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I'm going to jump in here, though I am an orthodox Jew (who, by the way, converted to Judaism) and I have a particular perspective. Your question is interesting, too. What you look like has NOTHING to do with whether you are Jewish or not. According to Jewish law (which orthodox Jews follow), a particular kind of conversion has to take place for a non-Jewish person to be Jewish. Three rabbis have to preside and a dip in the mikvah is necessary among other things.
As far as people getting excited that Jews come in all colors, that has always been the case (Ethiopian Jews, for example, are black). I think people are reacting to feeling good that others are doing what they themselves have done and paid no attention to a color/race barrier when they adopted. Everyone likes a little company in their choices.
Yael
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