Reply To: Chabad? Most non religious Jews are not halachikly Jewish.

Mrs Joe, Have you heard of Eldad HaDoni, that came in times of Geonim with a wild (unbelievable) story that he is a Jew from the lost Shevet Dan on the other side of the Sambatyon River in mid-Africa (the river throws rocks all week long and only rests on shabbos – so no one can cross it). The Geonim paskened that if someone comes forward and identifies himself as a Jew and seems to have some mesorah of Judaism (Eldod had customs that were similar to Judaism), he is accepted as a Yid! When you come to a new city and enter a shul, do they include you as part of the minyan? Why? Why do they believe that YOU are a Jew (anyone can buy a $5 yarmalka), and then they even give you an Aliyah (gasp!0 – to a possible goy! And if you claim you are a Kohen, they will give you Kohen! WHY? Why do they not presume you are from the majority (rov), from the 70 nations?! And they will veven use you as Aidus for kiddushim! OMG! What’s happening? Because that is the halacha.