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Most Israelis think having a Jewish father doesn't make you Jewish

70 per cent of Jewish Israelis reject patrilineal descent

September 21, 2022 12:11
Most Israeli Jews say patrilineal descent does not confer Jewish identity 
Close up image depicting a rear view of two Jewish men sitting together inside a synagogue. They have their heads bowed in prayer and they are wearing the traditional Jewish skull cap - otherwise known as a kippah or yarmulke - on their heads. Horizontal color image with copy space.
2 min read

A new poll has revealed that an overwhelming majority of Israeli Jews reject the idea that people descended from a Jewish father qualify as Jews.

The report, published by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) on Wednesday, takes a detailed look at Israelis’ views on religious institutions and identity. 

The bi-annual survey found that 70 per cent of Jewish Israelis did not accept patrilineal descent as a determiner of Jewish identity.

Jewish religious law (halachah) holds that children born to a Jewish mother are Jews, regardless of whether their father is halachically Jewish. It also counts non-Jews who convert to Orthodox Judaism as Jews. Halachah does not consider people born only to a Jewish father, and a gentile mother, as Jews.