Inherited Jewish Status
In Progressive Judaism, Jewish status can be inherited from either parent, where someone has a Jewish upbringing and identifies as Jewish.
This article sets out the theory behind the Progressive Jewish approach to inherited status, as described by the heads of our Batei Din. However, there are a number of important practical steps involved – especially for those who want to take part in aspects of synagogue life reserved for Jewish members – so you must speak to your local rabbi or cantor to ascertain Jewish status.
Equality is at the heart of Progressive Judaism and one of the places this is firmly shown is in our approach to Jewish status.
Many people have one Jewish parent – and one parent of another faith, or no faith.
In these cases, Progressive Judaism recognises Jewish status based on Jewish upbringing and identification, regardless of the gender of the Jewish parent.
This approach is sometimes referred to as equilineal descent – because it enables recognition of Jewish identity through either a mother’s (matrilineal) or father’s (patrilineal) line.
In the past, Reform and Liberal Judaism had slightly different approaches to this issue – including Reform communities issuing a certificate of status – and some of these differences still remain between communities. Therefore, anyone with status questions should speak to their rabbi, cantor or the Progressive Batei Din.
While each person is unique, and different Progressive communities take different approaches, The Movement for Progressive Judaism’s Batei Din generally recognise Jewish status in the following scenarios:
- A person with two Jewish parents.
- A person with a Jewish mother, and non-Jewish father, where they have a Jewish upbringing and identify as Jewish.
- A person with a Jewish father, and non-Jewish mother, where they have a Jewish upbringing and identify as Jewish. A certificate may sometimes be issued.
- A person with two parents of the same gender, where one is Jewish and one is not, where they have a Jewish upbringing and identify as Jewish. A certificate may sometimes be issued.
- A person who has been adopted, by either one or two Jewish parents, and had their Jewish identity confirmed by a Progressive Beit Din during the adoption process.
We know that there are many scenarios that lie outside of those listed above, and in all these cases the same principles remain. Where there is Jewish parentage, upbringing and a desire to be Jewish… a person can be recognised as Jewish without going through conversion.
Of course, there is the question of what upbringing entails. One obvious way is a commitment, given at birth, by parents within their Progressive Jewish community to raise their child as Jewish. Marking a B’ Mitzvah is another decisive indication. But we also know that life isn’t always this clear cut.
The heads of the Progressive Batei Din, in this video (2026) and this video (2025), laid out the three key aspects they look for when answering questions about Jewish status:
1) Early Jewish experiences.
2) Some kind of Jewish education, even if informal.
3) The person feels and identifies as Jewish.
It is important to note that the practice laid out above applies to Progressive Judaism in the UK and Ireland, and broadly to America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and a number of other countries.
There are places where that country’s Progressive Movement has a different approach to Jewish status. We will always work with the Progressive Movement of a country, and the World Union of Progressive Judaism, to ensure that status is not lost or put into question if someone chooses to move. If you are seeking to live abroad, please contact our Batei Din who can help guide you.
If you have any question about Jewish status, then the Progressive Batei Din or your local community’s rabbi, cantor or lay leader should be your first point of contact. They will be able to offer you guidance and advice.
