"Jewish schools to admit pupils on religion, not race, after high court ruling"

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jul/31/jewish-school-admissions-ruling-race

... and by insisting to outsiders that they be allowed their own observances. Jewishness passes through the mother, so the children of a man who out-marries are lost to the tribe unless she converts. Conversion is more than a matter of a declaration of "faith", and there's a bone of contention between the Orthodox and everyone else over what constitutes a valid conversion.

It's all very interesting, and my husband and I went back and forth for years over whether I would convert. "Our" children are actually from my first marriage, so that was a factor, but finally I pointed out that I would have to promise to a Beth Din that I would be observant and he himself was not observant. Believe me, the Reform rabbi wanted nothing to do with marrying a non-Jew to a Jew. We finally got married by a Unitarian minister and raised the kids in that community, which in our town had a number of Jews in it anyway.

Hekate

and she has often noted the various factions within Judaism.

In recent years I went to a Jewish-Lutheran wedding.

Another was a Jewish-athiest wedding with a Jewish service - I signed the katuba - and it was catered by an Italian! BEST of all worlds!

is not considered Jewish according to the Jewish law.