866:
obligatory for rabbis to convert the non-Jewish mother in order to keep the children in the Jewish fold. Rabbi Uziel noted: "And I fear that if we push them away completely by not accepting their parents for conversion, we shall be brought to judgment and they shall say to us: 'You did not bring back those who were driven away, and those who were lost you did not seek.'
27:
865:
Rabbi Uziel was deeply concerned about the fate of children born to a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother. Such children, although of Jewish stock (zera
Yisrael), are in fact not halakhically Jewish. Children raised in such intermarriages will be lost to the Jewish people entirely. Thus, it is
155:
Judaism maintain that only those born from a Jewish mother are considered to be Jewish by birth. Because of this, those born to a Jewish father and a gentile mother are considered to be Zera
Yisrael by religiously conservative sects of Judaism, though they may be considered Jewish by religiously
569:
According to rabbinic law, from the second century to the present, offspring of a gentile mother and a Jewish father is a gentile, while the offspring of a Jewish mother and a gentile is a Jew... is underway in the latter part of the Second Temple period but is not complete until the second
323:
conversions for Zera
Yisrael, as well as rabbinical authorities declaring groups of them halakhically Jewish. An alternative suggestion has been to convert gentile mothers of Zera Yisrael children, so as to "keep the children in the Jewish fold."
271:
was talking about Zera
Yisrael when he spoke of the "lost ones" prophesized to join the Jewish people. This idea has been referenced frequently among contemporary Jewish theologians that tackle the topic of Zera Yisrael and descendants of Jews.
241:
thought. It has been claimed by practitioners of
Judaism that those with undiscovered Jewish ancestry have a natural affinity for the religion, and that reconnecting with their Jewish heritage serves as a method of redeeming the holy
200:) is a Hebrew term referring to the descendants of Jews who were forced to conceal their Jewish identity or convert to a different religion. While broadly referring to anyone with such lineage, it specifically pertains to the
594:
Mostly those remaining are of patrilineal descent, which has always been the custom in this community as it was in
Biblical times. This, however, has delayed their recognition in Israel which follows the Rabbinic matrilineal
175:
movement of
Judaism continues to reject maternal lines in favor of paternal ones. Individuals from these circles may also be considered patrilineal Jews or Zera Yisrael, if they fail to prove an unbroken maternal chain.
638:
159:
Although
Rabbinic Judaism follows matrilineal lines to determine an individual's Jewish status, there is evidence to suggest that this was a shift that occurred during the second century, and that pre-
309:
308:. In addition to securing an unambiguous religious status as Jewish, a conversion accepted by the Israeli government would also serve the pragmatic purposes of allowing the converts
699:
This means that even though a person born to a non-Jewish mother is not halakhically Jewish, if his father or grandfather is Jewish, he is described as coming from zera yisrael.
795:
Consider, for example, the kabbalistic notion of "zera
Yisrael," where one has a Jewish dimension to the soul even if the person is not deemed Jewish by
171:, have traditionally practiced a patrilineal form of Judaism. While many have assimilated into the mainstream matrilinealism of Rabbinic Judaism, the
116:
who, for one reason or another, are not legally Jewish according to religious criteria. This is usually due to a lack of matrilineal Jewish ancestry.
48:
35:
213:
911:
738:
224:
Other individuals with insufficient ancestry can be considered Zera
Yisrael. This includes, for example, someone with one Jewish grandparent.
896:
664:
553:
249:
that have fallen into the material world. They are said to already have Jewish-adjacent souls, and contribute to the fulfillment of the
280:
Because of the unique status of Zera Yisrael in Jewish theology, as well as their growing prominence in Israel, some rabbis (such as
488:
639:"Israeli and World Jewish Leaders Call for a Reconnection with the Descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jewish Communities"
374:
783:
723:
For many, what they deemed an odd affinity toward Judaism before the discovery of their Jewish roots now made sense.
621:
421:
40:
691:
250:
140:
901:
237:
Zera Yisrael have often been ascribed a level of spiritual significance in Judaism, mostly within the realm of
762:
711:
301:
285:
281:
201:
152:
906:
83:
607:
669:
426:
313:
289:
531:
474:
829:
375:"How a Former Netanyahu Aide Is Boosting Israel's Jewish Majority, One 'Lost Tribe' at a Time"
243:
163:
Judaism was patrilineal. Some small and formerly isolated ethnic groups of Jews, such as the
148:
136:
353:
343:
267:
that "the root of the soul of the seed of Israel can never be upended". According to him,
172:
160:
74:
300:) have suggested adopting more lenient policies that allow people descended from Jews to
348:
338:
246:
890:
293:
260:
212:
to reconnect with their Jewish ancestry. Other groups, such those descended from the
417:
297:
164:
125:
582:
448:
238:
209:
168:
850:
384:
305:
452:
204:, and has developed conceptually alongside a movement for the descendants of
320:
256:
205:
817:
739:"Fundamentally Freund: Welcome home to the Jewish people, Gwyneth Paltrow!"
