Here's a question: why *are* adopted children forced to convert? Aren't they equally the children of the Jewish parents? Like if a Jewish couple has one biological child and a second adopted child, and they raise them the same, on what grounds does that distinction make sense?
Adopted children convert because (according to many branches) what makes you Jewish is that your birth mother is Jewish. If an adopted child was known to have a Jewish birth mother (relevant to some fiction I’m working on actually) then conversion is unnecessary.
I know some adopted Reform folks who converted, and this I don’t fully understand because Reform (at least from how I’ve interpreted their definition) considers being Jewish as stemming from being raised Jewishly by Jewish parent(s).
Before anyone freaks out, at least in Reform/Conservative Judaism the conversion happens early (like around the same time as a naming/bris) and there’s no process besides the being dipped in a mikvah part. These kids never have their Jewishness questioned, nor are they forced to go through a process different from or harder than their peers nor do they have to prove themselves. I’m not sure how Orthodox conversion of adoptees works, and if someone knows this (or would like to contend with anything here) I’d be interested to hear.
Orthodox perspective is in the comments :) Thanks!
I usually refer to it as being declared Jewish instead of converting to Judaism as the processes are different. Not only does it mimic the constant questioning adoptees get (e.g. ”okay but who’s your real mother”), I think it’s disrespectful and false to compare being raised Jewishly by virtue of being adopted by Jewish parents to choosing as an adult to join the Jewish people. Those are distinct experiences and should be treated as such. I was declared Jewish as an infant after my adoption was finalized, but was educated and raised the same as any other Jewish child.
The reaffirmation @wenevergotusedtoegypt described is not solely within Ashkenazi Orthodox Judaism movements; I have the same clause written on my beit din judgment and I was raised within the Ashkenazi Conservative Movement. (”We also recognize that our decision is binding only until [she] reaches adequate maturity and is in a position to decide for herself the religious choice of her life.”) I’d bet hard cash that the vast majority, if not all, movements and communities have the same stipulation.
For Reform Judaism, while you’re correct re Jewish identity “stemming from being raised Jewishly by Jewish parent(s),” there’s still bionormativity embedded within Judaism and society in general. Unfortunately, adoptees are still seen and treated as being different to biological children with regards to authenticity and value, amongst other things. For adoptees to be considered their (adoptive) parents “real” children, they’d still need to be declared part of the Jewish people, and that would necessarily include infant conversion/declaration.
I will say that “these kids never have their Jewishness questioned…nor do they have to prove themselves” is not accurate. I’m a transethnic adoptee and can pass easily as the biological offspring of my (adoptive) parents. Regardless, I had (and continue to have) my Jewishness always questioned both by other Jews and non-Jews. Growing up, antisemitism would regularly be excused in my presence by people who knew I was adopted telling me some version of “It’s okay Alexis, it’s not like you’re not really Jewish.” (This was while people who didn’t know I was an adoptee called me a Christ Killer, so I guess I was enough of a real Jew for them.)
And other Jewish people constantly questioned (and still do) my Jewishness either by asking me if I’m really Jewish based on my physical appearance. This is even though I know genetically ethnic Jews who look just like me. Or they outright tell me I’m not actually Jewish or I’m not as Jewish as they are only based on me being an adoptee. I know with certainty I’m not the only Jewish adoptee to have these experiences and that Jewish adoptees across movements and communities deal with the same issues.
I have never lived life as anything other than a Jewish person. I’ve been Jewish technically even before I was born, as my adoption process started before my birth. It’s even worse for transracial adoptees as they unmistakably don’t fit into bionormativity. I generally don’t have to disclose my adoptee status if I choose not to; transracial adoptees don’t have that option.
