Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site unc.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!unc!fsks From: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: "Jewishness" of non-blood-relations Message-ID: <198@unc.UUCP> Date: Wed, 13-Mar-85 20:05:58 EST Article-I.D.: unc.198 Posted: Wed Mar 13 20:05:58 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 14-Mar-85 06:26:12 EST References: <146@pyuxww.UUCP> <9039@brl-tgr.ARPA> <520@sfmag.UUCP> Reply-To: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) Organization: CS Dept., U. of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill Lines: 30 Summary: In article luria@ucbvax.UUCP (Marc Luria) writes: >A sad case related to this occurred in our synagogue a couple years ago. >A boy who was to be Bar Mitzvad here. Just a few weeks before the bar mitzvah >it was discovered that the mother was not Jewish, and therefore the boy was >not. This could have easily been remedied becuase the conversion process for >a boy under the age of 13 is relatively easy. Is it really easier for a child under 13? In what ways? What is the rationale for this? >Unfortunately, the bar mitzva was scheduled to take place a couple months >after his birthday. Conversion of a boy over 13 would have been much more >difficult since it would have been necessary for the boy to appear before >a Bet Din (Jewish court). If the boy were not of (Jewish) legal age, then how could he convert at all? >In the end he did not have the Bar Mitzva here. I just wanted to point >this out to those who know of people in similar situations, to inform >them that acting early or at least discussing the problem with a >knowledgable rabbi, could save much grief later. Would someone please give me more details as to the Halacha being referred to here? Frank Silbermann University of North Carolina As mun hot nit vos tzu tun, iz kakn oykh an arbeit.