A mensch, not a Jew
With reference to the Feb. 7 Listening Post column, while it is commendable that Julian Edelman takes pride in his Jewish ancestry and speaks out on behalf of Israel, if the information in your article is correct, there is no way he can be considered to be Jewish unless he formally converts to Judaism. According to your article, he had a Jewish father but was not raised in the Jewish religion. Neither the Orthodox nor Conservative branches accept patrilineal descent. The Reform movement accepts patrilineal descent only if the person is raised in the Jewish religion. So while he may be a mensch, he is not one of us.
Stu Lewis
Prairie Village, Kansas