156:
liberal sects, especially if they were raised Jewish and identify as such.
26:
144:
830:"I'd marry Artem Dolgopyat in an instant – even without the gold medal"
796:
379:
109:
665:"ASK THE RABBI: Converting minors to solve Israel's conversion crisis"
810:
333:
268:
851:"Conversion to Judaism: Halakha, Hashkafa, and Historic Challenge"
489:"Rabbinical Assembly Goes on Record Against Patrilineal Descent"
113:
510:
881:
20:
216:, may be considered halakhically similar to the Bnei Anusim.
319:
Despite criticism from opponents, there have been cases of
692:"ZERA ISRAEL: Halakhik Studies on Converts and Conversion"
554:"The Origins of the Matrilineal Principle in Rabbinic Law"
143:. Although contemporary denominations have varying
304:with only a basic understanding and acceptance of
633:
631:
784:"Intermarried Jews are not a second Holocaust"
763:"Welcome Home Zera Yisrael (Seeds of Israel)"
712:"Welcome Home Zera Yisrael (Seeds of Israel)"
8:
139:has understood Jewishness to be passed down
185:
93:
757:
755:
733:
731:
659:
657:
655:
412:
410:
408:
406:
404:
402:
51:of all important aspects of the article.
882:Zera Israel Foundation Official Website
365:
88:'Seed Israel'), known also as
112:that denotes the blood descendants of
47:Please consider expanding the lead to
7:
475:"Motherhood and Matrilineal Descent"
532:"Who Is a Jew: Patrilineal Descent"
511:"Matrilineal Descent and Mamzeirus"
422:"We need to embrace 'zera Yisrael'"
78:
814:
14:
373:Maltz, Judy (February 19, 2015).
622:"The Jews You've Never Heard Of"
25:
39:may be too short to adequately
49:provide an accessible overview
1:
912:Judaism-related controversies
608:"Who are the Ethiopian Jews?"
310:protections under Israeli law
897:Ethno-cultural designations
928:
147:regarding lineal descent,
123:
251:ingathering of the exiles
108:) is a legal category in
18:Blood descendants of Jews
214:Jews of the Soviet Union
583:"The Jews of Ethiopia"
228:Religious significance
286:Chaim Ozer Grodzinski
282:Isser Yehuda Unterman
202:Sephardic Bnei Anusim
195:children forced ones
451:(January 30, 2011).
120:Who is Zera Yisrael
670:The Jerusalem Post
552:Cohen, Shaye J.D.
509:Abramovitz, Jack.
427:The Jerusalem Post
290:David Tzvi Hoffman
276:Conversion efforts
263:wrote in his work
420:(July 27, 2011).
387:on March 22, 2016
87:
66:
65:
919:
869:
868:
862:
860:
855:
847:
841:
840:
838:
836:
826:
820:
818:Resisei Layla 10
816:
808:
802:
801:
792:
790:
780:
774:
773:
771:
769:
759:
750:
749:
747:
745:
735:
726:
725:
720:
718:
708:
702:
701:
696:
688:
682:
681:
679:
677:
661:
650:
649:
647:
645:
635:
626:
625:
618:
612:
611:
604:
598:
597:
591:
589:
579:
573:
572:
566:
564:
558:
549:
543:
542:
540:
538:
528:
522:
521:
519:
517:
506:
500:
499:
497:
495:
485:
479:
478:
471:
465:
464:
462:
460:
445:
439:
438:
436:
434:
414:
397:
396:
394:
392:
383:. Archived from
370:
199:
196:
193:
190:
187:
137:Rabbinic Judaism
131:Patrilineal Jews
107:
104:
101:
98:
95:
82:
80:
61:
58:
52:
29:
21:
927:
926:
922:
921:
920:
918:
917:
916:
902:Jewish genetics
887:
886:
878:
873:
872:
858:
856:
853:
849:
848:
844:
834:
832:
828:
827:
823:
809:
805:
788:
786:
782:
781:
777:
767:
765:
761:
760:
753:
743:
741:
737:
736:
729:
716:
714:
710:
709:
705:
694:
690:
689:
685:
675:
673:
663:
662:
653:
643:
641:
637:
636:
629:
620:
619:
615:
606:
605:
601:
587:
585:
581:
580:
576:
562:
560:
559:. p. 1, 29
556:
551:
550:
546:
536:
534:
530:
529:
525:
515:
513:
508:
507:
503:
493:
491:
487:
486:
482:
473:
472:
468:
458:
456:
455:. Torah Musings
447:
446:
442:
432:
430:
416:
415:
400:
390:
388:
372:
371:
367:
362:
