[lemonchutney]

My husband and I are not Jewish, but many people think we are because we "look Jewish" and have a "Jewish sounding" last name.

My biofather's relatives are Jewish (although he himself is not), and both my husband's parent's relatives are Jewish (although they themselves are not). So we weren't raised Jewish, but I've actually been TOLD by Christians that we ARE Jewish, because my bfather's parents are Jewish and both his parents' parents were Jewish. Huh? I guess they think this because Christianity is patrilineal and Christians tend to think of Jewishness as a religion AND a race.

Although I don't think of myself as Jewish, part of the point of being a reunited adoptee is learning about your heritage. So is it correct to say that my heritage is half Jewish? I sort of do think this way, but I've been corrected by some Jewish people that there is no such thing as "half Jewish." Where does that leave me..? Still unable to claim my lost heritage.

Anyway, there's a lot of ignorance and misinformation out there as to what makes a person Jewish. So at times I've been confused, especially because I didn't know anything at all about my bfamily until I was in my twenties, and I knew nothing and still don't know much at all about the Jewish faith. Reading some of the threads here has gone a long way toward helping me parse the facts, but I still have some questions.

A child of a Jewish mother is born Jewish, but at a certain point makes a decision whether or not to continue being Jewish, right? So if an adult is Jewish only by virtue of making a conscious decision to practice the Jewish faith, then what is meant by the terms "non-practicing Jew" or "secular Jews." Do such terms make sense?

Also, does the Jewish faith teach that race is a cultural construction with no biological basis (this is what I believe), or does it teach that Jewishness is a racial category (in addition to being a religion and cultural practice).

I realize informed opinions may differ on these questions.

I hope none of my questions or comments are offensive in any way. I am trying to get some understanding of a topic that has tangentially touched my life and has been confusing to me.

Lurking ignorant person ;-)

LC