I do not practice…not because I’m lazy or unspiritual or disinclined, but because of what I understand about Hashem and why. Our choices and paths may be different than yours; and I appreciate the respect with which you’ve stated your opinions, but Reform Jews do have a practice beyond bagels & klezmer. 🙂
As for the basic question of “who is a Jew” what with all the shenanigans around conversions and the politricks which seem to abound, personally I’m not sure I’d want to fight that fight.
My Rabbi assures me that the Masorti have an organization dedicated to helping potential olehim navigate the legal system, I still dont know if I want to deal with the whole thing.
frumger, “I know as a fact that the early reform movement was opposed to rebuilding a Jewish state.”
So was the early ‘orthodox movement’, you schmuck
nuchmer, the point of reform is to reform, its a living religion unlike your dead one
It would seem that having a King in ones ancestry would be proof that one is a Jew. Wasn’t the scepter supposed to be in the hands of Judah? Weren’t the Kings to arise from the womb of Sarah? This makes me a British Israelist. The monarchy didn’t intermarry, or was um inbred. 2,000 years and no messiah. I can hardly believe that, especially that there are 4 ancestries through different countries the monarchy and Presidents have that go back to Judah. And, how did this Judeo-USA government come about, but through people that trance their ancestry to medieval Kings.
Credit you representing details. It helped me in my responsibility