B'nei Anusim - Jewish Status

Jewish Status

The status of B'nei Anusim as Jews within the general Jewish community is determined by just one particular line of descent. All B'nei Anusim who are of an unbroken maternal line, are full-fledged Jews. Jewish law explains that the child of an Israelite woman is still an Israelite, no matter what religious belief system or lack thereof the child or descendant may hold.

Consistent with halakha requiring Jews in general to be considered Jews (by birth) only if there is an unbroken maternal Jewish line (where one's mother, or mother's mother, or mother's maternal grandmother, etc. was a Jew, irrespective of all other lines of descent), so too are B'nei Anusim of an unbroken maternal line of anusim (where one's mother, or mother's mother, or mother's maternal grandmother, etc. was the anusáh) also considered full-fledged Jews. This too is irrespective of whether all, most, some, or none of all the other lines of descent of a ben/bat anusim do or do not trace to other anusim ancestors.

All B'nei Anusim without an unbroken maternal anusim line of descent, while nonetheless considered B'nei Anusim, are not halakhically Jewish. These B'nei Anusim must first "revert" back to Judaism to be considered Jews. Some communities, however, do not require these B'nei Anusim to "revert" back to Judaism to be considered Jews in the counting of a quorum for a minyan or to make aliyah (ascending to make a Torah reading) in synagogue services. "Reversion" to Judaism, is, however, required in the event of marriage to a Jew.

Often, "reverting" for B'nei Anusim is, for all intents and purposes, a nominal or symbolic conversion, an affirmation of faith and commitment to the Jewish people, immersion in a mikveh (body or collection of water fit for the purpose of ritual immersion), and for males a brit milah (circumcision) or hatafat dam brit (if already circumcised).