354:Jewish adjacent
344:Ten Lost Tribes
330:
314:marriage rights
278:
235:
230:
222:
197:
194:
191:
188:
182:
135:Traditionally,
133:
128:
122:
105:
102:
99:
96:
62:
56:
53:
46:
34:This article's
30:
19:
12:
11:
5:
925:
923:
915:
914:
909:
904:
899:
889:
888:
885:
884:
877:
876:External links
874:
871:
870:
842:
821:
803:
775:
751:
727:
703:
683:
651:
627:
613:
599:
574:
544:
523:
501:
480:
466:
440:
398:
364:
363:
361:
358:
357:
356:
351:
346:
341:
339:Crypto-Judaism
336:
329:
326:
277:
274:
234:
231:
229:
226:
221:
218:
181:
178:
132:
129:
121:
118:
103:Seed Holiness
64:
63:
43:the key points
33:
31:
24:
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
924:
913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
894:
892:
883:
880:
879:
875:
867:
852:
846:
843:
831:
825:
822:
819:
812:
807:
804:
800:
798:
785:
779:
776:
764:
758:
756:
752:
740:
734:
732:
728:
724:
713:
707:
704:
700:
693:
687:
684:
672:
671:
666:
660:
658:
656:
652:
640:
634:
632:
628:
623:
617:
614:
609:
603:
600:
596:
584:
578:
575:
571:
555:
548:
545:
533:
527:
524:
512:
505:
502:
490:
484:
481:
476:
470:
467:
454:
453:"Half Jewish"
450:
444:
441:
429:
428:
423:
419:
418:Amsalem, Haim
413:
411:
409:
407:
405:
403:
399:
386:
382:
381:
376:
369:
366:
359:
355:
352:
350:
349:Who is a Jew?
347:
345:
342:
340:
337:
335:
332:
331:
327:
325:
322:
317:
315:
311:
307:
303:
299:
295:
294:Benzion Uziel
291:
287:
283:
275:
273:
270:
266:
265:Resisei Layla
262:
261:Zadok HaKohen
258:
254:
252:
248:
245:
240:
232:
227:
225:
219:
217:
215:
211:
207:
203:
184:Bnei Anusim (
179:
177:
174:
170:
166:
162:
157:
154:
150:
146:
142:
141:matrilineally
138:
130:
127:
119:
117:
115:
111:
91:
85:
76:
72:
71:
60:
50:
44:
42:
37:
32:
28:
23:
22:
16:
864:
857:. Retrieved
845:
833:. Retrieved
824:
806:
794:
787:. Retrieved
778:
766:. Retrieved
742:. Retrieved
722:
715:. Retrieved
706:
698:
686:
674:. Retrieved
668:
642:. Retrieved
616:
602:
593:
586:. Retrieved
577:
568:
561:. Retrieved
547:
535:. Retrieved
526:
514:. Retrieved
504:
492:. Retrieved
483:
469:
457:. Retrieved
449:Student, Gil
443:
431:. Retrieved
425:
389:. Retrieved
385:the original
378:
368:
318:
298:Haim Amsalem
279:
264:
255:
236:
223:
183:
158:
153:Conservative
134:
126:Who is a Jew
89:
70:Zera Yisrael
69:
68:
67:
54:
38:
36:lead section
15:
239:Kabbalistic
210:Crypto-Jews
180:Bnei Anusim
169:Beta Israel
90:Zera Kadosh
907:Jewish law
891:Categories
360:References
312:, such as
306:Jewish law
145:precedents
124:See also:
459:March 21,
433:March 21,
391:March 21,
321:pro forma
257:Chassidic
233:Mysticism
206:conversos
79:זרע ישראל
57:July 2023
41:summarize
859:July 15,
835:July 14,
789:July 15,
768:July 14,
744:July 14,
717:July 14,
676:July 14,
644:July 12,
588:July 12,
570:century.
563:July 12,
537:July 12,
516:July 12,
494:July 12,
328:See also
244:Lurianic
165:Kaifengs
161:diaspora
149:Orthodox
797:halacha
380:Haaretz
302:convert
189:
173:Karaite
110:Halakha
97:
86:
811:Talmud
334:Anusim
296:, and
269:Isaiah
259:Rabbi
247:sparks
220:Others
75:Hebrew
854:(PDF)
695:(PDF)
595:line.
557:(PDF)
861:2023
837:2023
791:2023
770:2023
746:2023
719:2023
678:2023
646:2023
590:2023
565:2023
539:2023
518:2023
496:2023
461:2016
435:2016
393:2016
208:and
186:lit.
167:and
151:and
114:Jews
94:lit.
84:lit.
893::
863:.
815:b.
813:,
793:.
754:^
730:^
721:.
697:.
667:.
654:^
630:^
592:.
567:.
424:.
401:^
377:.
316:.
292:,
288:,
284:,
253:.
81:,
77::
839:.
799:.
772:.
748:.
680:.
648:.
624:.
610:.
541:.
520:.
498:.
477:.
463:.
437:.
395:.
198:'
192:'
106:'
100:'
92:(
73:(
59:)
55:(
45:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
