Why is intermarriage so opposed by Orthodox Jews?
Take this as you will but in Jewish law, “intermarriage” doesn’t exist.Marriage (what we call qiddushin) is very strictly defined as being between a Jewish man and a Jewish woman, barring their being prohibited to one another on other grounds.Grounds on which they might not be permitted to each other include circumstances in which they are related by blood (some types of blood relationships are permissible, but the incest prohibition is fairly extensively detailed), ones in which she has another husband (or had another husband, but has not yet halakhically severed their relationship), and ones in which either of them is themselves the product of an incestuous or adulterous union (a mamzer, or mamzeres).Should people wish to get married despite the fact that their union lacks qiddushin, either because they are related by blood, she is already married, one or the other is a mamzer/es, one or the other of them is not Jewish or they are both of the same sex, well: good luck to them. People can do as they please.Orthodox Jews, however, who might seek to live their lives by Jewish law (although I reject the label: lots of Jews seek to live their lives by Jewish law) may reject the description of this union as a “marriage”. To me, this is a bit silly. After all, ‘marriage’ is, today, an entirely secular concept. But qiddushin? This is a Jewish, religious concept.When you refer to Orthodox Jews opposing intermarriage, you are referring to two interrelated phenomena. Firstly, their opposition to people adopting a lifestyle contrary to the Torah. Marriage within a Torah-observant framework, so far as Jewish people are concerned, is qiddushin. It’s not like qiddushin, or reminiscent of qiddushin, it’s qiddushin. ‘Intermarriage’ is not a possibility.Secondly, however, there is the concern that intermarriage is directly correlated with assimilation. People in so-called ‘mixed marriages’ are statistically less likely to be raising children with an exclusive commitment to Judaism (something that Orthodox Jews, certainly, might seek to instill in their own offspring), and in a circumstance in which it is the mother who is not Jewish, will not even be Jews at all.This last point is, of course, controversial. Since 1983, there have been non-Orthodox denominations of Judaism that have accepted strictly patrilineal descent as well, but it remains the case that Orthodox Judaism (and Conservative Judaism) reject this concession.
Converting to Karaite Judaism?
I have not been through the program, I created the program along with Hakham Chancellor Meir Yosef Rekhavi, Rabbi Vice-Chancellor Moseh Yosef Firrouz, and Sean Lichaa of Karaite Jews of America. Hakham Nehemia Gordon our Provost for about one year was also of great assistance. The program is about a year and half and consists of weekly lectures, videos, frequent testing etc. We do not accept teenagers into our program unless they are converting along with their parents. The Torah places adulthood at 20 years of age and a young person will not be permitted to graduate until that time. Tests are administered through the Moodle website and is generally multiple choice. A final essay is required. Graduation does not assure conversion. Each consenting graduates dossier is sent to the Moe'tse Chachamin (Council of Sages) for approval for conversion. The Chief Karaite Rabbi appoints a Bet Din which meets at the Karaite Synagogue in Daly City, CA. The most difficult part, for some, is the circumcision and symbolic cutting of the hair for women.
Was it common in the 20th century for Jewish people to marry non-Jewish people?
More common now than then. But statistically that will change as the children of intermarried Jews self-identify ever less as Jews. They will ever less appear in demographic surveys as Jews, leaving mainly self-identified Orthodox Jews, whose birth rates greatly exceed their minuscule intermarriage rate.
Does Judaism forbid intermarriage or simply doesn't recognize it as a valid form of marriage?
The Torah forbids a Jew to marry a non Jew.Under Jewish Law, this is not a marriage.However - whereas a Jew “should not” cohabitate with a non Jew, it is not strictly forbidden by the Torah.That is to say that secular marriages between a Jew and a non Jew are not accepted according to Jewish Law, they are recognized by Jewish courts as secular relationships and the “laws of the land” apply to these relationships.
Basic information about Judaism?
Go to askmoses.com They can answer any and all Judaism questions you have. You can even chat online with a real rabbi. The answers to these questions are very difficult to answer briefly, so can't be fully covered in this forum. But here's the best I can do: It started about 4000 years ago Abram (his name was changed to Abraham by G-d after the covenant was given) was the first to receive the covenant and promises from G-d. However, the nation of Israel is named after the patriarch Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel by G-d. The name "Jew" is a derivative of "Judah" (one of Jacob's sons) and is a result of the nation of Israel being split (very long story). Way too many symbols to talk about here. Houses of worship are called temples or tabernacles. The contemporary divisions have lots to do with the Jews being scattered in 70AD. For instance, the Shephardic Jews are the ones who went to Spain.
Where in the Torah does it allow for gentiles to convert to Judaism and become a Jew?
Many verses in the Torah refer to converts, as mentioned in other answers.Here is one for example:“When a foreigner will come to you and convert, and will perform the Pesach offering for G-d, he must [first] circumcise all males in his household. Then he can approach and perform it, and he will be [just] like a [regular] citizen of the land. But no uncircumcised male may eat of it.“There will be one Torah for [both] citizens and for foreign converts among you.”Exudos 12, vs. 48, 49.So the Torah mentions the existence of converts, but doesn't explain how to convert.This is because the Torah was never meant to be followed and understood on its own, but only together with the interpretation of the Oral Torah.Like most laws in the Torah, all the details on how to convert are explained in the Oral Torah, ie the Talmud.