[sak9645]

Yes, this is quite true. If you adopt a non-Jewish child, it doesn't really matter what the circumstances surrounding his/her conception were, or what the circumstances of his ancestors' conception were. You can convert the child to Judaism, and he/she will have all the rights of any other Jew.

If you adopt a Jewish child, and believe in traditional observance, it will be very important that you know the details of the child's conception and birth, and a good deal about the birth family. The reason has to do with the laws of "mamzerut" or bastardy.

Under Jewish law, the term "bastard" has a very specific meaning; it does NOT mean any child conceived outside of marriage. It refers specifically to a child conceived in adultery or incest. Such children are permitted to marry only non-Jews or converts, not born Jews. They also cannot become Orthodox rabbis, as I understand it. So if you adopt a Jewish child who is a "mamzer", you must understand that he/she will not have full participation in the Orthodox community.

Orthodox Jews believe that adultery does not relate only to the willful act of having sex with a person who is married to someone else. It can be accidental -- for example, if a person's Jewish divorce (get) was faulty, and thus the person was still married, from the Jewish perspective, when he/she entered into a second marriage. The child of that second marriage would be considered a mamzer.

Further, mamzerut extends through the generations. Perhaps the birthparents were married to each other, but one of the birthparents was descended from a mamzer. This could put the Jewish status of the child in doubt.

If you are traditionally observant, and are contemplating the adoption of a Jewish child, by all means consult a respected Orthodox rabbi, especially one who is an expert in this difficult point of Jewish law.

Sharon