>So someone with Jewish ancestry that is a practicing Catholic, and someone that is not of Jewish ancestry that converted to Judaism are both Jewish?
If your mother is Jewish, then the Jewish establishment would consider you Jewish. You are considered Jewish if you convert.
>That sort of makes it an ambiguous term, no?
Unlike other religions, Judaism is a religion and a cultural identity. Many Jews are secular, but still have strong cultural connections.
>What if someone was born to two parents that are not of Jewish ancestry, but converted to Judaism? Is that person a Jew by birth?
That person is not a Jew by birth, but that person is a Jew by conversion.
Historically, the only real test of "Jewness" that matters is this: if the Nazis were around, would they want to kill you?
I'm talking about what the Jewish community currently uses. It seems sorta sad that they would adopt the same attitude toward 'Jew-ness' that the Nazis used... In a Helsinki-syndrome sort of way.
If the world were perfect then no one would have to be paranoid.
The Helsinki syndrome has nothing to do with this.
>Stockholm syndrome is a psychological response sometimes seen in abducted hostages, in which the hostage shows signs of loyalty to the hostage-taker, regardless of the danger or risk in which they have been placed. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome]
If your mother is Jewish, then the Jewish establishment would consider you Jewish. You are considered Jewish if you convert.
>That sort of makes it an ambiguous term, no? Unlike other religions, Judaism is a religion and a cultural identity. Many Jews are secular, but still have strong cultural connections.
>What if someone was born to two parents that are not of Jewish ancestry, but converted to Judaism? Is that person a Jew by birth?
That person is not a Jew by birth, but that person is a Jew by conversion.
Historically, the only real test of "Jewness" that matters is this: if the Nazis were around, would they want to kill you?