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Are converts with a Jewish father (let's say Shmuel) also called ben Avraham (instead of ben Shmuel)?

Is this so, since your gentile descent is kind of wiped out through the act of conversion?

mbloch
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Shmulik
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2 Answers2

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They should be called Ben Abraham but as a courtesy can go by their father's name.

Clint Eastwood
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    Correct; in common usage (e.g. aliyahs), people get away with it. In a Gett or Kesubah it has to be right, though you may even get away with "ben Ploni hamegadlo" ("who raised him", implying the Jewish father is not the Halachic father); or what's written in the kesubah doesn't always have to be what's written out-loud ... – Shalom Jul 06 '23 at 20:11
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    I've seen "ben Avraham, known as ben Shmuel" written. – Maurice Mizrahi Jul 06 '23 at 20:17
  • @MauriceMizrahi that's better, because it tells you the whole story. But hamegadlo is shorter, easier to hide to the untrained eye/ear, and gives the biological father more credit. – Shalom Jul 07 '23 at 01:57
  • As Clint said, people can get away with it. I was told that it is okay for a convert with a Jewish father to use his father's hebrew name instead of 'Ben Avraham'. On the other hand, if the father was a Levi/Kohen, that does NOT mean that the convert could get a 'Levi or Kohen' Aliyah. Getting an Aliyah as a Levi/Kohen would be totally off limits. – Mars Sojourner Jul 07 '23 at 13:37
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yeshiva.co answers your question (here)

A child born to a non-Jewish mother is non-Jewish regardless to the father's status. Therefore all that applies to a convert applies in this case as well – halachicaly he is not his father's son.

He will be called "Ben Avraham Avinu" – at least for Gett and Ketubah matters. (Piskei Din Yerushalaim)

mbloch
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  • I agree. If I was a Rav, this would be my opinion too. Calling a convert by their Jewish father's hebrew name just makes things ripe for confusion. It also has a semblance of trying to cover up a lie. – Mars Sojourner Jul 07 '23 at 13:39