Genealogy Chat

Hi my daughter needs to know if my mother was jewish,
I didnt know my mother so would not know.
is there a way of finding our if she converted after she married.
I can ask her or my father as they are both deceased and I do not have any other realiatives to ask.
My fathers mother was named morgunstern form birth so if she was jewish that would maybe make my father jewish, but I dont know any more.
Any help with with this would be great
Thanks
Michelle

I dont think such a list exists- you can change your faith daily!

Do you know where and when she was buried, as that might give a clue as to religious ceremony performed?

no Patchem she was buried in a porpers grave I think but in a church yard, but \i think they just put everyone there who has no money
Thanks for your replies both of you.

Hi Michelle,

To be honest, it isn't as easy to convert to Judaism as it is to swap say, between being a Methodist or being an Anglican.

It's worth googling to see the difficulties involved.


If she did convert, then it's highly unlikely she would be buried in a Christian churchyard - those of the Jewish faith have their own cemeteries or allocated areas within cemeteries.

If your father's mother was Jewish, he most certainly was. The Jewish system is matriarchal

Where did your parents marry?

You could try searching for synagogues in the locality that they lived and see if they hold records. They’d probably be willing to look through them for your mother’s name.

The Jewish Genealogy Society of Great Britain might be able to advise.
http://www.jgsgb.org.uk/

Although a child born to a Jewish woman is Jewish by heritage, I’m not sure that those born before her conversion are considered so.

As Reggie says, it’s a matriarchal system.
My grandmother was Jewish, so my father was.
My mother wasn’t so that means that neither am I!

You have three female Morgunsterns in your tree......which was your grandmother?

Incidentally, there is not one entry on freebmd of the spelling you quote

There are, however, entries for Morganstern/Morgenstern.

As you have the birthplace recorded only for Louisa, I'm guessing that she is your 'line'.

Is THIS her marriage?

Marriages Sep 1911 (>99%)
Childs Emma M W. Ham 4a 378
Heath William W.Ham 4a 378
Morgenstern Louisa W. Ham 4a 378
Payne Charles W W.Ham 4a 378

Obviously not the right person's marriage.........no sons

Births Sep 1912 (>99%)
Heath Louisa E Morgenstern W.Ham 4a 298

Births Dec 1914 (>99%)
HEATH Clara A Morgenstern W. Ham 4a 338

The simplistic answer is that if your mother was Jewish.........so also are you.....and your daughter.