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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Doesn't a child have to be born to a Jewish mother (converted will do) in order to be considered Jewish?[/quote]

Yes[/quote]

Not in most Reform or Reconstructionist congregations. For Orthodox and Conservatives, yes. However, as an alternative, you can convert the child after it is born. (And Orthodox may make you do this anyway even if the mother converted before the child was born or if there is any doubt as to her parentage -- for example if her mother was not Jewish but she was raised Jewish, because then they would not consider her Jewish.)[/quote]

My understanding of the official Reform position is that one parent (either gender) must be Jewish, and the child must be raised/educated as a Jew, and not also raised in another religion.  Then they are considered Jewish.  I am sure some Reform rabbis are lenient on those points though. I do not know the official Reconstructionist position.

Also note, the conversion of a non-Jewish infant born to a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother, though encouraged by Conservative Judaism, is not without some halachic complexities, and it is my understanding that at least some Orthodox will not accept the conversion as valid (the issue is that the child did not voluntarily convert, so the will must be that of their Jewish parent, but the status of the father as parent when there is no halachic marriage is problematic)

The issue of conversion of someone of doubtful status is referred to, IIUC, as Giyur leChumra - a conversion for the sake of strictness.  For example I know of people  descended from hidden Jews who had such conversions. [/quote]

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