Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sfmag.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxj!mhuxn!mhuxm!sftig!sftri!sfmag!samet From: samet@sfmag.UUCP (A.I.Samet) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: "Jewishness" of non-blood-relations Message-ID: <520@sfmag.UUCP> Date: Sun, 10-Mar-85 10:17:32 EST Article-I.D.: sfmag.520 Posted: Sun Mar 10 10:17:32 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 11-Mar-85 04:41:33 EST References: <146@pyuxww.UUCP> <9039@brl-tgr.ARPA> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Summit, NJ Lines: 22 >.... Is it then true > that an adopted child (of unknown parentage) or an infant foundling, > raised from just after birth, according to all the laws and principles, > but still also of unknown parentage, can never be Jewish, unless they go > through a conversion process as an adult? (Or is that not even enough?) > > This is no criticism; just a query. > > Will Martin A child whose parents convert, or similarly, one being raised to observe all the mitzvas by adopted parents, can undergo a ritual immersion and circumcision (boys). Since conversion requires an act of choice however, and a child is not considered legally capable of choice until bar/bas mitzvah age, the issue of acceptance of the mitzvas cannot be finally resolved until the child reaches that age. Continuing to practice the mitzvas upon reaching bar mitzvah is taken to be evidence that the adult accepts the preliminary choice his parents or adopted parents made on his behalf. At that point the conversion is considered to be final. Yitzchok Samet