Is Sean Penn Jewish

Answer 1

Answer:

Sean and Chris Penn's father is Jewish; their mother is Catholic. As to whether this makes Sean Jewish depends upon what the Jewish denomination would apply its standards.

A conservative Jewish denomination would, provided that Sean has been circumcised, insist he get confirmed or Bar Mitzvahed in traditional fashion with reading the Torah in Hebrew.

The Orthodox sect would also ask for proof of the same confirmation ritual. The Reformed Jewish sect would depend upon the requirements and opinion of the Rabbi, so it could vary from various reformed temples. Otherwise without the Bar Mitzvah according to strict Jewish law, Sean would not be considered a Jew on account of his mother. If his mother was Jewish and his father not, then he would be a Jew no matter what. It's just that without the Bar Mitzvah he would not be considered a Jew who keeps with God's laws. Please correct me if I am wrong in any detail.

Answer:

The previous information about being accepted as a Jew is not correct. Having a Bar Mitzvah or a circumision is not the defining characteristic of being a Jew.

If a person is born of a Jewish mother, then in all Jewish traditions, the individual is considered Jewish. However, the ultra orthodox may impose some additional requirements.

If the father is Jewish and the mother is not then it would depend on which branch of Judaism is making the decision. Otherwise the individual would have to undergo a conversion. The Reform movement, about 30-40 or more years ago, accepted patriarchal lineage for the determination of whether one is Jewish. The Torah has patriarchal lineage.

Conservative and Orthodox branches of Judaism, which follow a matriarchal lineage, would require a formal conversion that would involves a period of study, going to a Mikvah and, in the case of a male, having a circumcision or a symbolic circumcision if already circumcised. All of this would have to be done according top Halacha (Jewish ritual law).

The individual may have a Bar or Bat (for women) Mitzvah, but it is not a necessity. Matriarchal lineage came about as a result of the church and especially governmental sanctioned pogroms (rapes, murder, pillage, destruction and forced conversions) that occurred in Jewish communities in Europe throughout the centuries (recall the scene from the show "Fiddler on the Roof"). The thinking that underlay adopting matriarchal lineage was a very practical one; one always was certain who the mother was.