Freedom of religion

A conversation keeps cropping up recently to which no one has an answer and yet everyone has an opinion. It is a question which has very personal impact as well as an international one. Modern in origin, this question fuels heated discussions.

Who is a Jew?

Well, someone who's Jewish. Ok, so who's Jewish? This requires defines what it means to be Jewish. When did this question get so complicated? I know a variety of Jewish people, who proudly call themselves Jewish, and other than the statement, there doesn't exist a common thread.
A person born of an orthodox Jewish mother is Jewish. A person who has an approved conversion is Jewish. What about the rest of us?

Approved conversion: approved by whom? The Israeli Beit Din/Chief Rabbinate is comprised only of middle-aged/retired orthodox men. In 2006, there was a proposal by Shlomo Amar (current Chief Sephardic rabbi), to remove the conversion clause in the Law of Return. By suggesting this, people who convert cannot come to Israel as citizens and would have to go through the arduous process of naturalization.
Law of Return, a side note. Implemented after the creation of Israel to allow those of Jewish descent to obtain Israeli citizenship, simply because they were Jewish. Let the battle begin. Matrilineal descent vs. either; orthodox vs. other; convert vs. bloodline; secular vs. religious. Who can live in Israel as a citizen, who can own land, who can marry and divorce, who can be buried where, and the list goes on.
For ease of discussion then, assume that the question in Israel is not of immediate or personal importance, and the question only applies at home, is it easier to answer then?
Simplistically, yes. Simultaneously, no.

Under the hierarchy of halachah, only conversions as stringent as your own or moreso are recognized. Meaning, a Reform rabbi will recognize a person who converted with a Conservative rabbi. This same person would not be recognized by an Orthodox rabbi. [I am setting the hierarchy as such: Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstruction, Reform, Renewal.]
Those born of a Jewish mother need not question. Those born of a Jewish father have a different story all together. Officially, the orthodox and conservative movements do not recognize patrilineal descent. Reform, Renewal, and Reconstructionist do. The conversion process is necessary for the two former branches.
I find my family to be an interesting case study for me (plus I'm closely tied to the issue here).
My father is born of a Jewish mother, and is therefore Jewish. My mother is not Jewish. So what am I? What is my sister? Are we the same?

Answered personally to reflect a broader ideological view. Since I was a child, I knew I was Jewish. On the very rare occasion pork products would be brought into the house, I would refrain. So would my dad. My sister and mom would enjoy. Growing up in a secular household (that's putting it mildly), and living in a city that is dominated by conservative Christians, I struggled with understanding my place. My sister on the other hand seemed comfortable. I don't believe she ever identified herself as Jewish, certainly not as an adult. At this very moment, I don't believe (I could be wrong), that she would be recognized in the Reform tradition as Jewish. Hypothetically, if she were to ever explore that side of her and then decide that Judaism was the way to go for her, then she would be accepted-no conversion necessary.

I had made the decision years and years ago; acted on it about 3.5yrs ago. I was welcomed with open arms into the community, without question. I am born of patrilineal descent, I say I am a Jew, and I am. My sister is born of patrilineal descent, says she's not a Jew, and is not. Conversion or ex-communication not required.
This then combines the idea of bloodline with spiritual identification, both being required. In America, as a reform Jew, I can then do anything in this movement I want. If I were to choose a different lifestyle and become orthodox, I would have to convert. Bringing back in the Israeli influence, if I wanted to move to Israel, as it stands now, I could under the Law of Return, which still allows for a ¼ bloodline (both my dad’s parents were Jewish). Other life-cycle events would have to be looked at as they occurred, though I believe that I could not marry there, as no orthodox rabbi would perform the ceremony and there is no such thing as a civil ceremony. Marriages originating in other countries are legal and recognized—one of the reasons Israelis travel to Cyprus to marry and then come back. I diverge.

There is much work to be done and not necessarily with the goal of getting answers or hard-line decisions. The goals are of communication, comprehension, cohesion. I will have much more to say on this as time passes.

What I haven’t done here is say how these different definitions impact Jewish relationships. How does another Jew see me? How do I see them? I will save these for another time. For now let me say that I am so thankful that I had the power to choose and the bloodline to support my choice. I feel I have true freedom of religion.